Verse - Passion fades Flashcards
What is Catullus reflecting on in this poem?
The past - Lesbia has already betrayed him
Give evidence that Catullus is reflecting on the past?
- Dicebas quondon (you use to say once)
What is special about “nosse”?
- Shortened from novisse (infinitive perfect) meaning I now know
- Indicates how she use to say that she knew Catullus only (for love and sex)
What is the significance of placing Catullus at the end of the first line and Lesbia at the beginning of the second line?
Shows how close yet so far away there relationship is
What does “tenere” mean?
Meaning of a sexual love even though its direct translation is hold
What is the importance of chiasmus?
The cross of the pronouns and names shows how close they were
What is the significance of the position of Catullus, Lesbia and Jupiter in the first two lines?
Shows a love triangle
What does dilexi show? (perfect - diligo)
He choses to love her
Why is “nunc” an important turing point in the poem?
It shows the divide between the past (first four lines) and the present (last four lines)
Give evidence that the second half of the poem is in the present tense?
Cognovi is the perfect of the result so in the present
Give examples of comparatives and state why they are important?
- Impensius, villior (cheaper) and levoir (worthless)
Comparing how he feels about her
Why is the rhetorical question, “qui potis est inquis” asked?
He is talking to himself to try and understand why he feels the way he does
What does the last line show about how Catullus feels about Lesbia?
He still likes her despite her breaking the promise
How is the poem split up?
- First four lines are past, last four lines are present
- Every two lines represents a different focus point
1) Lesbias promises
2) Catullus’s love
3) Catullus’s situation
4) Explanation
