The Poems of Catullus

by Catullus

The Poems of Catullus describes the lifestyle of the Latin poet Catullus, his friends, and his lover, Lesbia. Catullus writes about each of his subjects in tones unique to them. With wild stories of the trouble and comradery shared by his friends, Catullus provides insight on more scandalous aspects of high society Roman culture. However, Catullus' most shocking and compelling subject is his lover, Lesbia, the wife of an aristocrat. The two share a secret and sensual love, taboo not just because of the infidelity, but because Lesbia is many years older than Catullus. Throughout his poems, Catullus depicts their complicated relationship, first in a tender, lustful way, detailing their affairs, then gradually becomes more heated with angst and confusion. In his exploration of their relationship, Catullus embodies the possibility of simultaneously loving and hating someone. With vivid emotion and imagery, The Poems of Catullus provide a clear picture of the poet, his friends, and his lover and invoke a strong impression on its audience.

Because of the deep emotions infused with each word and the visceral depictions of ancient Roman life, this collection of poetry is relatable to a modern-day audience, and is an essential educational source. Catullus paved the way and inspired change in the art of poetry, influencing countless poets and poetry styles. The Poems of Catullus also helped create the idea of poetry as a profession. The Poems of Catullus serves a valuable and educational source, enlightening audiences on the culture of the upper-class of the late Roman Republic. However, because Catullus also explores the complex human emotions regarding friendship, sex, and love, The Poems of Catullus have proven to be a timeless testament to the duality of humankind, embracing emotions that lie between the extremes in the spectrum of feeling.

Catering to a contemporary audience, this edition of The Poems of Catullus features a new, eye-catching cover design and is reprinted in a modern font to accompany the timeless exploration of human emotion and the humorous, exciting life events of the influential poet Catullus.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Roman, Fiction, Ancient, Ancient History, Grad School

86 pages, Paperback

Published December 8, 2020

About the author

Gaius Valerius Catullus (ca. 84 BC – ca. 54 BC) was a Roman poet of the 1st century BC. His surviving works are still read widely, and continue to influence poetry and other forms of art. Catullus invented the "angry love poem."

Reviews

[M.L. Rio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Possibly not a great translation but I find Catullus pompous and a bit dull.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy shit officially my favorite poet. a shit-talking, grudge-holder, whose first live becomes a prostitute and he writes love hate poems to her for YEARS. obviously a champion of true love.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5–i liked reading through this for class but i don’t think i’d pick it up myself

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically love poems from what I recall

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a copy of this off of Adelaide University's e-book archive, after The Narrow Road to the Deep North referenced a Catullus poem and I though 'meh why not'. And now, I can tell you why not--translation no good.

Robinson Ellis, bless him, wrote a whole foreword about the importance of the form Catullus used and how specific sounds and consonants need to line up, as well as specific syllable sequences, and probably more technical things I've forgotten. And that might be and good and well for Latin. I've read that Cicero used to muck up the conjugations of the words at the ends of his sentences to make them more impactful in his speeches--Latin. That wouldn't work in English. And this collection is in English. See the problem?

The manipulation of the poems are painfully stilted and awkward, often grazing against meaning by the mere virtue of containing words I technically know. Ellis occasionally includes a line or two as translated by someone else in his notes, and they invariably sound better. I can understand wanting to stay true to the form used by the poet, but surely it shouldn't come at the utter sacrifice of meaning.

I did enjoy that quite a few of the poems dealt with everyday subjects, gossip, or people that Catullus had decided to diss. I'd definitely consider reading his work again in a better, more accessible translation.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read a different translation, but this is the only one on Good reads and it's close enough.

I read a public domain prose translation because I wanted to get as close to the original words as I could, even if it's at the expense of the rhythms. I enjoyed the book, although Catallus will probably never be a favorite. There were lines I really liked, and poems that were enjoyable. There were also quite a few dull poems, which might have been the fault of the translation. Or not.

In any case, it was a nice trip back to the works of a poet I haven't read since college, many years ago.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of this translation.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I though this was a decent translation of Catullus' poems. I did enjoy re-reading his work after a few years break from reading anything translated from or in Latin.