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Caius Valerius Catullus (c.84 BCE - c.54 BCE) was one of the most influential Roman poets of the first century BCE. |
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Caius Valerius Catullus (c.[84 B.C.]? - c.[54 B.C.]?) was one of the most influential Roman poets of the first century B.C.. |
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Of Catullus' life little is known for sure. He was an offspring of Veronese? nobility, but lived in Rome most of his life. In 57 BCE, he accompanied his friend Memmius to Bithynia?, where Memmius had received a propraetor's post. Catullus himself, however, never held a political office. |
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Of Catullus' life little is known for sure. He was born on the Palatine hill of Rome. He was an offspring of a leading family from Verona?, but lived in Rome most of his life. In 57 B.C., he accompanied his friend Memmius to Bithynia?, where Memmius had received a propraetor's post. Catullus himself, however, never held a political office. |
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His poetry was greatly influenced by the Greek Neoteroi?, especially by Kallimachos?, who propagated a new style of poetry, deliberately turning away from the classical epic poetry in the tradition of Homer. Their poems no longer described the feats of ancient heroes and gods but concentrated on small-scale personal themes. Although these poems sometimes seem quite superficial and their subject often are mere everyday concerns, they nevertheless are accomplished works of art. |
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His poetry was greatly influenced by the Greek Neoteroi?, especially by Kallimachos?, who propagated a new style of poetry, deliberately turning away from the classical epic poetry in the tradition of Homer. Their poems no longer described the feats of ancient heroes and gods but concentrated on small-scale personal themes. Although these poems sometimes seem quite superficial and their subject often are mere everyday concerns, they nevertheless are accomplished works of art. |
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The longer poems differ from the polymetra and the epigrams not only in length but also in their subjects: They are hymns and one mini-epos. |
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The longer poems differ from the polymetra and the epigrams not only in length but also in their subjects: They are hymns and one mini-epic. |
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* erotic poems: some of them betray homosexual penchants, but most are about women, especially about one he calls "Lesbia"; philologists have taken considerable efforts to discover her real identity, and many concluded that Lesbia was Clodia, sister of the infamous Publius Clodius Pulcher, a woman known for her abundant sexlife, but this identification rests on some rather fragile assumptions * invectives: some of these often quite rude or downrightly obscene poems are targeted towards ex-friends, but many well known poets, politicians (e.g. Caesar?) and rhetors get their thrashing, too |
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* erotic poems: some of them betray homosexual penchants, but most are about women, especially about one he calls "Lesbia"; philologists have taken considerable efforts to discover her real identity, and many concluded that Lesbia was Clodia, sister of the infamous Publius Clodius Pulcher, a woman known for her abundant sexlife, but this identification rests on some rather fragile assumptions * invectives: some of these often quite rude or downrightly obscene poems are targeted towards ex-friends, but many well known poets, politicians (e.g. Julius Caesar) and rhetors get their thrashing, too |
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All these poems describe the rather Epicurean lifestyle of Catullus and his friends, who lived withdrawn from (though not oblivious to) politics. They were mainly interested in poetry and love, and the ancient Roman concept of virtus (i.e. of virtue that had to be proved either by a political career or by military valor), which Cicero propagated as the solution to the societal problems of the time, meant nothing to them. |
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All these poems describe the rather Epicurean lifestyle of Catullus and his friends, who lived withdrawn from (though not oblivious to) politics. They were mainly interested in poetry and love, and the ancient Roman concept of virtus (i.e. of virtue that had to be proved either by a political career or by military valor), which Cicero propagated as the solution to the societal problems of the late Republic, meant nothing to them. |
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Could somebody please check the poetological and philosophical terms? I only know their German forms and I had to guess on the English translations... |
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Could somebody please check the poetological and philosophical terms? I only know their German forms and I had to guess on the English translations... |
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