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Catullus
3
As we said before, Catullus wrote many poems to and about his
"girlfriend" named Lesbia. He
gives her this name to remind us of the beautiful, intense love poetry of Sappho
who was from Lesbos. In fact, so
influential was her poetry to Catullus that he translates some of her poems from
Greek into Latin. He draws all his
readers into the relationship by writing poems to her when he loves her, when he
hates her, when he distrusts her, and when he is blinded by her charm.
His feelings are very much on display for the world to see and judge.
Catullus 3 was written to Lesbia when he was trying to win her from her
other suitors. At the time of this poem, her pet sparrow had just died, and she
was obviously upset about the loss. Notice
how differently Catullus treats death in this poem.
Miser Passer O
Veneres et Cupidines
1 et
homines qui pulchra amant,
2 passer
meae puellae mortuus est!
3 passer
meae puellae carae -
4 avem
plus oculis suis amabat.
5 Dulcis
erat. Puellam meam novit
6 quam
puella matrem suam noscit.
7 E
gremio suo non excessit.
8 Volabat
hic et ibi circum puellam.
9 Solae
dominae cantabat.
10 Nunc
per viam obscuram ambulat-
11 Unde
nullus homo ad terram revenit.
12 O,
male Tartare.
13 Tu
omnia pulchra devoras.
14 Tu
passerem pulchrum meum capis.
15 O
factum male! Miser passer!
16 Tartarus
oculos meae puelllae
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