LGBT Meets SPQR is a collection of authentic Latin texts that highlight gender and LGBTQIA+ topics for the purpose of enhancing representation and facilitating discussion in middle and high school Latin classes (appropriate for ages 14 - 17).
Monday, May 30, 2022
New Feature: ABCs of LGBT Meets SPQR
Sunday, May 29, 2022
W/W: Together in the Tomb, CIL VI.18524
The two women who were buried together are depicted clasping hands, symbolism usually reserved for married couples. This tomb is currently located in the British Museum; you can find more information about it here.
Fonteia C L Eleusis H O Data Fonteia C L Helena
--CIL VI.18524
Fonteia Eleusis, freedwoman of Caia, and Fonteia Helena, freedwoman of
Caia, are buried here [hic ossa data]
CIL VI.18524 |
MAP: |
Names: Fonteia Eleusis, Fonteia Helena Date: 1st century BCE Works:
n/a |
REGION 1 |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
This tombstone, dating from the 1st century BCE, was found in Rome. It currently is located in the British Museum. Used with permission under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence, British Museum, Asset #391042001 |
|
M/M: Apollo and Hyacinthos, Pseudo Palaephatus, Peri Apiston 46
***Greek Text
forthcoming***
De
Hyacintho Narratio:
Hyacinthus
adulescens Amycleus erat, pulcher & honestus satis. Hunc Apollo quidem
vidit, vidit & hunc Zephyrus, amboque illius formae amore capti sunt, in
cuiusque gratiam et honorem certatim artes uterque suas illi exhibebant. Sagittabat namque Apollo, Zephyr vero spirabat,
sed ab illo cantus & voluptas veniebat, ab hoc vero timor non nisi
ac perturbatio sibi erat. Itaque in Phoebi amorem sese iuvenis inclinat. Ob
idque Zephyrum prae zelotypia ad bellum armare fecit. Post haec quaedam Hyacintho
exercitamenta cum Apolline erant,
in quibus cum sese exerceret a Zephyro sibi maxime timendum erat, discoque
praesertim, quem cum adulescentis lusui Deus praeparasset, et ab illo iam descendisset, a pueroque mox levaretur, Zephyri
fraude in eum ipsum decidit, qui ita mortuus est.
Terra vero tantae calamitatis memoriam ullo modo desertam omittere non debuit,
quin pro adulescentulo, quod fecit, florem Hyacinthi nominis emitteret, in cuius quidem foliis eius ipsius
Hyacinthi nominis pricipium inscriptum fuisse memorant.
--Pseudo-Palaephatus, Peri Apiston
46; Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)
Hyacinth was a beautiful and noble youth from Amyclae.
Both Apollo and Zephyr saw him and were smitten by his beauty; both competed to
win his affection. Apollo showed off his archery skills, and Zephyr sent a wind.
Apollo approached Hyacinth with joy and singing; but Hyacinth felt anxious and
fearful around Zephyr, so he shared his affection with Apollo. Because of this,
Zephyr grew jealous and plotted his revenge.
Later on, when
Hyacinth was training with Apollo, (something he was too afraid to do with Zephyr),
Zephyr maliciously struck down the discus that Apollo had thrown; it struck the
youth, and he died. The earth could not erase the memory of such a tragedy, and
so in honor of the youth, it created a flower with the name Hyacinth, and inscribed
the first letter of his name on the petals of the flowers.
PALAEPHATUS |
MAP: |
Name: Palaephatus Date: 4th century BCE Works:
On Unbelievable Tales |
REGION UNKNOWN |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
Little is known about the life and time
period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a
popular text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find
logical explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest
in the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax,
Palaephatus’ work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms. |
GOLDEN AGE GREEK |
Friday, May 27, 2022
Palaephatus on the "Impossible" Myth of Caeneus, Peri Apiston XI
It is important to note that Palaephatus does not challenge Caeneus' gender, only his invulnerability.
Caenea
invulnerabilem omnino fuisse aiunt. Quicumque, autem hoc ad credendum suscipit, quod homo quispiam ferro invulnerabilis
existat, amens hic reputandus est. Veritas itaque; sic se habet: Caeneus genere
Thessalus, vir erat bellicis in rebus strenuus ac potens, pugnandique scientia
praeditus, qui cum multis in bellis olim fuisset, nullo tamen unquam tempore
vulneratus fuerat. Atque adeo cum Lapithis simul quandoque pugnans, a Centauris
interfici nullo modo potuit, sed ab illis solii comprehensus cum fuisset,
multitudine ullorum obrutus est, sicque consumptus fuit. Eius itaque defuncti
Lapithae cadaver suscipientes, nullisque confossum vulneribus corpus
invenientes, dicere consueverant. Caeneus cum alias toto suae vitae tempore
invulnerabilis fuerit, itidem sine ullis nunc quoque vulneribus mortuus est.
Καινέα φασίν ότι άτρωτος ήν. όστις δ υπολαμβάνει άτρωτον από σιδήρε άνθρωπον, ευήθης εςιν. η δε αλήθεια έχει έτως. Καινεύς ήν ανής Θετταλος τω γένει, αγαθός τα πολεμικά και επισήμων τα μάχεσθαι . γενόμενος δε εν πολλαϊς μάχαις, έδέποτε ετρώθη, έτε Λαπίθαις συμμαχών πρός των Κενταυρων απέθανεν, αλλα συλλαβόντες αυτόν μόνον κατέχωσαν και ωτως έτε λέυτησεν. έλεγον ων οι Λαπίθαι ανελόμενοι τον νεκρόν αυτέ, και ευρόντες μη τετρωμένον το σώμα, Καινεύς τόν γε άλλον βίον άτρωτος ήν, και απέθανεν άτρωτος.
--Palaephatus, Peri Apiston X, Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)They say that Caeneus was invulnerable. However, you’re an
idiot if you think he couldn’t get wounded by iron. Here’s the truth: Caeneus
was a Thessalian man who was mighty and skilled in the art of war. Although he
fought in many battles, he was never wounded. Even when he died battling the Centaurs on
behalf of the Lapiths, he was crushed to death by rocks, not iron. When the Lapiths
recovered his body, they found no wounds on him, and so they said that “he was
invulnerable in life, as well as in death.”
PALAEPHATUS |
MAP: |
Name: Palaephatus Date: 4th century BCE Works:
On Unbelievable Tales |
REGION UNKNOWN |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
Little is known about the life and time
period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a popular
text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find logical
explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest in
the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax, Palaephatus’
work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms. |
GOLDEN AGE GREEK |
Saturday, May 21, 2022
W/W: Double Harness, Sappho fr. 213
...…σε εμα κἈρχεανασ
σα Γοργω. συνδυγος.
αντι του
συνζυξ. η Πλειστοδικη
τηι Γοργοι συνζυξ μετα
της Γογγυλης
ονομασθησεται ...
mea Archaeanassaque
Gorgonis coniuga.
Coniuga, pro “coniunx.” Pleistodika nominatur Gorgonis
coniunx, cum Gongula.
--Sappho fr. 213; P. Oxy. 2292; Translated into Latin by K. Masters
My [missing name] and Gorgo’s yokemate,* Archeanassa.
* Feminine form of yokemate, instead of masculine form.
Pleistodike is named Gorgo’s yokemate, as well as Gongula. . .
SAPPHO |
MAP: |
Name: Σαπφώ / Sappho Date: 630 – 570 BCE Works:
<lost: only fragments
remain> |
REGION 5 |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
Sappho was
universally applauded by the ancient world as the “Tenth Muse.” Because she
was one of the earliest Greek lyric poets, there is very little definitive
information on Sappho’s life. It is
generally agreed that Sappho was a wealthy noblewoman from the island of
Lesbos who had three brothers and a daughter named Kleis. She used her
prominent social position to support a cohort of other women artists, and
composed many poems about them, expressing her love for them, praising their
beauty, and celebrating their marriages. Whereas earlier Greek poetry was
epic poetry with serious themes of gods, warfare, and the state, Sappho’s
lyric poetry is emotional, intimate and personal. Her poetry centers around
womanhood and womanly love, providing rare insight into social mores
of the time period. The modern term “lesbian” (a woman who is attracted to
another woman) reveals the longevity of her impact upon western culture
[NOTE: Although “lesbian” is the accepted term in modern English, authors in
the ancient world used a different word for a homosexual woman, and only
occasionally used the term “lesbian” euphemistically]. Unfortunately,
although her poetry was universally revered by the Greeks and Romans alike,
Sappho’s works only exist as fragments, adding mysterious allure to her
larger-than-life status but unfortunately hindering our understanding of her
life and thoughts. |
Archaic Greek |
Using Sappho's Words to Express His Love...for Books, Julian, Ep. 23
Name: Julian Date: 331 – 363 CE Region: Constantinople [modern
Istanbul, Turkey] Citation: Letter 23.1
|
The Roman Emperor Julian quoted Sappho frequently
in his works. In this letter, he uses the same priamel construction that Sappho
used in Fragment 16 to showcase his love of books.
To Ecdicius, Prefect of
Egypt, From Julian:
Some people love horses;
Others love birds;
Still others love animals.
But, from the time I was a child,
I have always burned for books.
ἄλλοι μὲν ἵππων, ἄλλοι δὲ
ὀρνέων, ἄλλοι θηρίων ἐρῶσιν, ἐμοὶ δὲ βιβλίων κλήσεως ἐκ παιδεαίς δεινὸς
ἐντέτηκε πόθος. |
Ecdicio Praefecto Aegypti Quidam equis, alii avibus,
nonnulli feris delectantur: ego vero inde usque a pueritia librorum
cupiditate arsi. Translated into Latin by Petrus Martinius |
Julian [Flavius Claudius Julianus; 331 – 363 CE; modern
Turkey]. Also known as “Julian the Apostate,” Emperor Julian ruled the Roman
empire from 361 to 363 CE. During that time, he advocated for the return of
Rome’s polytheistic state religion. Numerous works of his are extant, including
letters, speeches, and satires. These provide unique insight into the
perspectives of Roman nobility during that time period.
Friday, May 13, 2022
The Many Lives and the Many Genders of Pythagoras: Lucian, Gallus 19-20
In his satire on Pythagorean philosophy, the author Lucian explores how Pythagoras' soul (now living as a rooster) has experienced a vast spectrum of existence--living as man and woman, Greek and Persian, person and animal, etc. It is important to note that despite the interviewer Mikyllos' cynical and mocking tone, he still follows proper etiquette: using a person's appropriate pronouns, as well as being sure to not use the Rooster's dead name.
MICYLLUS: Verum ubi
Pythagoram exueras, quem post eum induisti?
GALLUS: Aspasiam
Miletensem illam meretricem.
MICYLLUS: Papae! Quid
ego audio? Siquidem inter alia mulier quoque fuit Pythagoras. Itane fuit
aliquando tempus, quo tu Galle generosissime ova pariebas, cumque Pericle rem
habebas, iam Aspasia videlicet, atque ex illo gravida facta es? Praeterea lanam
tondebas, tramamque ducebas? Postremo meretricum in morem gestiebas, vultumque
componebas?
GALLUS: Ista quidem
omnia feci, tametsi non ego solus: verum & ante me tum Tiresias, tum Elati
proles Caeneus. Proinde quicquid in me convitii dixeris, tantumdem et in illos
dixeris.
MICYLLUS: Age igitur,
utra tibi vita erat suavior, quum vir esses, an quum Pericles tecum haberet
consuetudinem?
GALLUS: Vides
cuiusmodi isthuc est quod percontaris? nempe cui ne Tiresiae quidem expedierit
respondere.
MICYLLUS: Atqui si
minus fateare tu, tamen isthuc Euripides fatis explicuit, quum ait se malle ter
sub clipeo consistere, quam parere semel.
GALLUS: Immo
praemoneo te paulo post puerperam fore: siquidem & tu mulier es olim
futurus, idque; saepius, longo nimirum saeculorum orbe atque recursu.
MICYLLUS: Non tu
pendebis O Galle, qui quidem omneis mortales Milesios aut Samios esse ducas?
Nam aiunt te etiam tum quum Pythagoras esses, venusta forma decorum, saepius
Aspasiam fuisse tyrano. Verum age, secundum Aspasiam in quem virum aut mulierem
denuo renatus es?
GALLUS: In Cratetem
Cynicum.
MICYLLUS: O Castor, O
Pollux, quam dissimile! ex scorto philosophus?
GALLUS: Deinde rex:
deinde pauper: paulo post satrapes: dehinc equus, graculus, rana, aliaque
innumerabilia, perlongum enim fuerit singula recensere. Postremo gallus, atque
id saepius, nam hoc vitae genere sum delectatus. Interea & aliis diversis
mortalibus servivi, regibus, pauperibus, divitibus; postremo nun tecum vivo,
rideoque quotidie, quum video te pauperitatis taedio complorantem,
eiulantemque, ac divitum admirantem fortunas, propterea quod ignores quantum
illis adsit malorum. Alioqui si curas noris quibus illi distringuntur teipsum
profecto riseris, qui antea credideris, eum qui sit opulentus, statim
felicissimum esse omnium.
MICYLLUS: Ergo
Pythagora, aut quod maxime gaudeas appellari, ne confundam orationem, si te
nunc hoc, nunc illo nomine compellem.
GALLUS: Nihil
intererit, sive Euphorbum, sive Pythagoram, sive vocaris Aspasia, sive
Craterem, quandoquidem ista omnium sum unus: nisi quod rectius feceris, si id
quod impraesentiarum esse video. Gallum me voces, ne avem hanc parui ducere
contenereque videare, praesertim quum tam multas contineat animas.
[19] πατῶν ἀπολιμπάνοις.
ἀποδυσάμενος δὲ τὸν Πυθαγόραν τίνα μετημφιέσω μετ᾽ αὐτόν;
Ἀλεκτρυών
Ἀσπασίαν τὴν ἐκ
Μιλήτου ἑταίραν
Μίκυλλος
φεῦ τοῦ λόγου, καὶ
γυνὴ γὰρ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁ Πυθαγόρας ἐγένετο, καὶ ἦν ποτε χρόνος ὅτε καὶ σὺ ᾠοτόκεις,
ὦ ἀλεκτρυόνων γενναιότατε, καὶ συνῆσθα Περικλεῖ Ἀσπασία οὖσα καὶ ἐκύεις ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ
καὶ ἔρια ἔξαινες καὶ κρόκην κατῆγες καὶ ἐγυναικίζου ἐς τὸ ἑταιρικόν;
Ἀλεκτρυών
πάντα ταῦτα ἐποίουν
οὐ μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ Τειρεσίας πρὸ ἐμοῦ καὶ ὁ Ἐλάτου παῖς ὁ Καινεύς, ὥστε ὁπόσα ἂν
ἀποσκώψῃς εἰς ἐμὲ, καὶ εἰς ἐκείνους ἀποσκώψας ἔσῃ.
Μίκυλλος
τί οὖν; πότερος ἡδίων
ὁ βίος σοι ἦν, ὅτε ἀνὴρ ἦσθα ἢ ὅτε σε ὁ Περικλῆς ὤπυιεν;
Ἀλεκτρυών
ὁρᾷς οἷον τοῦτο ἠρώτησας,
οὐδὲ τῷ Τειρεσίᾳ συνενεγκοῦσαν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν;
Μίκυλλος
ἀλλὰ κἂν σὺ μὴ εἴπῃς,
ἱκανῶς ὁ Εὐριπίδης διέκρινε τὸ τοιοῦτον, εἰπὼν ὡς τρὶς ἂν ἐθέλοι παρ᾽ ἀσπίδα στῆναι
ἢ ἅπαξ τεκεῖν.
Ἀλεκτρυών
καὶ μὴν ἀναμνήσω
σε, ὦ Μίκυλλε, οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ὠδίνουσαν ἔσῃ γὰρ γυνὴ καὶ σὺ ἐν πολλῇ τῇ περιόδῳ
πολλάκις.
Μίκυλλος
οὐκ ἀπάγξῃ, ὦ ἀλεκτρυών,
ἅπαντας οἰόμενος Μιλησίους ἢ Σαμίους εἶναι; σὲ γοῦν φασι καὶ Πυθαγόραν ὄντα τὴν
ὥραν λαμπρὸν πολλάκις 20] Ἀσπασίαν γενέσθαι τῷ τυράννῳ. — τίς δὲ δὴ μετὰ τὴν Ἀσπασίαν
ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνὴ αὖθις ἀνεφάνης;
Ἀλεκτρυών
ὁ κυνικὸς Κράτης.
Μίκυλλος
' Ὢ Διοσκόρω τῆς ἀνομοιότητος,
ἐξ ἑταίρας φιλόσοφος.
Ἀλεκτρυών
εἶτα βασιλεύς, εἶτα
πένης, καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον σατράπης, εἶτα ἵππος καὶ κολοιὸς καὶ βάτραχος καὶ ἄλλα
μυρία μακρὸν ἂν γένοιτο καταριθμήσασθαι ἕκαστα: τὰ τελευταῖα δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν
πολλάκις, ἥσθην γὰρ τῷ τοιούτῳ βίῳ. καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς [p. 214] ἄλλοις δουλεύσας
καὶ πένησι ^ καὶ πλουσίοις, τὰ τελευταῖα καὶ σοὶ νῦν σύνειμι καταγελῶν ὁσημέραι
ποτνιωμένου καὶ οἰμώζοντος ἐπὶ τῇ πενίᾳ καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους θαυμάζοντος ὑπ᾽ ἀγνοίας
τῶν ἐκείνοις προσόντων κακῶν. εἰ γοῦν ᾔδεις τὰς φροντίδας ἃς ἔχουσιν, ἐγέλας ἂν
ἐπὶ σαυτῷ πρῶτον οἰηθέντι ὑπερευδαίμονα εἶναι τὸν πλοῦτον.
Μίκυλλος
οὐκοῦν, ὦ
Πυθαγόρα — καίτοι τί μάλιστα χαίρεις καλούμενος, ὡς μὴ ἐπιταράττοιμι τὸν λόγον ἄλλοτε
ἄλλον καλῶν;
Ἀλεκτρυών
διοίσει μὲν οὐδὲν
ἤν τε Εὔφορβον ἢ ^ Πυθαγόραν, ἤν τε Ἀσπασίαν καλῇς ἢ Κράτητα: πάντα γὰρ ἐγὼ ταῦτά
εἰμι. πλὴν τὸ νῦν ὁρώμενον τοῦτο ἀλεκτρυόνα ὀνομάζων ἄμεινον ἂν ποιοῖς, ὡς μὴ ἀτιμάζοις
εὐτελὲς εἶναι δοκοῦν τὸ ὄρνεον, καὶ ταῦτα τοσαύτας ἐν αὑτῷ ψυχὰς ἔχον.
--Lucian,
Gallus 19-20 ; Translated into Latin by
Erasmus of Rotterdam
M: Once you changed out of Pythagoras,
what form did you take next?
Rooster: I was
Aspasia, the Courtesan from Miletus.
M: Lol wut? You,
Pythagoras, were a woman in your previous lives? Like, at one time, you, a
noble rooster, were an egg-laying chicken? And you were Aspasia, who dated
Pericles, and got pregnant by him? And you spun wool and then wove it into
things? And then you put on makeup to go on dates?
Rooster: Of course
I did. But I’m not the only one who did so; there’s also Tiresias before me,
and Elatus’ kid* Caeneus. Don’t give me a hard time for it, if you’re cool with
them.
M: So, like, which
life did you like better? When you were a man, or when you were married to
Pericles?
Rooster: Watch out
what kind of question you’re asking me—that’s the question that got Tiresias in
trouble**.
M: Well, if you don’t
say it, Euripides explained it in one of his tragedies. He said that he would
prefer to go into battle three times than to give birth once.
Rooster: May I remind
you, o Mikyllos, that one day you will be a woman who gives birth; it’ll happen
often enough as time goes on.
M: Watch your neck,
bird! Do you think that everyone comes from Miletus or Samos? So,
like, they often say that Pythagoras looked good, and Aspasia was good looking
in the eyes of her tyrant lover. After Aspasia, were you a man or a woman next?
Rooster: I was the Cynic
philosopher Crates.
M: OMG, what a difference!
From a hot courtesan to a philosopher***!
Rooster: Then I was
a king, then a beggar, then a Persian Satrap, then a horse, then a bird, then a
frog, then a bunch of other things, too many to remember, but most recently, a
rooster. I like being a rooster the most. I’ve been all these things, and now
that I live with you, I think it’s laughable that you admire the rich and worry
about poverty—you have no idea what you’re talking about. If you only knew the struggle
the wealthy had, you wouldn’t think you’d instantly be happy if you were rich.
M: So, Pythagoras—or
what do you wish to be called? So I won’t get mixed up calling you one thing
after another.
Rooster: It doesn’t
matter. Whether you call me Euphorbus or Pythagoras, or Aspasia, or Crates, I
am all of them. But it might be easier
if you just call me “Rooster,” but don’t think that this “paltry poultry” doesn’t
contain many souls.
* Lucian uses the
gender neutral term παῖς [“kid / child,” instead of “son”
or “daughter”], respecting Caeneus’ gender change by deliberately not using a
gendered word.
** According to
myth, Tiresias was blinded when Zeus and Hera asked him to decide whether men
or women enjoyed physical romance more
*** Cynic rejected society’s
obsession with appearance and beauty, and dressed plainly
LUCIAN |
MAP: |
Name: Lucianus Samosatensis Date: 125 – 180 CE Works:
Dialogue of the Courtesans* True History, etc. |
REGION 4 |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
Lucian was a Turkish-born Roman satirist who
wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting
social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of
the later Roman empire. |
ROMAN GREECE |
Thursday, May 12, 2022
M/M: Agamemnon and Argynnus, Propertius III.7.61-64
sunt Agamemnonias testantia litora curas,
quae notat Argynni poena
Athamantiadae.
[hoc iuvene amisso classem non solvit Atrides,
pro qua mactatast* Iphigenia mora.]
--Propertius El. III.7.61-64
This shore is a
monument to Agamemnon’s grief;
it testifies to Argynnus’
suffering.
When this youth died,
Agamemnon forbade his fleet to set sail,
and the delay* caused
the death of Iphigenia.
*According to Trojan War myth: while the Achaean forces were assembling at Aulis, Agamemnon shot a deer sacred to Artemis. In retaliation, Artemis refused to allow adequate sailing weather unless the king sacrificed his own daughter, Iphigenia. In Propertius' version of the myth, Agamemnon's mourning caused the Achaean ships to miss the sailing season, but were able to resume their sailing with the sacrifice of Iphigenia.
PROPERTIUS MAP: Name: Sextus Propertius Date: 50 – 15 BCE Works:
Elegies REGION 1 BIO: Timeline: Propertius was an Italian-born Roman lyric
poet whose love poetry provides insight into the mores of Augustan
Rome. Like Catullus and Tibullus, Propertius used a pseudonym for the object
of his attention; many of his love poems were addressed to “Cynthia.” GOLDEN AGE ROME
Monday, May 9, 2022
In Praise of Sappho: Demetrius, De Elocutione III.166-167
Quare et Sappho de pulchritudine canens, utitur verbis pulchris, et tota suavis est, & de cupidinibus utique, & de aere, & de halcyone, & omnia [fere] verba pulchra ipsius poesi inexta sunt: nonnulla autem & ipsa facricata est.
Aliter autem
irridet agrestem sponsum, & ianitorem qui versatur in nuptiis, valde
humiliter & pedestribus potius verbis quam poeticis. Quapropter haec ipsius
poemata recitationi magis quam cantui apta sunt: neque accommodari possunt ad
chorum, vel ad lyram, nisi sit chorus qui rem aliquam simpliciter enarrat.
Διὸ καὶ ἡ Σαπφὼ
περὶ μὲν κάλλους ᾄδουσα καλλιεπής ἐστι καὶ ἡδεῖα, καὶ περὶ ἐρώτων δὲ καὶ ἔαρος
καὶ περὶ ἁλκυόνος, καὶ ἅπαν καλὸν ὄνομα ἐνύφανται αὐτῆς τῇ ποιήσει, τὰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ
εἰργάσατο.
Ἄλλως δὲ σκώπτει
τὸν ἄγροικον νυμφίον, καὶ τὸν θυρωρὸν τὸν ἐν τοῖς γάμοις, εὐτελέστατα καὶ ἐν
πεζοῖς ὀνόμασι μᾶλλον ἢ ἐν ποιητικοῖς, ὥστε αὐτῆς μᾶλλόν ἐστι τὰ ποιήματα ταῦτα
διαλέγεσθαι ἢ ᾄδειν, οὐδ̓ ἂν ἁρμόσαι πρὸς τὸν χορὸν ἢ πρὸς τὴν λύραν, εἰ μή τις
εἴη χορὸς διαλεκτικός.
--Demetrius of
Phaleron, Libro de Elocutione III.166-167; Translated into Latin by
Robert Faulis (1743)
Sappho sings about beauty while using beautiful words. She
is sweet, and as she sings about love and springtime and halcyon birds, she
weaves together just about everything beautiful in her songs that she has
composed by her own hand.
But in other poems, when she criticizes a boorish groom or his best man at the wedding, she uses more base words than poetic ones. These sort of poems should be recited, not
sung; they aren’t really adequate for either a chorus or a lyre, unless the chorus uses a
conversational style.
DEMETRIUS
OF PHALERUM |
MAP: |
Name: Demetrius of Phaleron Date: 350 – 280 BCE Works:
On Style [de Elocutione] |
REGION 5 |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
Demetrius of Phaleron was an Athenian
philosopher, statesman, and author who lived during the 3rd
century BCE. His magnum opus, On Style [de Elocutione], is a valuable
resource for preserving poetic works of authors no longer extant. |
HELLENISTIC |
Sunday, May 8, 2022
M/M: A Heart Has Found Its Home, Quintus Lutatius Catullus
Quinti Catuli versus illi fuerunt: [14]
Aufugit mi
animus; credo, ut solet, ad Theotimum
Devenit. Sic est:
perfugium illud habet.
Qui, si non
interdixem, ne illunc fugitivum
Mitteret ad se
intro, sed magis eiceret?
Ibimus
quaesitum. Verum, ne ipsi teneamur,
Formido. Quid
ago? Da Venus consilium.
--Quintus Lutatius Catullus, preserved in Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae XIX.X.14
These were the lyrics of Quintus Catulus:
My heart has left me:
I think it’s gone to Theotimus
(that’s what it usually does).
That’s how it goes: that’s its home.
Even if I had put my foot down, forcing my heart to come
home,
It’s used to staying at his place.
I’ll go out looking for it,
But I’m afraid that I’ll be caught up in Theotimus’ charms,
too.
What’ll I do? Help me, Venus!
CATULUS |
MAP: |
Name: Quintus Lutatius Catulus Date: 2nd century BCE Works:
[lost] |
REGION 1 |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
Quintus Lutatius Catulus was a prominent
figure in the wars against the Cimbri and the Teutones in the 2nd
century BCE. Although he was a prolific author, only fragments remain of his
works. |
REPUBLICAN ROMAN ERA |
AULUS
GELLIUS |
MAP: |
Name: Aulus Gellius Date: 2nd. c. CE Works:
Attic Nights |
REGION UNKNOWN |
BIO: |
Timeline: |
Aulus Gellius lived during the 2nd
century CE. His work, the Attic Nights, are a collection of anecdotes
about literature, history, and grammar.
From internal evidence, we can deduce that he was in the Roman Emperor
Marcus Aurelius’ social circle, having close friendships with Herodes Atticus
and Fronto. |
SILVER AGE LATIN |