How Many Kisses, Catullus? Catullus 7

Counting Kisses: Catullus’ Original to His Girlfriend Lesbia

Name: Catullus Date:  84 – 54 BCE Region:  Verona / Cisalpine Gaul [modern northern Italy] Citation:  Poem 7

Lesbia, you ask me how many kisses

I want—and how many are too many for me.

I want as great a number as sands in the Saharan desert

Between the Oracle of Ammon

And the sacred tomb of ol’ Battus.

As great a number of stars in the dead of night

That watch over the meetings of secret lovers.

That’s the number of kisses your Catullus wants to kiss,

Enough kisses that nosy people cannot count

Nor evil tongues can curse.

Counting Kisses: Catullus’ Original to His Girlfriend Lesbia

Quaeris, quot mihi basiationes

tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque.

Quam magnus numerus Libyssae harenae

lasarpiciferis iacet Cyrenis

oraclum Jovis inter aestuosi

et Batti veteris sacrum sepulcrum;

aut quam sidera multa, cum tacet nox,

furtivos hominum vident amores:

tam te basia multa basiare

vesano satis et super Catullo est,

quae nec pernumerare curiosi

possint nec mala fascinare lingua.

Catullus [Gaius Valerius Catullus; 84 – 54 BCE, modern Italy] was a Roman statesman born in Verona [modern Italy] who lived during the tumultuous last days of the Roman Republic.  His poetry offers rare insight into the lives of people who lived during his time period. Like Propertius and Tibullus, Catullus used a pseudonym for the objects of his attention; many of his love poems were addressed to either “Lesbia” or “Juventius.”

A Lover's Words: Catullus 70 & Callimachus 5.6.1-4

Although Callimachus uses this literary trope for lovers of any gender, Catullus uses this trope specifically against his lady (mulier, sometimes identified as Lesbia).

Callimachus, Greek Anthology V.6.1-4 (Translated into Latin by Friedrich Duebner):

Callignotus swore to Ionis

That no one—man or woman—would be dearer to him than her.

He swears this, but what they say is true:

The oaths of a lover never reach the immortal gods.

Iuravit Callignotus Ionidi, numquam se illa

habiturum-esse amicum potiorem neque amicam.

Iuravit: sed vere dicunt, amantium iuramenta

non penetrare in aures immortalium.

ὤμοσε Καλλίγνωτος Ἰωνίδι, μήποτε κείνης

ἕξειν μήτε φίλον κρέσσονα μήτε φίλην.

ὤμοσεν: ἀλλὰ λέγουσιν ἀληθέα, τοὺς ἐν ἔρωτι

ὅρκους.μὴ δύνειν οὔατ᾽ ἐς ἀθανάτων.

vs. Catullus 70:

My lady says that she’d rather marry no one but me,

Not even if Jupiter himself asked her.

So she says: but what a woman tells a desirous lover

Should be written on the wind and rushing water.

Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle

quam mihi, non si se Iuppiter ipse petat.

dicit: sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,

in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.

 Callimachus (305 - 240 BCE) is often regarded as one of the best Alexandrian [Greek] poets. Born in raised in Cyrene, Libya, he spent a majority of his career at the famous Library of Alexandria, where he used the resources there to create refined, artful poetry. Although much of his poetry is lost, the fragments that remain are a testament to both his talent as an artist and his erudition as a scholar.

M/M: I'm Not Jealous, But... Catullus 81

 So, Juventius,  there’s no one in the whole world

No handsome guy

Whom you’d begin to have feelings for

Except THAT guy from Pisaurum (a dying town for sure),

a guy paler than a gilded statue…

That’s the man in your heart?

You dare to prefer him over ME?

Don’t you know what a terrible mistake you’re making?

Nemone in tanto potuit populo esse, Iuventi,
     bellus homo, quem tu diligere inciperes.
praeterquam iste tuus moribunda ab sede Pisauri
     hospes inaurata pallidior statua,
qui tibi nunc cordi est, quem tu praeponere nobis
     audes, et nescis quod facinus facias?

---Catullus LXXXI

Catullus was a Roman statesman born in Verona  (Cisalpine Gaul, located in northern Italy) who lived during the tumultuous last days of the Roman Republic.  His poetry offers rare insight into the mores of the time period. Like Propertius and Tibullus, Catullus used a pseudonym for the objects of his attention; many of his love poems were addressed to either “Lesbia” or “Juventius.”

M/M: I'm Not Jealous, But... Catullus 24

Name: Catullus Date:  84 – 54 BCE Region:  Verona / Cisalpine Gaul [modern northern Italy] Citation:  Poem 24

Juventius, the tender bud of your family, 

the best there is, 

there ever was, 

or ever will be, 

I would rather you give the wealth of Midas 

to that guy (a man, I might add, who doesn't even have a slave or a bank account!)

than for you to allow yourself to be courted by him. 

"But isn't he just dreamy?" you say.

Sure, he's nice, but he doesn't even have a slave, or a bank account!

Fine. Mock my words and dismiss them, 

but it won't change the fact that he doesn't even have a slave or a bank account!   

O qui flosculus es Iuventiorum,

non horum modo, sed quot aut fuerunt

aut posthac aliis erunt in annis,

mallem divitias Midae dedisses

isti, cui neque servus est neque arca,

quam sic te sineres ab illo amari.

'qui? non est homo bellus?' inquies. est:

sed bello huic neque servus est neque arca.

hoc tu quam lubet abice elevaque:

nec servum tamen ille habet neque arcam.

Catullus [Gaius Valerius Catullus; 84 – 54 BCE, modern Italy] was a Roman statesman born in Verona [modern Italy] who lived during the tumultuous last days of the Roman Republic.  His poetry offers rare insight into the lives of people who lived during his time period. Like Propertius and Tibullus, Catullus used a pseudonym for the objects of his attention; many of his love poems were addressed to either “Lesbia” or “Juventius.”

W/W: Equal to the Gods, Sappho, Fr. 31

Equal to the Gods I: Sappho’s Original

Name:      Sappho Date:        d. 570 BCE Region:    Lesbos [modern Greece] Citation:  Fragment 31

To a Woman Loved by Sappho:

That man seems to me

To be equal to the gods,

Who gets to sit across from you

And hear you flirting and laughing sweetly.

When I see you,

The heart in my chest gets thrown out of whack,

My voice gets stuck in my throat,

I can’t talk.

I'm tongue-tied.

A hot flash flows through my skin,

My eyes stop working,

And humming fills up my ears.

Cold sweat overtakes me,

My entire body shakes,

I get greener than grass.

I'm not far from death; I seem to be dying.

But I gotta shoot my shot, because wretched...

Equal to the Gods I: Sappho’s Original

φάινεταί μοι κῆνος ἴσος θέοισιν ἔμμεν ὤνερ, ὄττις ἐναντιός τοι ἰσδάνει καὶ πλασίον ἆδυ φωνείσας ὐπακούει καὶ γαλαίσας ἰμμερόεν, τὸ μ’ ἦ᾽μὰν καρδίαν ἐν στήθεσιν ἐπτόαισεν, ὠς γὰρ εὔιδον βροχέ’ ὠς με, φώνη- σ’ οὐδὲν ἔτ᾽ ἔικει, ἀλλὰ κὰμ μὲν γλῶσσα ἔαγε, λέπτον δ᾽ αὔτικα χρῶι πῦρ ὐπαδεδρόμακεν, ὀππάτεσσι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ὂρημμ᾽, ἐπιρρόμβεισι δ᾽ ἄκουαι. κὰδ’ δ’ ἴδρως ψῦχρος χέεται, τρόμος δὲ παῖσαν ἄγρει χλωροτέρα δὲ ποίας ἔμμι, τεθνάκην δ᾽ ὀλιγω ᾽πιδεύης φαίνομ’ ἔμ’ αὔται. ἀλλὰ πὰν τόλματον...

Ad mulierem adamatam. Videtur ille mihi par Divis  vir esse, qui adversus te sedet, & propius dulce profantem  te auscultat et ridentem amabiliter, quod mihi cor in pectoribus obstupescit; ut enim vidi te, in fauces mihi vocis nihil amplius venit. Imo quidem lingua fracta est, & per tenuem Protinus cutem ignis demanavit; oculisque nihil video; bombitantque  mihi aures. Et gelidus sudor defluit; tremorque occupant totam, pallidiorque herba sum: a moriendo paululum absens videor exanimis. Sed quidvis audendum est, quia egentem... Translated into Latin by Christian Wolff

Sappho [d. 570 BCE, modern Greece] 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 was emotional, intimate and personal. Her poetry centered around womanhood and womanly love, providing rare insight into the time period. The modern terms “sapphic” and “lesbian” reveal the longevity of her impact upon modern culture. 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.

What's in a Name? Pueri & Puellae in Latin Love Poetry

When reading Latin love poetry, remember that puella means “girlfriend” and not “girl,” and puer means “boyfriend” and not “boy.”  Textual evidence supports that the Romans used these terms to refer to adult partners old enough to engage in romantic activity. [35] Although no author self-identifies as a puer in the nominative case [often preferring iuvenis 19], the term can be used to refer to another man (often a poet’s rival) [36]. Gender neutral terms (amores, delicias) would often be used in the plural, but sometimes in the singular (amanti/em). It is important to note, however, that although the term deliciae was used often with positive connotations (e.g., the Emperor Titus was called amor et deliciae generis humani [37]), the phrases “puer delicatus” and “in deliciis” tend to refer to a slave [38], not a consenting partner.  Regardless of their age, these people were not capable of consent due to their enslaved status. It is important to not joke about or romanticize poems that use these terms, as this damages the dignity of our youth.

The following chart provides a list of vocabulary for married couples:

Feminae (Women)	Communis (Gender Neutral)	Viri (Men)
Nouns: Domina [1] Femina [2] Mulier [3] Uxor [4] Verbs: nubo, -ere [5]	Nouns: Coniunx [6]    Verbs: coniungo, -ere [7]	Nouns: Dominus [8] Maritus [9] Vir [10] Verbs: in matrimonio habeo, -ere [1]] In matrimonio[con]iungo,   -ere [12] uxorem duco, -ere [13]

 

 

 

The following chart provides a list of vocabulary for dating couples:

IF YOU’RE A…
	Feminae (Women)		Communis (Gender Neutral)	Viri (Men)
You Call Yourself A…	Puella [14] Unica [15]		Amans [16]	Amans -17] Amator [18] Iuvenis[19]
You Call Your Partner A…	Femina: Amica [20] Unica [21]	Vir: Amasius[22] Dominus [23] Iuvenis[24] Vir [25]	Amans [26] Amores [27]  Deliciae [28]	Femina: Amica [29]  Domina [30] Mulier [31] Puella [32]	Vir: Amasius [33] Puer [34]

 

 

 

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[1] Catullus, Poem 61.31

[2] Catullus, Poem 61.173

[3] Catullus, Poem 70.1

[4] Catullus, Poem 71.178

[5] Martial, Epigram 9.10.1

[6] Catullus, Poem 61.32

[7] Catullus, Poem 64.373

[8] Catullus, Poem 45.14

[9] Catullus, Poem 61.55

[10] Catullus, Poem 61.3

[11] Cicero, On Behalf of Caecina 10.9

[12] Livy, From the Founding of the City 1.46.5

[13] Martial, Epigram 9.10.2

[14] Sulpicia, Poem 5.1

[15] MGH 8:7, line 5

[16] Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.73

[17] Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.73

[18] Ovid, Loves, 1.4.39

[19] Ausonius, Epigram 40.4

[20] Martial, Epigram 7.70.2

[21] MGH 8:7, line 3

[22] Plautus, Cas.589

[23] Ovid, Loves,3.7.11

[24] CIL 6.37965

[24] Plaut. Casina 146

[26] Catullus, Poem 73.3

[27] Catullus, Poem 10.1

[28] Catullus, Poem 22.2

[29] Catullus, Poem 72.3

[30] Propertius, Elegies1.1.21

[31] Catullus, Poem 71.1

[32] Catullus, Poem 71.1

[33] Jacob Mycellus, Lucian’s Dialogue of the Gods14

[34] Martial, Epigram 4.42.14

[35] cum puero ut bello bella puella cubet, Catullus Poem 78.4; vir reliquis, uni sit puer mihi, Martial Epigram 4.42.14

[36] Horace, Odes 1.5.1

[37] Suetonius, Titus 1

[38] Pliny, Natural History, 7.34