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.”

Husband, and Husband, and Wife: Lesbia, Anchialus & Spurius, CIL 6.21200

Husband, and Husband, and Wife: The Tombstone of Lesbia

Name:  Unknown Date:  Unknown Region:  Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  CIL 6.21200

Stranger, if you have any empathy,

Stand a while and weep.

The wretched bones that you see buried here are mine.

My character was praised

And my beauty was praised

By Anchialus, who now is overcome by stress.

I am Lesbia,  

Leaving behind only my sweet disposition

And the lifestyle I lived in service.

If you ask my name, I am Lesbia;

If you ask the name of my two lovers,

It’s sweet Anchialus and his delightful Spurius.

 

Husband, and Husband, and Wife: The Tombstone of Lesbia

Hospes, sta et lacrima, si quid humanitas in te est,

ossa dum cernis consita maesta mihi

cuius laudati mores et forma probata est

Anchialo, quem cura anxia debilitat.

Lesbia sum quae dulcis mores sola reliqui

et quod vitam vivens parui in officiis.

Sed nomen quaeris, sum Lebia, si duo amantes,

Anchialus dulcis cum suave homine Spurio.

M/M: Counting Kisses: Martial, Epig. 6.34

Counting Kisses: Martial’s Remix To His Boyfriend

Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 6.34

Diadumenus, give me rapid-fire kisses. How many, you ask?

You order me to count the waves of the Ocean,

And the number of shells scattered on the Aegean beaches,

And the number of bees wandering over the Athenian hills,

And the number of voices and applause heard in an amphitheater whenever Caesar suddenly appears.

I don't want the amount that Lesbia gave to her Catullus, who made a similar request:

A number of kisses that can be counted is not enough!

Counting Kisses: Martial’s Remix To His Boyfriend

Basia da nobis, Diadumene, pressa. "Quot?" inquis.
Oceani fluctus me numerare iubes
et maris Aegaei sparsas per litora conchas
et quae Cecropio monte vagantur apes,
quaeque sonant pleno vocesque manusque theatro
cum populus subiti Caesaris ora videt.
Nolo quot arguto dedit exorata Catullo
Lesbia: pauca cupit qui numerare potest.

Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social classes.