Now That I Have Power and Internet, I Can Blog About Catullus!

I am happy to say that the power is on and the internet is back because it means that I can blog about my favorite person....CATULLUS!!!!!!!

Catullus 101 is, strangely, a poem NOT written about Lesbia. Instead, the poem is addressed to Catullus's now deceased brother. The poem may be about a different person, but it really isn't all that different.

The first thing that is still kept in Catullus 101  is his ability to balance the lines. For example, he writes "atque in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale," where he both praises his brother, and says his goodbyes. This simple balance is similar to that found in Catullus 85, where he writes "Odi et amo." Another quick point, if comparing these two examples of balance specifically: they are both rather powerful statements used at powerful moments in the poem. Catullus 85 is started with "Odi et amo," while Catullus 101 is ended with "ave atque vale." Just something I noticed....

Catullus also continues his uses of repetition in this poem. We have seen him use this many times in order to emphasize his point, and once again, Catullus has not failed us. Here he writes "Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum, heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi," where he uses both abstulit and adempte to emphasize that is brother is gone, and he feels as though his bother has not simply died, but has been taken away from him. This use of repetition is similar to that of Catullus 5, where Catullus uses the repetition of deinde with basia to illustrate his excessive love for Lesbia. (Da mi basia mille, deinde centum, dein mille altera, dein secunda centum, deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.)

Another very small connection lies in the use of one word: miser. Catullus uses this word often in his poems, including in Poem 101. He writes "advenio has miseras, frater..." Other uses of miser can be found in Poem 51 ("misero quod omnis eripit sensus mihi") and in Poem 8 ("Miser Catulle..."). A small connection, but an interesting one.

I leave you with the last, and rather obvious, connection between Catullus 101 and many of his poems concerning Lesbia: elegiac couplet. Poems 70, 72, 73, 75, 83, 85, 86, and 87 are all Lesbia poems written in elegiac couplet. And maybe I'm reading into this a bit, but stick with me for a second....

Poems such as Catullus 5 and Catullus 51, are not written in elegiac couplet. While these poems do focus on Lesbia,  focusing on the immense love that Catullus has for his woman, they are not as forceful with Catullus's message as those written in elegiac couplet. The poems such as Catullus 70 and 72, are a little harsher, a little more direct. These poems are ones that really explore the struggle Catullus has in his attempt to somehow let go of Lesbia. And here, in Poem 101, he is struggling to let go of his brother. And while the poem is certainly not harsh, it is direct; never once does he skate around the fact that his brother is dead. He meaning is clear and forceful in this poem, and the tone is serious and dark, much like the Lesbia poems written in the same meter. To me, it seems as though Catullus used elegiac couplet as a way of expressing those emotions which hurt him the most.