Week 12: More Than Words Contain

I heard recently a radio interview with Krista Tippet who does a weekly show in NPR called "Speaking of Faith". She was asked by the interviewer if religion came from the same place within the human being as art--and that would include poetry. She had this to say: Poetry says more than what words contain.

Examine Carmen 96 in which Catullus treats the issue of death, love, grief and joy. Do his words as he writes them in Latin express something more than the words contain? If so, what? How does he do this? Explain his art. If you think not, explain why.

As always, cite the Latin, given a translation, and then make your case. You are all really good at this. Sink into this deep, brooding poem, and awe me with your response. You always do. I really love working with you each day. No exceptions.

Week 11: Acme and Septimius

In Catullus 45, we examine the love relationship between Acme and Septimius. It's a bit ironic, perhaps, after walking through the Catullus and Lesbia poems, that we then take up this poem about what seems to be an ideal love relationship.
So, my question to you is about irony. Can you find evidence of irony in Catullus 45, or is this just a very straightforward poem about the ideal love relationship? Before settling on an answer, examine the poem carefully, and compare two things: the message of the words, and the way Catullus structures or arranges the words of the poem. Do message and word structure compliment each other or create irony?
As usual, cite Latin examples, translate, and then discuss your evidence. The BEST response will be analytical and critical. A less than best response will simply summarize.

This assignment is not due until Tuesday evening at 10:00, but preparing it before then will help you with your translation quiz on Tuesday in class over Catullus 45.

Week 10: Making sense of strange elements

In Carmen 11, Catullus takes the reader on a catalogued tour of regions around Rome. For us, they are mostly strange, unknown places, and we need the help of commentators to begin to make sense of them. And then, suddenly, two-thirds of the way through the poem, Catullus has a message for his "girl", Lesbia. It's not a pretty message. The relationship is clearly over. Latin scholars admit that this is a "problematic" poem to interpret and has been for the history of interpretation.

What does this catalogued tour of places have to do with his message for Lesbia? Come up with at least two different "theories" for how an intelligent reader might make sense of these seemingly disparate parts. Label your theories A and B, and state each in two sentences or less. Think long on this, and write short!

Weeks 8-9: Patterns of Writing

We will keep this topic open for two weeks. I ask that you each attempt to respond to my question below, AND, in the second week, that you make a response to one other student's post. You will receive two different grades, based on your own response, and on your response to another student. By doing this, we are extending our conversation with each other about Catullus' works beyond the classroom. Make your first post without reading others' posts. Then, of course, read all of the posts before making your second. Your second may focus on one person's comments, or on those of several.

We have read several of Catullus' poems now, all about his relationship with Lesbia. What have you begun to notice about Catullus' writing style that seems to be "Catullan"? In other words, are there things that Catullus seems to like to do with words and patterns of words that, if you were to see the same in an unidentified poem, would make you think: Hmmm, this could be a poem of Catullus.

Identify any such patterns you see. Give the Latin and the poem number, and then talk about the effect these patterns seem to have on the message of the poem.

Magister Patricius

Week 7: The Effects of Langauge, or, How Language Affects Us

We had very rich, thoughtful discussion today about our recent set of poems: 3, 70, 8, 87 and 60. Thanks to all of you for making that happen.

One thing we can probably not look at enough is how it is that Catullus does what he does. In other words, how does he use Latin language to create certain effects, and how do those effects affect us when we read the Latin.

Choose one of the following and reflect on it, citing evidence in Latin (with translation).

A. How does Catullus create the effect of outrage in carmen 60? What effects of language does he use? Outrage should be the affect (how it makes us feel, or how he helps us see how he feels).

B. Consider how poem 87 echoes poem 8. What language (the effects) does he use in both? How does that language affect the reader, or set the reader up to see and feel Catullus' feelings?

Week 6: Lesbia Respondet--paene

Imagine Lesbia responding to Catullus' Carmen 70. And then, write a 4 line Latin poem as Lesbia's response to him and to that particular poem. Follow these guidelines.

1) Yes, in Latin.
2) 4 lines
3) Each line has 11 syllables (aiming for Hendecasyllable, but I am not requiring that your 11 syllable line conform entirely to the meter. If you can get the first three syllables to be long, that would be a start. The bottom line, though, is 11 syllables. Don't forget to make use of elision and word choices to make the syllables work.
4) These 4 lines are Lesbia's response to Catullus 70.
5) Most important part: have fun!

Week 5: Passer

We have now read two poems (carmina 2 and 3) where the Lesbia's sparrow is the focus. Compare and contrast these two poems. Take the sparrow at face value, and explain how Catullus uses the sparrow to do what he is doing in each poem. What is he doing in these two poems? Is he doing the same thing, or something different in each? Quote from the Latin text and justify your views. This need not be a lengthy response, but a well-documented with Latin text--response.