List of poems by Catullus

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This article lists the poems of Catullus and their various properties.

Catullus' poems can be divided into three groups:[1]

  • the polymetrics (poems 1–60)
  • the long poems (poems 61–68)
  • the epigrams (poems 69–116)

Historical context[]

Catullus (c. 84 BC - c. 54 BC) lived in the waning days of the Roman Republic, just before the Imperial era that began with Augustus. Catullus is the chief representative of a school of poets known as the poetae novi or neoteroi, both terms meaning "the new poets". Their poems were a bold departure from traditional models, being relatively short and describing everyday occurrences and intense personal feelings; by contrast, traditional poetry was generally large and epic, describing titanic battles among heroes and gods. These avant-garde poets drew inspiration from earlier Greek authors, especially Sappho and Callimachus; Catullus himself used Sapphic meter in two poems, Catullus 11 and 51, the second of which is almost a translation. His poems are written in a variety of meters, with hendecasyllabic verse and elegiac couplets being the most common by far.

Catullus is renowned for his love poems, particularly the 25 poems addressed to a woman named Lesbia, of which Catullus 5 is perhaps the most famous. Scholars generally believe that Lesbia was a pseudonym for Clodia and that the name Lesbia is likely an homage to Sappho, who came from the isle of Lesbos. Catullus is also admired for his elegies, especially Catullus 101 and Catullus 96, for his hymn to his homeland, Sirmio, in Catullus 31, and for his many depictions of everyday life in ancient Rome, such as Catullus 4, Catullus 10, and Catullus 13. Finally, he was well-nigh infamous even in his own time for his fierce, sometimes obscene, invectives against faithless friends (e.g., Catullus 12, Catullus 16, and Catullus 116), faithless lovers (Catullus 8, Catullus 30, Catullus 58, and Catullus 70), corrupt politicians (Catullus 28, Catullus 29), and bad poets (Catullus 14 and Catullus 44).

Catullus was admired in ancient times for his elegantly crafted poems, and inspired many of the next generation of poets, especially Ovid, Tibullus, and Sextus Propertius. Even Virgil and Horace are also known to have adopted some elements of his poetry, although the latter was also critical of his work. Martial seems to be the only later Latin poet to be influenced significantly by Catullus. Catullus is mentioned by a few other Roman scholars, such as Pliny the Younger and Quintilian, and by St. Jerome. Since Catullus' work was not adopted as part of a classical curriculum, it was gradually forgotten over time, although one Bishop Rather of Verona is said to have delighted in reading his poems c. 965 AD. That changed c. 1300 AD, with the discovery of a manuscript that contained 116 poems by Catullus.

Manuscript tradition[]

Almost all of Catullus' poems survived from antiquity in a single manuscript discovered c. 1300 in the Chapter Library of Verona, conventionally called "V" for the "Verona codex"; legend has it that the manuscript was found underneath a beer barrel. Two copies were made from the V manuscript, which was then lost. One of the copies was itself copied twice, after which it was lost in turn. Hence, Catullus' works depend on three surviving copies of the single V manuscript. The first printed edition (edito princeps) of Catullus appeared in Venice in 1472; the following year, Francesco Puteolano published the second printed edition in Parma.

For fourteen centuries (c. 1st century BC- c. 14th century AD), the poems of Catullus were copied by hand from other hand-written copies, a process that gradually led to a few errors in the received text. Scholars have applied methods of textual criticism to undo these errors and reconstruct Catullus' original text as much as possible. As an early example, Puteolano stated in the second edition (1473) that he made extensive "corrections" of the previous (1472) edition. In 1577, J. J. Scaliger published an emended version of Catullus' works, using the then novel genealogical method of textual criticism. Scholars since then have worked to emend these reconstructions to approximate more closely the original poems of Catullus; examples of these variant readings and emendations are given in the footnotes to the text below.

Main list[]

The table below lists all of Catullus' extant poems, with links to the full text, the poetic meter, the number of lines, and other data. The entire table can be sorted according to any column by clicking on the arrows in the topmost cell. The "Type" column is color-coded, with a green font indicating poems for or about friends, a magenta font marking his famous poems about his Lesbia, and a red font indicating invective poems. The "Addressee(s)" column cites the person to whom Catullus addresses the poem, which ranges from friends, enemies, targets of political satire, one sparrow and, of course, Lesbia.

Poems of Catullus
Poem Text Meter[2] # lines Type Themes Addressee(s) Reading
1 Latin English hendecasyllabic 10 Friends Gifts to friends, poems Cornelius Nepos
Catullus 1 latine
2 Latin English hendecasyllabic 13 (10) Lesbia A young woman and her pet bird Lesbia's sparrow
Catullus 2a and 2b
2b Latin English hendecasyllabic 3 Lesbia Atalanta
3 Latin English hendecasyllabic 18 Lesbia Eulogy to the girlfriend's pet bird Orcus
Catullus 3
4 Latin English iambic trimeter (senarius) 27 Miscellaneous An old boat, once fast, entering retirement A little boat
Catullus 4
5 Latin English hendecasyllabic 13 Lesbia Brief lives and many kisses Lesbia
Catullus 5
6 Latin English hendecasyllabic 17 Friends Uncovering a friend's love life Flavius
Catullus 6
7 Latin English hendecasyllabic 12 Lesbia Never growing tired of kissing Lesbia
Catullus 7
8 Latin English choliambic 19 Lesbia Getting over being dumped Himself
Catullus 8
9 Latin English hendecasyllabic 11 Friends A friend's homecoming Veranius
Catullus 9
10 Latin English hendecasyllabic 34 Invective Caught in a boast Varus' girlfriend
Catullus 10
11 Latin English Sapphic stanza 24 Lesbia Dumping a promiscuous girlfriend Furius and Aurelius
Catullus 11
12 Latin English hendecasyllabic 17 Invective Shaming a napkin thief Asinius Marrucinus
Catullus 12
13 Latin English hendecasyllabic 14 Friends Partying on a friend's dime Fabullus
Catullus 13
14 Latin English hendecasyllabic 23 Invective Despising pompous poetry Bad poets
Catullus 14 and 14b
14b Latin English hendecasyllabic 3 Miscellaneous Risqué poetry His readers
15 Latin English hendecasyllabic 19 Invective Hands off my boy-toy (cf. 21) Aurelius
Catullus 15
16 Latin English hendecasyllabic 14 Invective Nasty reply to critics Aurelius and Furius
Catullus 16
17 Latin English priapean 26 Invective My acquaintance, the utter dunce Verona
Catullus 17
21 Latin English hendecasyllabic 13 Invective Hands off my boy-toy (cf. 15) Aurelius
22 Latin English choliambic 21 Invective Everyone deceives themselves Suffenus
23 Latin English hendecasyllabic 27 Invective Nasty insults to whole family Furius
24 Latin English hendecasyllabic 10 Invective Don't give in to his seductions! Juventius
25 Latin English iambic tetrameter catalectic 13 Invective Give me back my stuff, expressed beautifully Thallus
26 Latin English hendecasyllabic 5 Invective Losing the farm to debt Furius
27 Latin English hendecasyllabic 7 Miscellaneous Out with water, in with wine! His cupbearer
28 Latin English hendecasyllabic 15 Invective Screwed over by politicians Memmius
29 Latin English iambic trimeter (senarius) 25 Invective Waste of money by politicians Mamurra
30 Latin English greater Asclepiadean 12 Invective Boyfriends can't be trusted (cf. 70) Alfenus
31 Latin English choliambic 14 Miscellaneous A hymn to homecoming Sirmio
Catullus 31 Latine
32 Latin English hendecasyllabic 11 Friends Get ready for me Ipsitilla
33 Latin English hendecasyllabic 8 Invective Father thief, son gigolo Vibennius, Sr. and Jr.
34 Latin English glyconic (3) / pherecratean (1) 24 Miscellaneous Hymn to Diana Diana
35 Latin English hendecasyllabic 18 Friends Please don't go His papyrus
36 Latin English hendecasyllabic 20 Lesbia Burning bad poetry to win love Annals of Volusius
37 Latin English choliambic 20 Lesbia Girlfriend left for richer men Egnatius
38 Latin English hendecasyllabic 8 Friends Why aren't you comforting me? Cornificius
39 Latin English choliambic 21 Invective Smiling hypocrite Egnatius
40 Latin English hendecasyllabic 8 Invective Threatening a romantic rival Ravidus
41 Latin English hendecasyllabic 8 Invective woman asking for money (political) Ameana
42 Latin English hendecasyllabic 24 Invective the effectiveness of politeness His own verses
43 Latin English hendecasyllabic 8 Invective Insulting Mamurra's girlfriend Ameana
44 Latin English choliambic 21 Invective Head colds and cold writing Sestius
45 Latin English hendecasyllabic 26 Friends Over-the-top love poem
46 Latin English hendecasyllabic 11 Miscellaneous the springtime urge to wander His friends
47 Latin English hendecasyllabic 7 Invective unworthy become rich Porcius and Socration
48 Latin English hendecasyllabic 6 Juventius Not tiring of kissing Juventius
49 Latin English hendecasyllabic 7 Invective Praise of a politician-or not Cicero
50 Latin English hendecasyllabic 21 Friends Exchanging poetry between friends Calvus
51 Latin English Sapphic stanza 16 Lesbia The feeling of love; translation of Sappho Lesbia
52 Latin English iambic trimeter 4 Invective Suicidal thoughts at the current political situation Self
53 Latin English hendecasyllabic 5 Invective The crowd's thoughts on a friend's rhetoric Calvus, Vatinianus
54 Latin English hendecasyllabic 7 Invective Direct attack on Julius Caesar's followers Otho, Libo, Sufficius, and Julius Caesar
55 Latin English hendecasyllabic (decasyllabic) 33 Friends Tracking down a lover Camerius
56 Latin English hendecasyllabic 7 Friends Surprise threesome Cato
57 Latin English hendecasyllabic 10 Invective Abominable sodomites Julius Caesar and Mamurra
58 Latin English hendecasyllabic 5 Lesbia My (our) ex is a slut now Caelius
58b Latin English hendecasyllabic (decasyllabic) 10 Friends Tracking down a lover, part II Camerius
59 Latin English choliambic 5 Invective Adultery and graverobbing Rufa and Rufulus
60 Latin English choliambic 5 Invective Hard-hearted benefactor
61 Latin English glyconic (4) / pherecratean (1) 231 Friends Marriage hymn on occasion of friends' wedding Junia and Manlius
62 Latin English dactylic hexameter 66 Miscellaneous Girls and boys share views on marriage Wedding guests
63 Latin English galliambic 93 Miscellaneous Attis, who castrated self to be with Cybele Attis
Catullus 63 (Attis), Latin recitation, Galliambus
64 Latin English dactylic hexameter 408 Miscellaneous Mini-epic about the wedding of Peleus and Thetis Theseus, Ariadne, Peleus and Thetis
65 Latin English elegiac couplets 24 Friends Writing poetry after his brother's death Hortalus
66 Latin English elegiac couplets 94 Miscellaneous translation of Callimachus Berenice
67 Latin English elegiac couplets 48 Miscellaneous A door
68 Latin English elegiac couplets 160 Lesbia To M' Allius, with thanks Manius Allius
69 Latin English elegiac couplets 10 Invective Clean up your act! Rufus
70 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Lesbia Girlfriends can't be trusted (cf. 30)
71 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective On the contagiousness of gout and stink
72 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Lesbia Lesbia
73 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective Can't trust anybody
74 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective Poor uncle Gellius
75 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Lesbia Helpless in love Lesbia
76 Latin English elegiac couplets 26 Lesbia The gods
77 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective I thought we were friends! Rufus
78 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective Gallus
Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Invective
79 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Lesbia She loves her brother a little too much Lesbius
80 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Invective Gellius
81 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Juventius How could you prefer him to me? Juventius
82 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Friends Quintius
83 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Lesbia She insults me because she still cares Lesbia's husband
84 Latin English elegiac couplets 12 Invective Making fun of pronunciation Arrius
85 Latin English elegiac couplets 2 Lesbia Inner turmoil
86 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Lesbia What's beauty without charm?
87 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Lesbia Depth of my love Lesbia
88 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Invective Incest in the family Gellius
89 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective Incest in the family II Gellius
90 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective Gellius
91 Latin English elegiac couplets 10 Lesbia Since she's not your relative, I thought you'd stay away Gellius
92 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Lesbia Lesbia and I are the same
93 Latin English elegiac couplets 2 Invective I don't like you Julius Caesar
94 Latin English elegiac couplets 2 Miscellaneous Cock
95 Latin English elegiac couplets 10 Invective Volusius
Latin English elegiac couplets 10 Miscellaneous Antimachus
96 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Friends On the death of Calvus' wife Calvus
97 Latin English elegiac couplets 12 Invective On Aemilius's oral hygiene Aemilius
98 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective Victius
99 Latin English elegiac couplets 16 Juventius Regretting a stolen kiss Juventius
100 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Friends Caelius
101 Latin English elegiac couplets 10 Friends An elegy for a brother His brother
102 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Friends Cornelius Nepos
103 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Invective Give me back my money Silo
104 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Lesbia
105 Latin English elegiac couplets 2 Miscellaneous Cock
106 Latin English elegiac couplets 2 Miscellaneous
107 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Lesbia Lesbia
108 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Invective A fitting punishment Cominius
109 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Lesbia Lifelong love Lesbia and the gods
110 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Invective Aufilena
111 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Invective Aufilena
112 Latin English elegiac couplets 2 Invective Naso
113 Latin English elegiac couplets 4 Invective Maecilia
114 Latin English elegiac couplets 6 Miscellaneous Cock
115 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Miscellaneous Cock
116 Latin English elegiac couplets 8 Invective Gellius

References[]

  1. ^ Forsyth, pp. 2–3.
  2. ^ Taken from Green (2005) and checked against Forsyth (1986).

Bibliography[]

  • Forsyth PY (1986). The Poems of Catullus: A Teaching Text. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. ISBN 978-0-8191-5151-3.
  • Green P (2005). The Poems of Catullus: A Bilingual Edition. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-24264-7.

Further reading[]

The following is merely a listing of a few sources that English-speaking readers may find useful in pursuing further research on Catullus.

Critical edition/textual criticism
  • Trappes-Lomax JM (2007). Catullus: A Textual Reappraisal. Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales. ISBN 978-1-905125-15-9.
  • Thomson DFS (1997). Catullus. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-80200-676-9.
Latin editions
  • Garrison DH (2004). The Student's Catullus (3rd ed.). Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3635-6.
  • Ancona R (2004). Writing Passion: A Catullus Reader. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci. ISBN 978-0-86516-482-6.
  • Quinn K (1976). Catullus: The Poems. New York: Macmillan; St. Martin's Press. ASIN B000K1UE9G.
English translations
  • Balmer J (2004). Catullus: Poems of Love and Hate. Highgreen, Tarset, Northumberland: Bloodaxe Books. ISBN 978-1-85224-645-7.
  • Mulroy D (2002). The Complete Poetry of Catullus. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-17770-6.
  • Martin C (1990). The Poems of Catullus. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-3925-2.
  • Raphael F, McLeish K (1978). The Poems of Catullus. London: Jonathan Cape. ISBN 978-0-224-01599-8.
  • Sisson CH (1966). Catullus. London: MacGibbon and Kee. ASIN B000PHOUEU.
  • Copley FO (1957). Gaius Valerius Catullus: The Complete Poetry. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press. LCCN 57010149.
Bilingual editions
  • Green P (2005). The Poems of Catullus: A Bilingual Edition. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-24264-7.
  • Sesar C (1974). Selected Poems of Catullus. New York: Mason and Lipscomb. ISBN 978-0-88405-077-3.
  • Gregory H; Gay Z (1931). The Poems of Catullus. New York: Covici-Friede. ASIN B000NXJ7IU.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Catullus' vocabulary
  • Wetmore MN (1961). Index Verborum Catullianus (reprint of the 1912 edition published by Yale University Press and by Oxford University Press ed.). Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlagsbuchhandlung. ASIN B0007ITYOI. A concordance specifying the poem, line and case in which each word appears, e.g., hortulus appears in the ablative case hortulo in line 88 of Catullus' poem 61. Definitions for the words are not given.
  • Mulroy DD (1986). Comites Catulli: Structured Vocabulary Lists for Catullus 1–60. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. ISBN 978-0-8191-5448-4. This book lists the vocabulary, with definitions, needed to read Catullus' polymetric poems. After a general introduction to Catullus' vocabulary, a separate vocabulary list is given for subsets of 2–3 poems, e.g., poems 6–8 and 9–10. The words in each list is grouped by declension and gender for nouns and by conjugation for verbs.
Scholarship
  • Burl A (2004). Catullus: A Poet in the Rome of Julius Caesar. New York: Carroll and Graf Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7867-1472-8.
  • Hurley AK (2004). Catullus. London: Bristol Classical Press. ISBN 978-1-85399-669-6.
  • Claes CC (2002). Concatenatio Catulliana. Amsterdam: Gieben. ISBN 90-5063-288-2.
  • Dettmer H (1997). Love by the Numbers: Form and the Meaning in the Poetry of Catullus. New York: Peter Lang. ISBN 978-0-8204-3663-0.
  • Gaisser JH (1993). Catullus and his Renaissance Readers. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814882-1.
  • Wiseman TP (1985). Catullus and his World: A Reappraisal. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-26606-2.
  • Harrington KP (1963). Catullus and His Influence. 1963: Cooper Square. LCCN 63010267.CS1 maint: location (link)
  • Wheeler AL (1934). Catullus and the Traditions of Ancient Poetry. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ASIN B000QY4290.
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