The Leeds Review - Issue #1"For Catullus, no human, emotional relationship was without its duality, its ambiguity, its potentially dark side."
Charles Witke
Catullus presents in his poetry vivid images of his relationships, depicting joy, fear, emotional instability, uncertainty and pain. All of these aspects are shown in poems concerning his two lovers, the adultress Lesbia, and young boy Juventius.
Catullus' own insecurity is demonstrated in poem LXXXI, as he expresses disgust at Juventius' choice of love ("bellus homo, quem tu diligere inciperes" / "stranger with a face pale and sick" line 4). It is made worse for Catullus as he is rejected for someone from where he describes as "moribunda" (line 3) - almost deathly, adding further insult to Catullus.
Similarly, in poem XXIV Catullus noted the potential unfaithfulness of Juventius with Furius (who is being unfaithful to Catullus), who has "neque seruus est neque arca" (line 5 - "not a single slave nor farthing"). This is also the first poem, if the order if the collection is assumed to be as Catullus intended it, in which Juventius is named. This is in contrast to his female lover, referred to throughout as Lesbia. Apuleius, the Latin poet, suggests her real name is Clodia Metellia, the wife of Quintus Metellus Celer, the Roman consul of 79. Clodia also had an affair with Marcus Caelius Rufus, possibly while Catullus was in Byithnia.
The Lesbia poems convey confusion, heartache, and above all an often-exasperating love. Like Juventius, Lesbia also rejects Catullus in his poems. In poem XXXVII, he describes her as "puella, ... quae meo sinu fugit", "my girl, who has fled from my embrace" (line 11), suggesting her literal as well as emotional desertion. Poem XXXVII is also suggests he is chasing her, and there is evidence elsewhere in the poems that she was the dominant partner. For example, in poem VIII he "uentitabas quo puella ducebat", "would go where-ever my girl led" (line 4). The use of "ducebat" suggests Lesbia was the one who "led the way", (1) not deceitfully but meaning Catullus submitted to her will. In Roman culture this was seen as a debasement, and one that was to be avoided by respectable Roman men.
His masculine energy, however, is enhanced rather than weakened by his memories of his painful past, as told in poem VIII. (2) It is clear in this poem that Catullus is struggling between the intellectual rejection of an impossible situation, while remaining reluctant to "quod uides perisse perditum ducas", "count as lost what you see is lost" (line 2). (3) He also continues to link himself with her, even if he does not realise or mean to. For example, he asks "cuius esse diceris?", "who will love you now?" (line 17), as if it is she who is now lonely. However, in reality it is Catullus who is now left alone, while Lesbia (as he himself notes) is content to be with "omnes pusilli et semitarii moechi", "the drunks and alleyway sex addicts" (poem XXXVII, line 16). His reluctance to accept this is demonstrated further as he continues to address Lesbia as "Lesbia nostra", "the Lesbia" (line 1), in poem LVIII, in an attempt to reclaim his past, while knowing this is impossible.
This is in direct contrast with his relationship with Juventius, as it is Catullus who is the dominant partner, as was customary in homosexual relationships of this kind (the elder male as opposed to the adolescent boy.) As with most upper-class Roman homosexual relationships, their's was only physical, therefore ambiguity regarding Catullus' feelings, indeed his own persona, arises much more frequently in his poems relating to Lesbia. This is especially obvious in poem LXXXV, the opening line of which is "Odi et amo", "I love and I hate" (line 1). The real pain of his love for Lesbia is explored and recognised as him loving her regardless of her infidelity, or treatment of and attitude towards him. It allows him to express, as Ellis suggests, "the connexion between violent love and violent hate", (4) although perhaps the word 'dislike' would be more appropriate, as nowhere in the collection does Catullus not love Lesbia. This paradox, i.e. that of realising her faults yet loving her all the same, if not more, is what for Catullus causes the main theme of his poetry and confusion.
Perhaps he comes closest to describing this feeling in poem XCII, explaining he is "deprecor illam / assidue, uerum dispeream nisi amo", "perpepually crying upon her, but may I perish if I do not love her" (lines 4-5). His confusion as to whether he loves her or not is also demonstrated as he contradicts himself within a few lines in several poems. For example, in poem XI he continues to refer to her affectionately as "meae puella", "my girl" (line 15), arguing with himself until he resolves she should "nec meum respectet... amorem", "respect my love as you did before" (line 21).
Catullus' inner turmoil is described vividly in poem LI as a "tenuis sub artus / flamma demanat", "the tongue is paralyzed, as fire / spreads down through my limbs" (lines 9-10). His specific imagery, concentrated on burning, is suggestive of pain and also passion, linking the two specifically with Lesbia.
A more obvious reference to the pain of a relationship is seen in poems LXXXIII (line 1) and XCII (line 1), in which he repeats "mala", "illness", the cause of both instances being Lesbia. However, he also convinces himself that in both examples she is hiding her love for him.
There are similarities in the language used in the Lesbia and Juventius poems. This suggests that, although they were different kinds of relationships, Catullus' attitude and feelings towards them remains the same. For example, Catullus makes use of the noun "basia", "kiss", in poem XLVIII (line 2), in which he is addressing Juventius, and poem VII (line 9), addressing Lesbia.
This similarity (of which there are other examples) helps demonstrate the true grief of Catullus, in for example poem XXIV. His persuasion to Juventius to stay with him rather than another is given its true meaning, in his choice of the diminuitive, "flosculus" (line 1), i.e. that it is not due to selfish lust by Catullus which has motivated him to warn Juventius. Kenneth Quinn suggests his use of the diminutive shows "the protective attitude of one who has Juventius' best interests at heart." (5) This can perhaps be compared to his description of his attitude towards Lesbia in poem LXXII, as he loves her "non tantum ut uulgus amicam / sed pater ut gnatos diligit et generos", "not as a lover but as a father cares / for his own sons and daughters" (lines 3-4). This echoes the Juventius poem's feeling of protection, as well as his unconditional love of Lesbia.
Despite these similarities, the most intense pain Catullus describes is with reference to Lesbia. The vivid imagery present in poem LI suggests the physical pain Lesbia is causing him to suffer. Perhaps the strongest evidence of Catullus' relationships being him pain is the use of "miser", "unhappy", which occurs thirty-one times throughout the collection. Quinn defines this as `"the stock description of the unhappy lover." (6) "Misero" is mentioned again in line 5 of poem LI, emphasising his grief. In the same poem, he addresses himself in an attempt to gain some self-control, as at line 19 in poem VIII.
In poem VII (line 10), and C (line 7), he describes his love for Lesbia as "uesano", a madness, as well as identifying Juventius with a disease (poem XCIX, line 9). These medical terms again suggest Catullus' serious feelings for Juventius and Lesbia, as well as his helplessness to prevent them. In particular, Ellis stresses the medical nature of poem XCIX, in which "contractum", "contagious" (line 9) suggests Juventius viewed Catullus as infectious, something to be avoided. (7)
By using this medical language, Catullus' fundamental point may be that love itself is an infectious disease that is best avoided. Indeed, this is the central message of poem LXXVI, in which Lesbia is referred to as a "pestem perniciemque", "plague, deaath" (line 20) and a "deponere morbum", "diseased dispair" (line 25).
Wiseman suggests (8) poem LXVIII B refers to the pain of relationships by Catullus' mentioning the "duplex Amathusia", "treacherous Venus" (line 51). The gods are often mentioned in Cattullan poetry, for example describing Lesbia as "uenustas", "Venus like" (line 3) in poem LXXXVI, and Juventius' kisses as "ambrosia" (i.e. food of the gods) in poem XCIX, line 2. In doing this he elevates his relationships, in seriousness and importance, to the level of the gods. This helps explain how his disappointment when they fail is all the more devastating due to the image he has created of them. It is perhaps this high, god-like image of love he has which causes his love to be so deep, and his grief so strong. It would also explain why most of the time (except poem LXXXIII) he seems to forget Lesbia is married, and therefore by definition adulterous.
He seems to have made himself believe they are married can be seen in his comparisons with Juno and Jove, the married queen and king of the gods. However, he sees himself as the female, again emphasising Lesbia's dominance in their relationship. For example, poem LXVIII B suggests Catullus, like Juno, "coniugis in culpa flagrantem contudit iram", "often holds back his anger" (line 139). He also compares himself (albeit implicitly) to Ariadne in poem LXIV, line 54, as if his love means he reverts to "a 'womanish' state... powerlessness and emotionality." (9) This can be linked to the references to disease, in that Catullus sees himself as a helpless victim of powers stronger than him.
His poetry concerning Lesbia and Juventius conveys an overall image of sincere love, which is often unrequited, thus causing him to write "anguished poems" (10) detailing his experiences. It is through cross-referencing and examining his choice of words which allows the reader to appreciate the full extent of his honesty through his poems, whether addressed to himself, or his lovers. It is this continued and universal theme which makes his poetry remain appealing today as he struggles with his feelings, revealing he does believe there is a potentially dark side to his emotions.
Lauren Young Info