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CATULLUS PORTRAIT
The changeable and tormented personality is found out from Catullus poems:
in fact he goes from hard invectives against his enemies and Lesbia to the sweet words of
memories.
At the beginning of the love story Catullus seems to be vesanus,
he wishes never-ending kisses and doesnt care gossips ("[
] Rumoresque
senum severiorum/omnes unius aestimemus assis", 5,2-3).
In his happiness the poet forces himself and Lesbia to live these moments ("Vivamus,
mea Lesbia, atque amemus", 5,1).
His deep passion can be found in the effects the woman causes in him ("Nam
simul te,/Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi/lingua se torpet, tenuis sub artus/flamma
demanat/sonitu suopte/tintinant aures, gemina teguntur/lumina nocte", 51, 7-12).
But when Lesbia betrays
him, Catullus is furious and rails against her, without saving rude words to her and to her lovers ("Cum suis
vivat valeatque moechis/quos simul complexa tenet trecentos,/nullum amans vere, sed
identidem omnium/ ilia rumpens", 11,17-20).
Catullus seems to know himself very well: he is a broken-hearted young men, but he can
perfectly analyse his mood, his emotions and his limits ("Miser Catulle, desinas
ineptire,/et quod vides perisse perditum ducas.", 8, 1-2).
His love story is going to the end and he desperately asks Gods to help him
("O di, si vestrum est misereri, aut si quibus umquam/extremam iam ipsa in morte
tulistis opem,/me miserum aspicite et, si vitam purite ex omni pectore laetitias!/ Non iam
illud quaero, contra ut me diligat illa,/ aut, quod non potis
est, esse pudica velit:/ ipse valere opto et taetrum hunc deponere morbum,/o di, reddite
mi hoc pro pietate mea", 76, 17-26).
Catullus achieves a suffered maturity: passing through doubts, memories and despair,
with a conscious resignation of his change.
Caterina Croce, Margherita De Mori, Federica Giarola, Manuela Marai e Valentina
Pesci |
unius aestimemus assis (5,3), quod
vides perisse perditum (8,2)
Sirmione, Catullus' villa, the north side.
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