by Gaius Valerius Catullus

Created 01:13, 9 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Latin text

Disertissime Romuli nepotum,
quot sunt quotque fuere, Marce Tulli,
quotque post aliis erunt in annis,
gratias tibi maximas Catullus
agit pessimus omnium poeta,
tanto pessimus omnium poeta,
quanto tu optimus omnium patronus.

English translation

Translation by Kenneth Charles

The most eloquent descendent of Romulus,
Of all that are and have been, Marcus Tullius,
And will be after now, in other ages.
Catullus worst poet of all,
Gives you the greatest thanks;
As much the worst poet of all,
As you're the best advocate of all.

Meter/scansion

Hendecasyllables , which follow the pattern Trochee Dactyl Trochee Trochee Trochee

General comments

Some have taken this as a personal thankyou note from Catullus to Cicero in return for not mentioning him in proceedings against Clodia, who has been identified with Catullus' Lesbia. This identification is not universally accepted, however, and the mockery of the last two lines makes this theory slightly unlikely, if the text is sound. Alternatively, it could be a mock thanks for Cicero's comments to Atticus about what he considered the dodgy style of Catullus' school, the Neoterics . If Cicero was accustomed to sneer at Catullus, Cinna and Calvus , they might well have taken exception to this, and retaliated by attacking Cicero's prowess as a speaker.

Sources

• Catullus website Last modified July 2004. Written by Rudy Negenborn.
• Catullus translation and text.
• Whitakers Words: An awesome online dictionary.
• Fordyce, C. J. Catullus, a commentary. Oxford University Press, Great Britain, 1961
• Lee, Guy. Catullus, a new translation. Oxford University Press, Great Britain, 1990
• Lewis, C.T. Elementary Latin Dictionary. Oxford University Press, Oxford, Great Britain, 1894
• Loeb Classical Library. Catullus translations by F.W. Cornish. Revised by G.P. Goold. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1913 (this edition 1995)
• Wiseman, T. P. Catullus and his World, a reappraisal. Cambridge University Press, Great Britain, 1985