METER: elegiac couplet (see Catullus 70). Line 6 is metrically unusual. How and why? 1 de quoquam: "from anyone." velle: velle and putare (2) are complementary infini- tives after desine. Explain the use of the infinitives mereri, fieri, and posse (1-21. mereor, mereri (21, meritus sum, to earn, deserve. bene mereri, to be right- fully entitled to. 2 'pius, -a, -um, dutiful, grateful. 3 'ingratus, -a, -um, unappreciated, thankless. nihil . . . prodest (41: "it is not profit- able to have done anything with kindness." benigne, kindly, with kindness. 4 prosum, prodesse jirreg.), profui, to profit, be of use. immo, on the contrary. taedet, it is wearisome, tiring. What is the antecedent of "it"! obsum, obesse (ir- reg.), obfui (+ dat.), to get in the way, be harmful. 5 ut mihi: "as it is to me." quem nemo . . . quam (6) . . . qui: "whom no one. . . than he who. . . ." acerbus, -a, -um, sharp, painful. What does the ending on the words gravius and acerbius indicate! urgeo, urgere (2), ursi, to press, distress, vex. 6 unicus, -a, -um, only. habeo, habere [2], habui, habitum, to have, hold, consider. METER: elegiac couplet (see Catullus 70). 1 deduco, deducere (31, deduxi, deductum, to lead down, drag down. culpa, -ae if), fault, infidelity. 2 officio . . . suo: "by its own commitment," "by its own devotion." ipsa: i.e., mens. 3 ut: does this introduce a purpose or result clause here? How do you know? queat: present subjunctive, "it is possible (for me)," "I am able!' tibi: dative with bene velle. si optima fias: what type of conditional clause? Compare omnia si facias (4).CATULLUS 73 Ingratitude Everywhere What are some possibilities for the grievance at the heart of this poem! 1 Desine de quoquam quicquam bene velle mereri 2 aut aliquem fieri posse putare pium. 3 Omnia sunt ingrata, nihil fecisse benigne 4 prodest, imm6 etiam taedet obestque magis; 5 ut mihi, quem nkmo gravius nec acerbius urget, 6 quam modo qui me unum atque unicum amicum habuit. 1. The words mereri (I), pium (2)) [inlgrata (3), benigne (3), and prodest (4) refer to traditional values in Roman society. These values put great store in a network of mutual loyalties and gratitudes between individuals, the state, and the gods. What radical proposal(s) is Catullus making in this poem? 2. The word taedet in line 4 is difficult to translate. What does Catullus mean by the word in this context? Defend your choice of translation. 3. What imagery (use of descriptive language to represent people or objects, often appealing to our senses) does Catullus use in this poem? How many nouns can you find? Of what significance are your findings? From what does this poem draw its power? 4. Where else in the poems you have read has Catullus generalized from a particu- lar experience and drawn large conclusions? Have you encountered this tendency before, perhaps in other writers or from among people you know? Where? How do you explain this very human trait? CATULLUS 75 The Love-Hate Deepens. Catullus admits in this short poem that personal reflection and analysis have worsened his condition. 1 Huc est mens deducta tua, mea Lesbia, culpa 2 atque ita se officio perdidit ipsa suo, 3 ut iam nec bene velle queat tibi, si optima fias, 4 nec desistere amire, omnia si faciis. 1. Catullus has put strong emphasis on the opening word, hue. To what state of mind does huc refer? How does the compound verb deducere strengthen the assertion? 2. In lines 1-2, what is Catullus claiming he did and that Lesbia did not do? Consider the words culps and officid in your answer. What is the consequence of his action according to line 2? 3. In your own words state what the last two lines say. Is the word omnia meant to be positive or negative? Compare this couplet to the last couplet of poem 72. What more desperate note has been sounded here? 4. Read the poem in meter. How many elisions do you find? Why are the ones in line 4 so
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