The Poetry of Gaius Valerius Catullus/36

Text & Translation
Meter - Hendecasyllabic

Line 2

 * mea puella - my girl

This refers to Lesbia, Catullus' lover. The use of mea indicates the way he feels about her. The expression of assonance here, with the repitition of the soft 'a' sounds adds to the calm melody of the piece.

Line 7

 * tardipedi deo - the slowest foot god

This refers to Vulcan, known in Greek as Hephaestion, who was the blacksmith of the gods. He is described as slow-footed as he is traditionally known as lame and it is curious that he is the only god with a mentioned disability.

Line 9

 * pessimma - very worst

This word must be nominative to fit the meter.

Line 11
O caeruleo create ponto - apostrophe to Aphrodite

Line 12

 * Idalium

A city on the island of Cyprus which was a center for the worship of Venus


 * Urios

A possible reference to Uria, a city in southern Apulia between Brundisium and Tarentum

Line 13

 * Ancora

Modern day Oculi Piceno on the Adriatic coast of Italy Cnidus- place in which Praxitele's statue of Aphrodite resided

Line 14
Amanthunta and Golgos- two towns located in Cyprus

Line 15

 * Durrachium

A seaport in Illyria, (modern-day Croatia). Durrachium is Durres and it was since the begining in Albania.

Line 16

 * Face

Alternative form of imperative "fac"

Line 20

 * Annales - annals

This refers to the Annales of Ennius.

Line 1

 * caco, cacare - defile; defecate
 * carta, cartae f. - paper

Line 2

 * Votum, -i n. - solemn vow
 * Solvo, -ere - dissolve; break up; free; release

Line 3

 * Vovit,o vovere n. - vow
 * Restituo, restituere - restore

Line 4

 * Desino, desinere - give up; abandon; stop from
 * Trux, trucis adj. - savage; grim; fierce
 * Vibro, vibare - brandish; shake; flick

Line 5

 * Electus, -a, -um adj. - select; picked

Line 6

 * Eligo, eligere, elegi, electum - to select; choose
 * Pessimus super. adj. - worst; lowest

Line 7

 * Tardipes, tardipedis adj.- slow-footed

Line 8

 * Infelix, infelicis adj. - unlucky; wretched
 * Ustolo, ustulare - burned; scorched

Line 10

 * Iocose adv. - jokingly; humorously
 * Lipede adv. - charmingly; delightfully

Line 11

 * Caeruleus, -a, -um adj. - blue
 * Creo, creare - create; beget

Line 19

 * Plenus, -a, -um adj. w/ adj. - full of
 * Inficetiae, -arum - defile; defecate''