|
Caius Valerius Catullus
(circa 84 B.C. – circa 54 B.C.): one of the greatest lyric Latin poets of
all time, born in Verona (Italy). He went circa 62 B.C. to Rome where he
fell deeply in love with Clodia, sister of Cicero's opponent Publius
Clodius Pulcher. She was suspected of murdering her husband. Catullus
wrote to his beloved, addressed as Lesbia (to recall Sappho of Lesbos), a
series of superb little poems that run from early passion and tenderness
to the hatred and disillusionment that overwhelmed him after his mistress
was faithless. Besides the Lesbia poems, Catullus wrote poems to his
beloved young friend Juventius. He is the author of a few long poems,
notably “Attis” and a nuptial poem honouring Thetis and Peleus. His satire
is vigorous and flexible, his light poems joyful and full-bodied. He was
influenced by the Alexandrians and drew much on the Greeks for form and
meter, but his genius outran all models.
One of his most beautiful poem is “On the Death of Lesbia's Sparrow.”
|
