Catullus 49 in Latin & English- Disertissime Romuli nepotum

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Carmen 49 is the only direct communication we have between Catullus and Cicero, who lived in Rome at the same time, although Cicero was 22 years older. This poem is ostensibly one of praise and thanks, but I can imagine that these men shared a mutual disrespect, and that Catullus is being ironic. He uses the superlative five times, as well as “quot sunt quotque fuere…quotque post aliis erunt in annis,” which suggests deliberate exaggertation. We know that Cicero had no admiration for the “new poets”; when Catullus refers to himself as the “worst poet,” is he alluding to a comment Cicero had made?

Then there’s the question of what Catullus is thanking Cicero for. We will never know for sure, but like Douglas Thomson’s suggestion (Catullus: A Critical Edition, 1978) that Cicero, who translated and wrote a great deal of poetry, had sent one of his poems to Catullus.In response Catullus suggests that he may be the “worst of poets,” but at least he is one, whereas Cicero is an excellent orator and advocate, but certainly not a poet. Note how the words at the end of the lines drive home this point: Marce Tulli, Catullus, poeta, poeta, patronus. By emphatically repeating “pessimus omnium poeta”, could Catullus obliquely be referring to Cicero?

The 1st century poet Martial gives us an idea of the ancients’ assessment of Cicero’s poetry: "For writing verses without any Muses or Apollo to furnish inspiration, you deserve to be praised; that gift you have in common with Cicero." (Martial 2.89).

Disertissime: most skilled in speaking; Catullus does not use eloquens/eloquent, which may be a case of damning with faint praise. In “De Oratore” Cicero makes a clear distinction between being disertus (a good speaker) and eloquent. He certainly didn’t want to be considered the former.

Nepotum: of grandchildren/descendants

Quot: as many; Catullus used very similar language in Carmen 24: “O qui flosculus es Iuventiorum, non horum modo, sed quot aut fuerunt, aut posthac aliis erunt in annis” and Carmen 21: “Aureli, pater esuritionum, non harum modo, sed quot aut fuerunt aut sunt aut aliis erunt in annis.”

Fuere: = fuerunt, were, have been

Erunt: will be

Agit: gives, offers

Pessimus: worst. In Carmen 36 it seems that Clodia/Lesbia also referred to Catullus as the “worst” poet: “electissima pessimi poetae scripta.”

Omnium: of all

Tanto…quanto: by so much…by just as much; ablative.

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David Amster

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