# Catullus 49 in Latin & English- Disertissime Romuli nepotum

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."…

- Kind: Short
- Year: 2022
- Runtime: 2 min
- By: David Amster
- Archive: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catullus_49_in_Latin_%26_English-_Disertissime_Romuli_nepotum.webm)
- Licence or status: [CC BY 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0) (as the archive states it)
- Credit: David Amster
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/commons/121445756?play=1)