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quale ferunt Grai Pheneum prope Cylleneum
siccare emulsa pingue palude solum,
quod quondam caesis montis fodisse medullis
audit falsiparens Amphitryoniades,

tempore quo certa Stymphalia monstra sagitta
perculit imperio deterioris eri,

115 pluribus ut caeli tereretur ianua divis,
Hebe nec longa virginitate foret.

sed tuus altus amor barathro fuit altior illo,
qui durum domitam ferre iugum docuit.

118. durum domitam Lachmann tuum domitum VM tantum indomitam Statius tunc indomitam Conr. de Allio tamen indomitam Heyse tum te indomitam Riese actutum domitum Ellis te tum domitam Macnaghten tum te domitam Friedrich.

109. Pheneum : an Arcadian town near the base of Mt. Cyllene, in a plain which was sometimes so inundated as to become a troublesome lake.

110. pingue: 'heavy,' because saturated and enriched by the abundant moisture.

III. quod refers to barathrum.

112. audit = dicitur; cf. Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 17: tu recte vivis, si curas esse quod audis. The construction is like the similar use of clueo and aκovw, but this is the only case extant where audio is so used with an infinitive. - falsiparens Amphitryoniades: Heracles, really the son of Juppiter, was reputed to be the son of Amphitruo.

113. Several other feats of Heracles belonging to this time and region are by nature closely

allied to this story of the draining of the plain of Pheneos: the tale of the Stymphalian birds, also that of the Hydra, the Erymanthian boar, and the stables of Augeas. Cf. H. & T. §§ 138-140.

114. deterioris eri: Eurystheus. 115. pluribus . . . divis: their number being increased by the addition of Heracles. The action of the verb being involuntary (and even unconscious) rather than voluntary, divis is best considered an instrumental abl.; a less convincing instance is Hor. Sat. 1, 6, 116: cena ministratur pueris tribus.

116. Hebe: the bride of the deified Heracles. Her Roman name was Iuventas.

117. Even this comparison does not duly represent the intensity of Laodamia's affection.

118. durum: i.e. for maidenly

I 20

125

nam nec tam carum confecto aetate parenti
una caput seri nata nepotis alit,

qui, cum divitiis vix tandem inventus avitis
nomen testatas intulit in tabulas,
inpia derisi gentilis gaudia tollens
suscitat a cano volturium capiti:

nec tantum niveo gavisa est ulla columbo
conpar, quae multo dicitur inprobius

modesty to assume. This idea,
which is emphasized to prove the
truth of amor . . . altior, appears
prominently in both of the epitha-
lamia of Catullus; cf. 61, 81, 83,
95; 62, 20-24; also Hor. Car. 3,9,
17: redit Venus, diductosque iugo
cogit aeneo. iugum: cf. 61, 45:
coniugator amoris.

119-124. A second parallel to the intensity of Laodamia's love is found in that of an old man for his long-hoped-for grandson. carum caput. . . alit = carum est caput seri nepotis quod nata alit.

120. caput: 'life.' Cf. Prop. 4, II, 10, n.-seri: and therefore long-expected.

121. qui refers to nepotis. -inventus: the heir so long awaited, when at length he arrives, is said to have been found,' as if the object of careful search.

122. testatas . . . tabulas: the last will and testament of the grandfather. The participle is best regarded as from the active form of the verb, and so used here in the passive sense, i.e. the will is duly signed and witnessed.

123. inpia: because pietas especially implies loyalty to the highest interests and wishes of the older members of one's family, in the broad or narrow sense of the word family; and here a more distant relative had selfishly and greedily hoped for disappointment of the grandsire's fondest hopes. - derisi gentilis: now in turn mocked by the rotation of Fortune's wheel. The Laws of the XII Tables provided: si paterfamilias intestato moritur, familia pecuniaque eius agnatum gentiliumque esto (Cic. De Inv. 2,50).

124. volturium: the gentilis. Cf. Sen. Ep. 95, 43: amico aegro aliquis adsidet; probamus: at hoc si hereditatis causa facit, voltur est, cadaver exspectat; Plaut. Trin. 101: sunt alii qui te volturium vocant. capiti: an abl. form unparalleled in the classical period, and exceedingly rare even in the postclassical period. Cf. Neue, Vol. 1, p. 366.

125-128. A third comparison is found in the proverbial fondness of a dove for its mate. 126. conpar: 'mate.'

130

oscula mordenti semper decerpere rostro
quam quae praecipue multivola est mulier :
sed tu horum magnos vicisti sola furores,
ut semel es flavo conciliata viro.

aut nihil aut paullo cui tum concedere digna
lux mea se nostrum contulit in gremium,
quam circumcursans hinc illinc saepe Cupido
fulgebat crocina candidus in tunica.

135 quae tamen etsi uno non est contenta Catullo,
rara verecundae furta feremus erae,
ne nimium simus stultorum more molesti.
saepe etiam Iuno, maxima caelicolum,

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te, mea lux, veniat mea litore navis.

133. Lesbia seems a very Venus to her enthralled lover; cf. vv. 7072; Hor. Car. 1, 2, 33: Erycina quam circum volat et

Cupido.

134. crocina: the same color as the bridal veil; so Hymen is represented in this color in 61, 8: flammeum cape, etc.

135. Catullus has heard enough of Lesbia's frailties to disturb his peace of mind; but, in no mood yet to cast her off, would excuse her as even in this respect also like the immortals.

136. verecundae: that Lesbia did not reveal her amours to the world is considered an extenuating circumstance. furta : see Lex. Cf. v. 145; Prov. 9, 17: "Stolen waters are sweet." erae: used also by Ovid in Her. 9, 78, for the more usual domina.

137. molesti: i.e. jealous.

140

coniugis in culpa flagrantem concoquit iram, noscens omnivoli plurima furta Iovis. atqui nec divis homines conponier aequumst: ingratum tremuli tolle parentis onus. nec tamen illa mihi dextra deducta paterna fragrantem Assyrio venit odore domum, 145 sed furtiva dedit mira munuscula nocte, ipsius ex ipso dempta viri gremio.

quare illud satis est, si nobis is datur unis

139. concoquit Lachmann cotidiana O quotidiana GM contudit Hertzberg concipit Baehrens continet Santen. 140. furta o facta VM. 141. atqui watque VM at quia D. There is no gap in the Mss. after this verse.

139. in: 'in cases of.'-concoquit: cf. the slang phrase, "simmer down."

140. omnivoli: another arαέ Aey. of the same pattern as multivola (v. 128); but the first part of the compound in this instance refers to persons (puellas ?); and an important part of classical mythology deals with their history.

141. conponier: the three other instances of the archaic infin. ending in Catullus are all in No. 61 (vv. 42, 65, 68).

142. Have done with the senile vexatiousness of over-jealousy' (Ellis). As men and gods are incomparable, a comedy scene is suggested as a parallel, the irritable old man enraged at the amorous escapades of a son. The thought essentially repeats that of v. 137, and is addressed to himself, like Prop. 2, 5, 14: subtrahe colla iugo, without any expressed vocative. . ROM. EL. POETS — 7

97

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145. Cf. v. 136, n. - dedit: Lesbia gave the voluntary offering of passionate affection, as contrasted with the reluctance of the bride whose father had arranged a marriage, perhaps without consulting her wishes. The moral for Catullus seems to be, "You shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth," but be judiciously blind to some failings.

147. is the antecedent diem is incorporated in the following relative clause. - unis: 'only'; Catullus is most favored, of all the lovers of Lesbia.

150

quem lapide illa diem candidiore notet.
hoc tibi quod potui confectum carmine munus
pro multis, Alli, redditur officiis,

ne vestrum scabra tangat robigine nomen

haec atque illa dies atque alia atque alia.
huc addent divi quam plurima, quae Themis olim
antiquis solita est munera ferre piis.

155 sitis felices et tu simul et tua vita,

et domus ipsa in qua lusimus, et domina,

† et qui principio nobis terram dedit aufert,
a quo sunt primo omnia nata bona,

148. notet D notat V. 150. Alli Scaliger aliis VM alys R Manli w. 157. terram VRM teneram Statius te et eram Munro. aufert VRM Anser Heyse Afer Munro audens Friedrich.

148. lapide . . . diem candidiore: corresponding to our phrase, 'a red-letter day.' The custom was said to be a Cretan one, to count prosperous days by white pebbles. Cf. 107, 6; Plin. Ep. 6, 11, 3:0 diem. laetum notandumque mihi candidissimo calculo! Hor. Car. 1, 36, 10: Cressa ne careat pulchra dies nota; Pers. 2, 1: diem numera meliore lapillo.

149. The panegyric now completed, Catullus turns in personal address to his friend with the final words of goodwill; cf. Intr. to the poem.

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158. bona o bono VM.

the divinity that represented "law." Her attributes were the horn of plenty, symbolizing blessing, and the balance, indicating exact justice.

155. vita domina, but whether a parallel to Lesbia or a lawful wife it is impossible to determine.

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156. domus: cf. v. 68. - domina is the same person as dominam in v. 68. -sit felix is to be supplied several times in vv. 156157, and in v. 160.

157-158. These verses are still an unsolved puzzle for commentators. Perhaps they refer to a third person who assisted in the merry plot, terram being taken in the sense of a basis of undertaking, a footing from which to carry on the intrigue, a terra firma of refuge after being tossed on the waves of doubt, and omnia refer

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