List of poems by Catullus

This article lists the poems of Catullus and their various properties.

Catullus' poems can be divided into three groups:[1]

  • the polymetrics (poems 160)
  • the long poems (poems 6168)
  • the epigrams (poems 69116)

Historical context

Catullus (c. 84 BC - c. 54 BC) lived in the waning days of the Roman Republic, just before the Imperial era that began with Augustus. Catullus is the chief representative of a school of poets known as the poetae novi or neoteroi, both terms meaning "the new poets". Their poems were a bold departure from traditional models, being relatively short and describing everyday occurrences and intense personal feelings; by contrast, traditional poetry was generally large and epic, describing titanic battles among heroes and gods. These avant-garde poets drew inspiration from earlier Greek authors, especially Sappho and Callimachus; Catullus himself used Sapphic meter in two poems, Catullus 11 and 51, the second of which is almost a translation. His poems are written in a variety of meters, with hendecasyllabic verse and elegiac couplets being the most common by far.

Catullus is renowned for his love poems, particularly the 25 poems addressed to a woman named Lesbia, of which Catullus 5 is perhaps the most famous. Scholars generally believe that Lesbia was a pseudonym for Clodia and that the name Lesbia is likely an homage to Sappho, who came from the isle of Lesbos. Catullus is also admired for his elegies, especially Catullus 101 and Catullus 96, for his hymn to his homeland, Sirmio, in Catullus 31, and for his many depictions of everyday life in ancient Rome, such as Catullus 4, Catullus 10, and Catullus 13. Finally, he was well-nigh infamous even in his own time for his fierce, sometimes obscene, invectives against faithless friends (e.g., Catullus 12, Catullus 16, and Catullus 116), faithless lovers (Catullus 8, Catullus 30, Catullus 58, and Catullus 70), corrupt politicians (Catullus 28, Catullus 29), and bad poets (Catullus 14 and Catullus 44).

Catullus was admired in ancient times for his elegantly crafted poems, and inspired many of the next generation of poets, especially Ovid, Tibullus, and Sextus Propertius. Even Virgil and Horace are also known to have adopted some elements of his poetry, although the latter was also critical of his work. Martial seems to be the only later Latin poet to be influenced significantly by Catullus. Catullus is mentioned by a few other Roman scholars, such as Pliny the Younger and Quintilian, and by St. Jerome. Since Catullus' work was not adopted as part of a classical curriculum, it was gradually forgotten over time, although one Bishop Rather of Verona is said to have delighted in reading his poems c. 965 AD. That changed c. 1300 AD, with the discovery of a manuscript that contained 116 poems by Catullus.

Manuscript tradition

Almost all of Catullus' poems survived from antiquity in a single manuscript discovered c. 1300 in the Chapter Library of Verona, conventionally called "V" for the "Verona codex"; legend has it that the manuscript was found underneath a beer barrel. Two copies were made from the V manuscript, which was then lost. One of the copies was itself copied twice, after which it was lost in turn. Hence, Catullus' works depend on three surviving copies of the single V manuscript. The first printed edition (edito princeps) of Catullus appeared in Venice in 1472; the following year, Francesco Puteolano published the second printed edition in Parma.

For fourteen centuries (c. 1st century BC- c. 14th century AD), the poems of Catullus were copied by hand from other hand-written copies, a process that gradually led to a few errors in the received text. Scholars have applied methods of textual criticism to undo these errors and reconstruct Catullus' original text as much as possible. As an early example, Puteolano stated in the second edition (1473) that he made extensive "corrections" of the previous (1472) edition. In 1577, J. J. Scaliger published an emended version of Catullus' works, using the then novel genealogical method of textual criticism. Scholars since then have worked to emend these reconstructions to approximate more closely the original poems of Catullus; examples of these variant readings and emendations are given in the footnotes to the text below.

Main list

The table below lists all of Catullus' extant poems, with links to the full text, the poetic meter, the number of lines, and other data. The entire table can be sorted according to any column by clicking on the arrows in the topmost cell. The "Type" column is color-coded, with a green font indicating poems for or about friends, a magenta font marking his famous poems about his Lesbia, and a red font indicating invective poems. The "Addressee(s)" column cites the person to whom Catullus addresses the poem, which ranges from friends, enemies, targets of political satire, one sparrow and, of course, Lesbia.

Poems of Catullus
PoemTextMeter[2]# linesTypeThemesAddressee(s)Reading
1 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic10FriendsGifts to friends, poemsCornelius Nepos
2 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic13 (10)LesbiaA young woman and her pet birdLesbia's sparrow
2b Latin Englishhendecasyllabic3LesbiaAtalanta
3 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic18LesbiaEulogy to the girlfriend's pet birdOrcus
4 Latin Englishiambic trimeter (senarius)27MiscellaneousAn old boat, once fast, entering retirementA little boat
5 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic13LesbiaBrief lives and many kissesLesbia
6 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic17FriendsUncovering a friend's love lifeFlavius
7 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic12LesbiaNever growing tired of kissingLesbia
8 Latin Englishcholiambic19LesbiaGetting over being dumpedHimself
9 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic11FriendsA friend's homecomingVeranius
10 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic34InvectiveCaught in a boastVarus' girlfriend
11 Latin EnglishSapphic stanza24LesbiaDumping a promiscuous girlfriendFurius and Aurelius
12 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic17InvectiveShaming a napkin thiefAsinius Marrucinus
13 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic14FriendsPartying on a friend's dimeFabullus
14 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic23InvectiveDespising pompous poetryBad poets
14b Latin Englishhendecasyllabic3MiscellaneousRisqué poetryHis readers
15 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic19InvectiveHands off my boy-toy (cf. 21)Aurelius
16 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic14InvectiveNasty reply to criticsAurelius and Furius
17 Latin Englishpriapean26InvectiveMy acquaintance, the utter dunceVerona
21 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic13InvectiveHands off my boy-toy (cf. 15)Aurelius
22 Latin Englishcholiambic21InvectiveEveryone deceives themselvesSuffenus
23 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic27InvectiveNasty insults to whole familyFurius
24 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic10InvectiveDon't give in to his seductions!Juventius
25 Latin Englishiambic tetrameter catalectic13InvectiveGive me back my stuff, expressed beautifullyThallus
26 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic5InvectiveLosing the farm to debtFurius
27 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic7MiscellaneousOut with water, in with wine!His cupbearer
28 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic15InvectiveScrewed over by politiciansMemmius
29 Latin Englishiambic trimeter (senarius)25InvectiveWaste of money by politiciansMamurra
30 Latin Englishgreater Asclepiadean12InvectiveBoyfriends can't be trusted (cf. 70)Alfenus
31 Latin Englishcholiambic14MiscellaneousA hymn to homecomingSirmio
32 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic11FriendsGet ready for meIpsitilla
33 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic8InvectiveFather thief, son gigoloVibennius, Sr. and Jr.
34 Latin Englishglyconic (3) / pherecratean (1)24MiscellaneousHymn to DianaDiana
35 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic18FriendsPlease don't goHis papyrus
36 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic20LesbiaBurning bad poetry to win loveAnnals of Volusius
37 Latin Englishcholiambic20LesbiaGirlfriend left for richer menEgnatius
38 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic8FriendsWhy aren't you comforting me?Cornificius
39 Latin Englishcholiambic21InvectiveSmiling hypocriteEgnatius
40 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic8InvectiveThreatening a romantic rivalRavidus
41 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic8Invectivewoman asking for money (political)Ameana
42 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic24Invectivethe effectiveness of politenessHis own verses
43 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic8InvectiveInsulting Mamurra's girlfriendAmeana
44 Latin Englishcholiambic21InvectiveHead colds and cold writingSestius
45 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic26FriendsOver-the-top love poem
46 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic11Miscellaneousthe springtime urge to wanderHis friends
47 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic7Invectiveunworthy become richPorcius and Socration
48 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic6JuventiusNot tiring of kissingJuventius
49 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic7InvectivePraise of a politician-or notCicero
50 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic21FriendsExchanging poetry between friendsCalvus
51 Latin EnglishSapphic stanza16LesbiaThe feeling of love; translation of SapphoLesbia
52 Latin Englishiambic trimeter4InvectiveSuicidal thoughts at the current political situationSelf
53 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic5InvectiveThe crowd's thoughts on a friend's rhetoricCalvus, Vatinianus
54 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic7InvectiveDirect attack on Julius Caesar's followersOtho, Libo, Sufficius, and Julius Caesar
55 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic (decasyllabic)33FriendsTracking down a loverCamerius
56 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic7FriendsSurprise threesomeCato
57 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic10InvectiveAbominable sodomitesJulius Caesar and Mamurra
58 Latin Englishhendecasyllabic5LesbiaMy (our) ex is a slut nowCaelius
58b Latin Englishhendecasyllabic (decasyllabic)10FriendsTracking down a lover, part IICamerius
59 Latin Englishcholiambic5InvectiveAdultery and graverobbingRufa and Rufulus
60 Latin Englishcholiambic5InvectiveHard-hearted benefactor
61 Latin Englishglyconic (4) / pherecratean (1)231FriendsMarriage hymn on occasion of friends' weddingJunia and Manlius
62 Latin Englishdactylic hexameter66MiscellaneousGirls and boys share views on marriageWedding guests
63 Latin Englishgalliambic93MiscellaneousAttis, who castrated self to be with CybeleAttis
64 Latin Englishdactylic hexameter408MiscellaneousMini-epic about the wedding of Peleus and ThetisTheseus, Ariadne, Peleus and Thetis
65 Latin Englishelegiac couplets24FriendsWriting poetry after his brother's deathHortalus
66 Latin Englishelegiac couplets94Miscellaneoustranslation of CallimachusBerenice
67 Latin Englishelegiac couplets48MiscellaneousA door
68 Latin Englishelegiac couplets160LesbiaTo M' Allius, with thanksManius Allius
69 Latin Englishelegiac couplets10InvectiveClean up your act!Rufus
70 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4LesbiaGirlfriends can't be trusted (cf. 30)
71 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveOn the contagiousness of gout and stink
72 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8LesbiaLesbia
73 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveCan't trust anybody
74 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectivePoor uncleGellius
75 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4LesbiaHelpless in loveLesbia
76 Latin Englishelegiac couplets26LesbiaThe gods
77 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveI thought we were friends!Rufus
78 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveGallus
78b Latin Englishelegiac couplets4Invective
79 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4LesbiaShe loves her brother a little too muchLesbius
80 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8InvectiveGellius
81 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6JuventiusHow could you prefer him to me?Juventius
82 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4FriendsQuintius
83 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6LesbiaShe insults me because she still caresLesbia's husband
84 Latin Englishelegiac couplets12InvectiveMaking fun of pronunciationArrius
85 Latin Englishelegiac couplets2LesbiaInner turmoil
86 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6LesbiaWhat's beauty without charm?
87 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4LesbiaDepth of my loveLesbia
88 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8InvectiveIncest in the familyGellius
89 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveIncest in the family IIGellius
90 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveGellius
91 Latin Englishelegiac couplets10LesbiaSince she's not your relative, I thought you'd stay awayGellius
92 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4LesbiaLesbia and I are the same
93 Latin Englishelegiac couplets2InvectiveI don't like youJulius Caesar
94 Latin Englishelegiac couplets2MiscellaneousCock
95 Latin Englishelegiac couplets10InvectiveVolusius
95b Latin Englishelegiac couplets10MiscellaneousAntimachus
96 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6FriendsOn the death of Calvus' wifeCalvus
97 Latin Englishelegiac couplets12InvectiveOn Aemilius's oral hygieneAemilius
98 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveVictius
99 Latin Englishelegiac couplets16JuventiusRegretting a stolen kissJuventius
100 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8FriendsCaelius
101 Latin Englishelegiac couplets10FriendsAn elegy for a brotherHis brother
102 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4FriendsCornelius Nepos
103 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4InvectiveGive me back my moneySilo
104 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4Lesbia
105 Latin Englishelegiac couplets2MiscellaneousCock
106 Latin Englishelegiac couplets2Miscellaneous
107 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8LesbiaLesbia
108 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6InvectiveA fitting punishmentCominius
109 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6LesbiaLifelong loveLesbia and the gods
110 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8InvectiveAufilena
111 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4InvectiveAufilena
112 Latin Englishelegiac couplets2InvectiveNaso
113 Latin Englishelegiac couplets4InvectiveMaecilia
114 Latin Englishelegiac couplets6MiscellaneousCock
115 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8MiscellaneousCock
116 Latin Englishelegiac couplets8InvectiveGellius

References

  1. Forsyth, pp. 23.
  2. Taken from Green (2005) and checked against Forsyth (1986).

Bibliography

  • Forsyth PY (1986). The Poems of Catullus: A Teaching Text. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. ISBN 978-0-8191-5151-3.
  • Green P (2005). The Poems of Catullus: A Bilingual Edition. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-24264-7.

Further reading

The following is merely a listing of a few sources that English-speaking readers may find useful in pursuing further research on Catullus.

Critical edition/textual criticism
  • Trappes-Lomax JM (2007). Catullus: A Textual Reappraisal. Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales. ISBN 978-1-905125-15-9.
  • Thomson DFS (1997). Catullus. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-80200-676-9.
Latin editions
  • Garrison DH (2004). The Student's Catullus (3rd ed.). Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3635-6.
  • Ancona R (2004). Writing Passion: A Catullus Reader. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci. ISBN 978-0-86516-482-6.
  • Quinn K (1976). Catullus: The Poems. New York: Macmillan; St. Martin's Press. ASIN B000K1UE9G.
English translations
  • Balmer J (2004). Catullus: Poems of Love and Hate. Highgreen, Tarset, Northumberland: Bloodaxe Books. ISBN 978-1-85224-645-7.
  • Mulroy D (2002). The Complete Poetry of Catullus. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-17770-6.
  • Martin C (1990). The Poems of Catullus. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-3925-2.
  • Raphael F, McLeish K (1978). The Poems of Catullus. London: Jonathan Cape. ISBN 978-0-224-01599-8.
  • Sisson CH (1966). Catullus. London: MacGibbon and Kee. ASIN B000PHOUEU.
  • Copley FO (1957). Gaius Valerius Catullus: The Complete Poetry. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press. LCCN 57010149.
Bilingual editions
  • Green P (2005). The Poems of Catullus: A Bilingual Edition. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-24264-7.
  • Sesar C (1974). Selected Poems of Catullus. New York: Mason and Lipscomb. ISBN 978-0-88405-077-3.
  • Gregory H; Gay Z (1931). The Poems of Catullus. New York: Covici-Friede. ASIN B000NXJ7IU.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Catullus' vocabulary
  • Wetmore MN (1961). Index Verborum Catullianus (reprint of the 1912 edition published by Yale University Press and by Oxford University Press ed.). Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlagsbuchhandlung. ASIN B0007ITYOI. A concordance specifying the poem, line and case in which each word appears, e.g., hortulus appears in the ablative case hortulo in line 88 of Catullus' poem 61. Definitions for the words are not given.
  • Mulroy DD (1986). Comites Catulli: Structured Vocabulary Lists for Catullus 160. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. ISBN 978-0-8191-5448-4. This book lists the vocabulary, with definitions, needed to read Catullus' polymetric poems. After a general introduction to Catullus' vocabulary, a separate vocabulary list is given for subsets of 23 poems, e.g., poems 68 and 910. The words in each list is grouped by declension and gender for nouns and by conjugation for verbs.
Scholarship
  • Burl A (2004). Catullus: A Poet in the Rome of Julius Caesar. New York: Carroll and Graf Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7867-1472-8.
  • Hurley AK (2004). Catullus. London: Bristol Classical Press. ISBN 978-1-85399-669-6.
  • Claes CC (2002). Concatenatio Catulliana. Amsterdam: Gieben. ISBN 90 5063 288 2.
  • Dettmer H (1997). Love by the Numbers: Form and the Meaning in the Poetry of Catullus. New York: Peter Lang. ISBN 978-0-8204-3663-0.
  • Gaisser JH (1993). Catullus and his Renaissance Readers. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814882-1.
  • Wiseman TP (1985). Catullus and his World: A Reappraisal. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-26606-2.
  • Harrington KP (1963). Catullus and His Influence. 1963: Cooper Square. LCCN 63010267.CS1 maint: location (link)
  • Wheeler AL (1934). Catullus and the Traditions of Ancient Poetry. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ASIN B000QY4290.
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