Catullus 58 in Latin & English: Caeli, Lesbia nostra, Lesbia illa
Channel: David Amster
Date: 2022-10-16

#catullus
#latinpoetry
#latinpronunciation

Poem 58, addressed to Caelius, expresses how Catullus’ once beloved Lesbia/Clodia is now behaving in a scandalous manner.  

Caeli: probably Marcus Caelius Rufus, who also had an affair with Clodia/Lesbia. She later sued him, accusing him of trying to poison her. Cicero defended him in his speech Pro Caelio, where we have a very colorful description of Clodia. This poem may also be addressed to Catullus’ friend Caelius of poem 100. 

Lesbia nostra: Lesbia was Catullus’ nickname for his mistress Clodia. “Nostra” can mean either “our” or “my,” in this context. It may be alluding to the fact that she had an affair with both of them. 

Suos: his own (family or friends).

Amavit: loved; he uses the perfect tense to emphasize that he no longer feels this way. 

Quadriviis: in the crossroads, street corners.

Angiportis: narrow streets, alleys. 

Glubit: peels, skins, shucks; an agricultural term used here as a harsh obscene metaphor. Please see Jesse Weiner’s excellent article on the poem: “Stripping the Bark / Fleecing the Sheep: Rethinking glubit in Catullus 58”.

https://eugesta-revue.univ-lille.fr/pdf/2018/4.Weiner-Eugesta-8_2018.pdf

Magnanimi: having a great soul, noble; used ironically here. 

Remi: of Remus, killed by his brother, Romulus; thus Lesbia is servicing the descendants of the “noble loser.”

Nepotes: grandsons, descendants, scions. 

Note the repetition of sound:

caeLi, Lesbia nostra, Lesbia iLLa,
iLLa Lesbia, quam CatuLLus unam

illa lesbia, QUAM catullus unAM
plus QUAM se atque suos AMavit omnes

plus quam Se atque SuoS amavit omnES,
nunc in quadriviIS et ANGiPORTIS
glubit mAGNanimi remi nePOTES


Meter: Hendecasyllables
— x  — uu  — u  — u  — x  (x = either long or short)

Caēlī, Lēsbĭă nōstră, Lēsbĭa īllă,
īllă Lēsbĭă quām Cătūllŭs ūnăm
plūs quām se ātquĕ sŭōs ămāuĭt ōmnēs,
nūnc īn quādrĭvĭīs ĕt āngĭpōrtīs
glūbīt māgnănĭmī Rĕmī nĕpōtēs.

Pronunciation: 

Caelī, Lesbia nostRa, Lesbi(a) illa,
illa Lesbia, quaNG Catullus ūna(m)
plūs qua(m) s(ē) atque suōs amāvit omnēs,
nunc in quadRiviīs et angipoRtīs
glūbit mañgnanimī remī nepōtēs.

N.B.: The S is Lesbia is an S-sound, not a Z. 


Caelius, our Lesbia, that Lesbia,
that Lesbia, the only one Catullus loved
more than himself and all those dear to him,
now in the crossroads and back alleys
shucks the scions of noble Remus. 


Artwork:  Fayum mummy portrait, Roman Egypt, 2nd century AD, 
The Egyptian Museum, Cairo, public domain. 

Translation: David Amster, Fez, 10/16/22