Catullus 57 in Latin & English: Pulcre convenit improbis cinaedis
Channel: David Amster
Date: 2022-10-02

#catullus
#latinpoetry
#latinpronunciation

Catullus Carmen 57, like poem 29, is an attack on Julius Caesar and his notorious henchman, Mamurra. This is probably one of the poems that greatly offended Caesar. 

“Catullus doesn't approve of you. Why haven't you had him killed?” (Cleopatra/Elizabeth Taylor) 

Pulcre convenit: it’s coming together beautifully, they’re perfectly suited to each other. Probably has an erotic undertone: was Catullus suggesting that Caesar was tolerant of Mamurra’s excesses because they were perhaps lovers?

Improbis: immoral, wicked, greedy, shameless. 

Cinaedus: one who practises “unnatural” lust, a passive male sexual partner, a sodomite, catamite; originally a male prostitute who performs a wanton dance. Often used as a generic insult for somone you despise. 

Mamurrae: Mamurra of Formiae was a wealthy protégé of Caesar whom Catullus attacks bitterly in Carmen 29. 

Pathico: a man who submits to “socialy unacceptable lust.” For a Roman citizen it was shameful, actually illegal, for a man to be the “passive” partner. For a slave or foreigner, no problem!

-Que…-que: both…and; probably suggests the adjective “pathico” applies to both of them.  

Caesari: Catullus hated him mostly for his politics and corruption, but here he’s aiming at his alleged sexual antics. Regarding Caesar’s reputation, see Suetonius, Life of Julius Caesar, 49: “The only stain upon his chastity was his having cohabited with Nicomedes; and that indeed stuck to him all the days of his life, and exposed him to much bitter raillery.…Cicero was not content with writing in some of his letters, that he (Caesar) was conducted by the royal attendants into the king’s bed-chamber, lay upon a bed of gold with a covering of purple, and that the virginity of this son of Venus was lost in Bithynia.”

Mirum: surprising, astonishing 

Maculae: stains, marks

Pares: equal 

Utrisque: for both of them

Urbana: from the city of Rome 

Formiana: from Formiae

Impressae: engraved, stamped

Resident: remain, linger, abide

Eluentur: will not be washed away, washed out. 

Morbosi: sick, diseased, consumed by unnatural passion

Pariter: equally 

Gemelli: diminutive of gemini, little twins. Catullus uses three diminutives here to disparage his foes. 

Utrique: both of them, each of them. 

Lecticulo: diminutive of lectus, a little couch or bed

Erudituli: diminutive of eruditus, a little bit learned; probably referring to their literary attempts, which Catullus, we assume, considered of little value. 

Ambo: both 

Vorax: swallowing greedily, devouring, ravenous, voracious. 

Adulter: we hear much about Mamurra’s behavior in Carmen 29. Regarding Caesar: “It is admitted by all that he was much addicted to women…and that he debauched many ladies of the highest quality.” Suetonius, Life of Julius Caesar, 50. 

Socii: partners, companions

Et: even 

Puellularum: diminutive of puella, of little girls. 


Artwork:

The “Green Caesar,” Roman, green slate, 1st century AD, Antikensammlung, Berlin, public domain.

Julius Caesar, marble, 1512-14, by Andrea di Pietro di Marco Ferrucci, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, public domain. 

Translation: David Amster, Fez, October 2, 2022


Meter: Hendecasyllables 
— —  — u u — u  — u  — —

pūlcrē cōnuĕnĭt īmprŏbīs cĭnaēdīs,
Māmūrraē păthĭcōquĕ Caēsărīquĕ.
nēc mīrūm. măcŭlaē părēs ŭtrīsquĕ,
ūrbāna āltĕra ĕt īllă Fōrmĭānă,
īmprēssaē rĕsĭdēnt nĕc ēlŭēntŭr.
mōrbōsī părĭtēr, gĕmēlli ŭtrīquĕ,
ūno īn lēctĭcŭlo ērŭdītŭli āmbō,
nōn hīc quam īllĕ măgīs uŏrāx ădūltĕr,
rīuālēs sŏcĭi ēt pŭēllŭlārŭm.
pūlcrē cōnuĕnĭt īmprŏbīs cĭnaēdīs.

Pronununciation:

pulcRē convenit impRobīs cinaedīs,
māmuRRae pat(h)icōque caesarīque. 
nec mīrum: maculae parēs utRīsque, 
uRbān(a)alter(a)et iLLa foRmiāna,
impReSSae resident nec ēluentuR: 
moRbōsī pariteR, gemeLL(ī)utRīque, 
ūn(ō)in lecticul(o)ērudītul(ī)ambō, 
nōn hic qu(am)iLLe magis vorāx adulteR, 
Rīvālēs soci(ī)et pueLLulāru(m). 
pulcRē convenit impRobīs cinaedīs.


It’s working out beautifully 
for the shameless sodomites,
for pathic Mamurra and Caesar.
Not surprising: equal stains for them both,
one from the City and the other from Formiae,
remain deeply imprinted and will not be washed away.
Equally sick with lust, twins each of the other,
in one little bed both little scholars
One no more voracious an adulterer than the other,
rival partners even of little girls.
It’s working out beautifully 
for the shameless sodomites!