Catullus 42 in Latin & English, Vocabulary & Grammar Notes: Adeste, hendecasyllabi, quot estis omnes
Channel: David Amster
Date: 2021-11-19

#catullus
#latinpoetry
#latinpronunciation

Catullus summons a rowdy gang of hendecasyllables to compel someone to return writing tablets that contained, I suspect, poems he shared with her when they were on better terms. He asks the personified verses to embarrass her with abuse until she gives them back. 

Adeste: imper. of adsum; to be present with one’s aid or support; to come

Hendecasyllabi: verses of 11 syllables, often used for satire and abuse

Quot: as many as

Undique: from everywhere

Quotquot: how many soever, all

Jocum: a jest, joke, laughing-stock

Putat me esse: ind. statement, “She thinks I am, considers me to be”

Moecha: an adulteress, promiscuous woman. Some think this is Lesbia/Clodia, after she and Catullus have ended their relationship; others suggest Ameana of Carmen 41 and 43.

Turpis: ugly, foul, filthy, shameful, disgraceful

Negat (eam) reddituram (esse): future infinitive in indirect statement, “She denies that she will…”

Pugillaria: things held in the hand, i. e. writing-tablets covered with wax

Nostra: “our” tablets, belonging to both Catullus and the hendecasyllables

Pati: deponent infinitive, bear, support, endure; allow

Persequamur: Jussive or hortatory subjunctive, “Let us follow after/pursue”

Reflagitemus: hortatory subjunctive, “Let us demand (them) back”

Quae sit: subjunctive in indirect question

Turpe: shamefully, scandalously

Incedere: march along majestically, strut

Mimice: like a mime, farcically, perhaps mimicking Catullus?!

Moleste: in an offensive manner; affectedly

Catuli: a young dog (or other animal), a puppy. Is this a pun on Catullus’ name?? 

Gallicani: of or belonging to the Roman province Gallia (in Upper Italy), Gallic. Note that both Catullus and Ameana were from Gallia. 

Ore: mouth or face

Circumsistite: stand around in a circle, surround

Putida: rotten, decaying, stinking; old, disgusting

Codicillos: diminutive of codex, wooden writing-tablets covered with wax

Assis facis: an AS is a small bronze coin, assis is genitive of value, “You don’t consider it worth even an AS? You don’t give a damn?” Catullus here is addressing the “tablet thief” directly. 

Lutum: mud, filth

Lupanar: she is not just a prostitute, but an entire whorehouse! 

Perditius: neuter comparative, more ruined, abandoned, corrupt, profligate

Quid = aliquid: anything

Putandum est: gerundive in passive periphrastic, “should be regarded/considered”

Ruborem: redness, a blush, shame, modesty

Ferreo: made of iron, hard, unfeeling, brazen. The “RR” suggests growling like a dog. 

Exprimamus: hortatory subjunctive, “let us squeeze or wring out”

Conclamate: cry or shout out together

Proficimus: make progress, accomplish. The hendecasyllables are reporting back to Captain Catullus.

Nihil: used adverbially

Mutanda est: gerundive in passive periphrastic, “must be changed”

Ratio: course, conduct, manner, method, plan

Modus: melody, meter, mode, way, manner, method. A pun suggesting that a less aggressive meter than hendecasyllables are perhaps needed. 

Vobis: Catullus is addressing the hendecasyllables 

Siquid = si quid, if anything 

Amplius: more, further

Pudica: bashful, modest, chaste, virtuous

Proba: upright, honorable, excellent, virtuous

Pronunciation:

Adest(e), hendecasyLLabī, quot estis
omnēs undique, quotquot estis omnēs.
iocum mē putat eSSe moecha tuRpis,
et negat mihi nostra reDDitūraM
pugiLLāria, sī patī potestis.
peRsequāmur eã(m e)t Reflāgitēmus.
quae sit, quaeritis? iLLa, qua(m) vidētis
tuRp(e) iñcēdere, mīmic(ē) ac molestē
rīdenteñ catul(ī) ōre gaLLicānī.
ciRcû(m)sistit(e) eâ(m, e)t Reflāgitāte,
‘moecha pūtida, ReDDe cōdiciLLōs,
ReDDe pūtida moecha, cōdiciLLōs!’
nōn aSSis facis? ō lutû(m), lupānaR,
aut sī peRditius potes quid eSSe.
sed nōn est tamen hoc satis putandû(m).
quod sī nōn aliud potest Rubōrê(m)
feRReō canis expRimāmus ōre.
conclāmāt(e)iter(ûm)altiōre vōce.
‘moecha pūtidaa, ReDDe cōdiciLLōs,
ReDDe, pūtida moecha, cōdiciLLōs!’
sed nīl pRōficimus, nihil movētuR.
mūtanda(e)st Ratiō modusque vōbīs,
sīquid pRōficer(e)amplius potestis:
‘pudīca(e)t pRoba, ReDDe cōdiciLLōs.’

Meter: Phalaecean ⏓ ⏓ – ⏑ ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏓ 

ădēste hēndĕcăsŷllăbī, quŏt ēstĭs
ōmnēs ūndĭquĕ, quōtquŏt ēstĭs ōmnēs.
iŏcūm mē pŭtăt ēssĕ moēchă tūrpĭs.
ēt nĕgāt mĭhĭ nōstră rēddĭtūrăm
pŭgīllārĭă, sī pătī pŏtēstĭs.
pērsĕquāmŭr ĕam ēt rĕflāgĭtēmŭs.
quaē sīt quaērĭtĭs? īllă quām uĭdētĭs
tūrpe īncēdĕrĕ mīmĭce āc mŏlēstē
rīdēntēm cătŭli ōrĕ Gāllĭcānī.
cīrcūmsīstĭte ĕam, ēt rĕflāgĭtātĕ,
moēchă pūtĭdă. rēddĕ cōdĭcīllōs.
rēddĕ pūtĭdă moēchă cōdĭcīllōs.
nōn āssīs făcĭs? ō lŭtūm. lŭpānăr.
aūt sī pērdĭtĭūs pŏtēst quĭd ēssĕ.
sēd nōn ēst tămĕn hōc sătīs pŭtāndŭm
quōd sī nōn ălĭūd pŏtēst rŭbōrĕm
fērrĕō cănĭs ēxprĭmāmŭs ōrĕ.
cōnclāmāte ĭtĕrum āltĭōrĕ uōcĕ,
moēchă pūtĭdă. rēddĕ cōdĭcīllōs.
rēddĕ pūtĭdă moēchă cōdĭcīllōs.
sēd nīl prōfĭcĭmūs. nĭhīl mŏuētŭr.
mūtāndā est rătĭō mŏdūsquĕ uōbīs
sīquīd prōfĭcĕre āmplĭūs pŏtēstĭs.
pŭdīca ēt prŏbă. rēddĕ cōdĭcīllōs.

Translation: DWA, Fez, 11/19/21