CATULLUS Poem 79: Lesbius est pulcher. Quid nī? Quem Lesbia mālit quam tē; Latin & English
Channel: David Amster
Date: 2024-03-24

Catullus 79 is addressed to “Lesbius”, who we assume is the brother of Lesbia/Clodia. 

#catullus
#latinpoetry
#latinpronunciation

Lesbius: the masculine version of “Lesbia”, Catullus’ name for his beloved Clodia. “Lesbius” is her colorful, notorious younger brother, Publius Clodius Pulcher. He was accused of incest with both of his sisters, and his brother-in-law divorced his sister because of this. He dressed as a woman and entered the women-only rites of the goddess Bona Dea, allegedly with the intention of seducing Caesar’s wife Pompeia, whom Caesar divorced because of the scandal. He was acquitted of this capital offense by his friend Crassus’ bribing the jurors. He belonged to one of the most important “patrician” families in Rome, and his daughter was the first wife of the emperor Augustus. 

est: is 

pulcher: pretty; nominative sing masc. This is a pun on his family name, Pulcher, as well as his good looks.  But this is not a normal adjective used for an adult male, and it has been argued (J.L. Butrica “Clodius the Pulcher in Catullus and Cicero”) that it would imply an unmanly character, especially since it was known that he has dressed as a woman. 

Quid: why

nī: not? 

Quem: whom

Lesbia: Clodia, whom Catullus loved. He used “Lesbia” as an allusion to Sappho, whom he greatly admired.  But at the time of this poem their affair had ended, or was “on the rocks”. 

mālit: would prefer, would rather have; present subjunctive. Catullus seems to be suggesting an incestuous relationship. 

quam: more than, rather than, over

tē: you

cum: with

tuā: your

tōtā: entire

gente: clan, family, people. Clodia and her brother belonged to the aristocratic “gens Julia”; Catullus suggest that she may have lost interest in him because of his less-illustrious family, the Valerii, and perhaps because he was less attractive than her brother and other lovers. 

Catulle: vocative.

Sed: but

tamen: for all that, nevertheless, however, still 

hic: this; nom sing masc.

pulcher: “pretty boy”, handsome fellow. Subject of vendat. 

vēndat: would sell off; let him sell (into slavery), betray for money, sell all one’s possessions; subjunctive. Probably a reference to how dangerous Clodius could be towards an enemy; as Tribune of the Plebs he took revenge on Cicero and King Ptolemy of Cyprus by confiscating and selling off their assets. 

Catullum: Catullus

cum: along with

gente: his family, clan 

sī: if 

reppererit: he will have found, might be able to find; either future perfect or perfect subjunctive, suggesting that it’s very unlikely. (reperio)

tria: (even) three; acc pl neut. 

sāvia: kisses, greetings with a kiss; the normal form of greeting among elite Roman men.

nōtōrum: of acquaintances. His reputation is so bad that he won’t be able to find even three decent people willing to kiss him socially. In order to harm Catullus and his family, Clodius would need the support of many of the elite in Rome, which Catullus imagines is unlikely. 

Stress/Accent: (for words with 3 or more syllables)

LESbius est pulcher. Quid nī? Quem LESbia mālit
     quam tē cum tōtā gente, caTULle, tuā.
Sed tamen hic pulcher vēndat cum gente caTULlum,
     sī tria nōTŌrum SĀvia repPErerit.

Pronunciation:

‘leSbius est pulcheR. quid nī? que(m) ‘leSbia mālit
     quaN tē cuN tōtā gente, ca’tuLLe, tuā.
sed tamen hic pulcheR vēndat cuNG gente ca’tuLLu(m),
     sī tria nō’tōru(m) ‘sāvia reP’Pererit.

Meter: Elegiac Couplets

Lēsbĭŭs ēst pūlchēr. || Quīd nī? Quēm Lēsbĭă mālīt
     quām tē cūm tōtā | gēntĕ Cătūllĕ tŭā.
Sēd tămĕn hīc pūlchēr || vēndāt cūm gēntĕ Cătūllūm
     sī trĭă nōtōrūm || sāvĭă rēppĕrĕrīt.