Catullus 36 in Latin & English: Annales Volusi, cacata carta
Channel: David Amster
Date: 2021-07-20

#catullus
#latinpoetry
#latinpronunciation

Catullus 36, like Carmen 35, is addressed to a sheet of papyrus, but here to the scroll on which a poem by Volusius was written. Catullus and Clodia/Lesbia have “broken up”, but she has vowed to Venus to burn a selection of the “worst poet's” writings if they can be reconciled and he stops writing scandalous poems about her. She is talking about some of Catullus’ poems, but he suggests that Volusius’ miserable work would be a more suitable sacrifice. 

Annales Volusi: a historical poem by Volusius, whose work is mentioned in Carmen 95 as being best suited for wrapping fish. It seems that he was from Padua in northern Italy. 

cacata carta: carta (charta) is a sheet of papyrus or parchment; cacata is a passive participle, so the image is that the sheet or document has been defecated or defecated upon.

mea puella: we assume Lesbia/Clodia

iambos: poems written in iambic meter were traditionally used to attack or mock someone, such as in Catullus 8 and 37. 

pessimi poetae: the “worst poet”…probably Clodia had referred to Catullus in this way.

tardipedi deo: slow-footed god, Vulcan, the god of fire and husband of Venus. He became lame when his mother, Juno, hurled him from Mount Olympus because he was such an ugly baby. Nice mom! 

infelicibus lignis: unproductive trees and branches were used to burn anything evil and were called “infelix.” We assume Clodia used this term as an indirect insult to Catullus’ work. 

pessima puella: mimicking Clodia’s expression for Catullus, but perhaps also referring to her unfaithfulness.  

divis: to the gods Venus and Cupid.

caeruleo creata ponto: Venus was created from the foam of the sea.

Idalium, Urios, Ancona, etc: a mock-formal prayer to Venus, with seven places sacred to her, in exaggerated style to make fun of Volusius. 

quae, quaeque, etc: repeated for emphasis. 

Durrachium Hadriae tabernam: an important port for sea traders between Italy and the East, and thus the “inn” of the Adriatic. 

si non illepidum neque invenustum est: charm, style, and good taste were imperative for Catullus and his poetic circle of friends. Note the reference to Venus in “invenustum”.  

ruris: of the countryside; Catullus valued sophisticated city ways. A bit of a snob! 


Pronunciation Notes:

annālēs volusī, cacāta caRta,
vōtu(m) solvite pRō meā puellā.
na(m) sānctae venerī cupīdinīque
vōvit, sī sibi restitūtus esse(m)
dēsīsseNGque tRucēs vibRār(e) iambōs,
ēlēctissima pessimī poētae
scRīpta taRdipedī deō datūra(m)
ī(ñ)fēlīcibus ustulanda liNGnīs.
et hoc pessima sē puella vīdit
iocōsē lepidē vovēre dīvīs.
nunc ō caeruleō cReāta pontō,
quae sāNGct(um) Īdali(um) Ūriōsqu(e) apeRtōs
quaequ(e) aNGcōna cniduNGqu(e) harundinōsaNG
colis quaequ(e) amat(h)ūnta quaeque golgōs
quaeque duRRāchi(um) hadRiae tabeRna(m),
acceptu(m) face reddituNGque vōtu(m),
sī nōn illēpiduN nequ(e) invenustu(m e)st.
at vōs intereā venīt(e) in iNGne(m),
plēnī rūris et ī(ñ)ficētiāru(m)
annālēs volusī, cacāta caRta.


Meter: Phalaecean Hendecasyllables  

⏓ ⏓ – ⏑ ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏓ 

ānnālēs Vŏlŭsī, căcātă cārtă,
uōtūm sōluĭtĕ prō mĕā pŭēllā.
nām sānctaē Vĕnĕrī Cŭpīdĭnīquĕ
uōuīt sī sĭbĭ rēstĭtūtŭs ēssĕm
dēsīssēmquĕ trŭcēs uĭbrāre ĭāmbōs
ēlēctīssĭmă pēssĭmī pŏētaē
scrīptă tārdĭpĕdī dĕō dătūrăm
īnfēlīcĭbŭs ūstŭlāndă līgnīs.
ēt hōc pēssĭmă sē pŭēllă uīdĭt
iŏcōsē lĕpĭdē uŏuērĕ dīuīs.
nūnc ō caērŭlĕō crĕātă pōntō,
quaē sānctum Īdălĭum Ūriōsque ăpērtōs,
quaēque Āncōnă Cnĭdūmque hărūndĭnōsăm
cōlīs quaēque Ămăthūntă, quaēquĕ Gōlgōs,
quaēquĕ Dūrrăchĭum Hādrĭaē tăbērnăm,
āccēptūm făcĕ rēddĭtūmquĕ uōtŭm
sī nōn īllĕpĭdūm nĕque īnuĕnūstŭm est.
āt uōs īntĕrĕā uĕnīte ĭn īgnĕm,
plēnī rūrĭs ĕt īnficētĭārŭm,
ānnālēs Vŏlŭsī, căcātă cārtă.


Annals of Volusius, shat-upon sheet,
fulfill a vow on behalf of my girl. 
For she vowed to sacred Venus and Cupid,
if I were given back to her and 
would stop hurling savage iambics,
she would give the most carefully 
chosen writings of the foulest poet
to the slow-footed god 
to be burned with the unproductive branches.
And she, the foulest girl, considered that she 
was vowing this to the gods jokingly, charmingly! 
Now, o Goddess born from the cerulean sea,
who inhabit sacred Idalium and storm-beaten Urios,
Ancona and Cnidus, abounding in reeds,
Amathus, and Golgos,
and even Durrachium, the inn of the Adriatic,
consider her vow accepted and paid in full,
if it is not an impolite nor inelegant request.
But you, meanwhile, full of country ways 
and boorish speech, go into the fire, 
annals of Volusius, shat-upon sheet! 


Artwork:

Birth of Venus, Roman fresco from Pompeii, House of Venus, 1st century AD, public domain. 

The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli, 1485–1486, Uffizi Gallery, Florence, public domain.

Translation: DWA, Detroit, 7/20/21