The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Catullus, Gaius Valerius, 84? BCE-54 BCE

Contributor:

Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890

Smithers, Leonard C. (Leonard Charles), 1861-1907.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus" by Gaius Valerius Catullus is a collection of Latin poetry, likely written in the 1st century BC. This work encapsulates the poignant themes of love, desire, and social commentary intertwined with vivid imagery and emotional depth. The various poems include reflections on personal relationships, notably with a figure named Lesbia, as well as interactions with friends and rivals, all of which portray the complexities of emotions in human connections. The opening of the collection introduces the dedication to Cornelius Nepos and poetically explores Catullus' loves and losses, setting a tone that is both intimate and candid. The first poems reveal Catullus' affection for Lesbia through playful interactions involving her sparrow and express his sorrow at its death, illustrating the intensity of his feelings. This portion of the text establishes the poet's characteristic blend of tenderness and wit, while hinting at deeper emotional undercurrents within his seemingly light-hearted verses. Overall, these initial stanzas lay the groundwork for Catullus' richly layered exploration of love and longing. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Ted Garvin, Keith Edkins and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poetry_of_Catullus

Reading ease score: 67.2 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2007-03-03