Zachary Low

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Rohrbacher, David

Keywords

Latin, Classics, Literature

Area of Concentration

Classics

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the abusive poetry of Catullus through the lens of three different generic traditions. The first, comedy, uses stock characters and comic language to, at times, undermine the persona of Catullus. In poem 8, there are the two figures of the counseling seruus callidus [clever slave] Catullus and the sad lovestruck Catullus. The second, oratorical invective, uses restrained language to condemn Catullus' enemies, such as the subtle allusion to Lesbius' incestuous practices in poem 79. The third, iambic invective, uses violent abuse to threaten Catullus' enemies. In the famous poem 16, Catullus defends himself against charges of mollitia by threatening Furius and Aurelius with sexual violence. By looking at these genres, I give new readings of many of Catullus' poems and how ancient readers would have a greater sense of Catullus' poetic practices.

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