Poem 64 is one of Catullus most ambitious and complex works. The mini-epic comprises of 408 lines, making it the longest poem of all Catullus works. The poem is written in the dactylic hexameter, the traditional meter of epic poetry. It is further told through ekphrasis an ancient doctrine denoting any poetic or rhetorical description, including descriptions of landscape, buildings, battles, and storms.
The focal point of this report will be on the content of poem 64 and how it reflects Catullus himself and his relationship with Lesbia. Further, I will examine the ambiguity and paradoxes present in the poem.
The poem as already stated is a mini-epic and is often described as a labyrinth which twists and turns on itself. Therefore, in my analysis, I will make use of a range of different extracts from the poem to illustrate my various points.
II Motivation and a brief outline of Poem 64
Throughout Catullus works the theme of love, femininity versus the traditional Roman view of masculinity, conflict of emotions and Lesbia are a recurrent theme.
Poem 64 illustrates these themes the best. The poem is lengthy and confusing as it expresses a story within a story. It is also quite misleading in the different twists and turns it takes. All this aside the underlying structure and meaning of poem 64 make it the perfect illustration of Catullus. Given the length of the poem compared to his other poems, 64 allowed Catullus to be more creative, explorative and offered him free reign to express himself in a way his shorter poem could not.
In poem 64 Catullus narrates the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, future parents of the legendary Achilles. The poem consists of a story-within-a-story which is the embroidered picture of Theseus’ abandonment of Ariadne and its tragic results.
This story of betrayed love and abonnement is ironically woven into the bedcover on the marriage bed of Peleus and Thetis. Although the poem is supposedly about the story of Peleus and Thetis, which is a happy one, the ekphrasis of Adriane dominates most the poem. In stark contrast to the happy tone of Peleus and Thetis, The story of Ariadne centers around betrayal and abandonment. Ariadne’s expression of grief (lines 132-201), is arguably the focus of the poem.
III The age of heroes and the male role.
A recurring theme in Catullus works is femininity versus the traditional view of masculinity. In many of Catullus poems, there is tension between the feminine and the masculine as he often adopts the female voice in his love poems. In contrast, the poems in which he writes to his friends and family, he transforms into the virile man of Roman tradition.
The traditional view of Roman masculinity was characterized by self-control over their passions, desires, and being virtuous. Virtue was an important ideal which man strived for; it was categorized by manliness, bravery, and excellence.
Poem 64 is set in the age of heroes. The ‘golden age’ of society and the roman ideal. Catullus uses Ariadne to illustrate his feelings on the subject. Catullus identifies with Ariadne a female heroine rather than assume a masculine role. The more than half of the poem is written through ekphrasis. Thus, the tale of Ariadne is presented as a work of art, one picture of an embroidered tapestry (haec vestis priscis hominum variata figuris, line 50), meant to illustrate the ‘virtues of heroes’ (virtutes heroum, 51).
In lines 100 -115 Ariadne has a flashback of Theseus killing the Minotaur but snaps out of it in lines 116 stating that she has digressed from her first song. Ariadne instead of glancing over it addresses the flashback and immediately after recalls that she left her homeland for Theseus among the various other things she did for him. In addressing with the flashback, Ariadne and therefore Catullus makes the point that Theseus heroics in the flashback is not be praised but instead is the reason for her current heartache and abonnement. Heroism is not an ideal, on the contrary by emphasizing Theseus’ cruelty towards Ariadne in 64 Catullus implies that there is, in reality, a flaw in the moral code of heroism.
Moreover, Theseus was the blueprint for the idealized Roman, and in his character, lied the very ideals upon which Catullus’ own society was based on. A society which allowed and often commended cruelty in the quest of glory or self-interest. This ultimately culminates in the last lines of 64 the song of the fates. The fates end their song about Achilles stating that the man will destroy themselves through bloodshed and cruelty and the gods will cease to walk among them.
Although the golden age described in 64 is not an ideal society, Catullus reminiscences about a time before his own when life simple, when there was a sense of hope and justice. As even though Theseus abandoned and betrayed Ariadne, the gods answered the curse she put on him and granted her, in a sense, some justice.
In several poems, Catullus blatantly defies the norms of masculine behaviour in the traditional Roman society, in poems 5, 7 and 51, his expressions of passion and hopeless dependence on Lesbia reinforce his feminine persona. In poem 51 however, Catullus is self-aware of his loss of masculinity as he realizes he is being controlled by dangerous and potentially disastrous impulses. He states ‘Leisure has destroyed kings before and blessed cities’.
IV Catullus relationship with Lesbia
A prominent character throughout Catullus works is lesbia. His relationship with lesbia or lack thereof draws a fine line between love and obsession. His works often shift from being happy in love to being tortured, often displaying emotions of hurt and betrayal.
The poem supposedly centers on the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, although a large part of the poem is dedicated to the tale of Ariadne and Theseus. Briefly, the myth goes that Peleus married Thetis a mortal although Both Zeus and Poseidon had been rivals for her love but lost interest when it was prophesied that Thetis would bear a son that would be stronger than his father. They married on Mount Pelion, and the gods celebrated the marriage with feasting and songs.
The second myth is of Ariadne and Theseus; she was the daughter of a king Minos of Crete who fell in love with theseus. Theseus, who was the son of the king of Athens volunteered to kill the Minotaur and save his people. When he arrived, Ariadne fell in love with him and helped him with his quest.
After helping him conquer the Minotaur, She eloped with him on his way back to Athens. However, when Theseus stopped at the island of Naxos on the way back home, he abandoned Ariadne there.
One would not necessarily connotate the poem to Catullus relationship with lesbia, but with deeper inspection the similarities become apparent.
The poem offers to two contrasting views of love.
‘Puluinar uero diuae geniale locatur
Sedibus in mediis, Indo quod dente politum
Tincta tegit roseo conchyli purpura fuco.’
Lines 48-50 describes Peleus house, adorned with riches, ready for the feast of the gods celebrating his marriage. However, immediately after this joyful expression of love and marriage Catullus introduces Ariadne.
‘Namque fluentisono prospectans litore Diae
Thesea cedentem celeri cum classe tuetur
Indomitos in corde gerens Ariadna furores.’
Our first introduction of Ariadne is of her abandonment by Theseus. Ariadne looks on as Theseus abandons her on the island ‘ bearing wild furies in the heart.’
Catullus uses the female narrative to express his feelings of grief due to his abandonment by Lesbia. Theseus’ careless forgetfulness, which in the legend causes his father’s mistaken suicide, parallels the fecklessness of Lesbia.
Therefore, In poem 64 Ariadne is Catullus, and Theseus stands in as lesbia. Ariadne curses him from line 130 stating that he is Treacherous, forgetful of his promises, merciless and ruthless.
voce mihi, non haec miserae sperare iubebas,
sed conubia laeta, sed optatos hymenaeos,
quae cuncta aereii discerpunt irrita uenti.
nunc iam nulla uiro iuranti femina credat,
nulla uiri speret sermones esse fideles;
quis dum aliquid cupiens animus praegestit apisci,
nil metuunt iurare, nihil promittere parcunt:
sed simul ac cupidae mentis satiata libido est,
In lines 140- 148 above, Ariadne states that Theseus promises are mere airy words, she warns all woman not to trust a man who vows to be faithful. Ariadne ends off saying,
‘But as soon as the lust of the desiring mind has been satisfied,
They feared the words as nothing; they care for the false oaths not at all.’
In poem 70 Catullus uses these exact sentiments when referring to lesbia. He states ‘What a woman says to a desirous lover, this he ought to write in the wind and rapid water.’
It is, therefore, easy to equate Theseus to Lesbia. Poem 8 in which Catullus although writing to himself is speaking about Lesbia echoes 64 content flow. First, he rejects lesbia which is followed by an erotic daydream and concluded by a sudden but forced return to reality.
The similarity between poem 8 and 64 is the central erotic fantasy surrounded by the conflicting feelings of misery, rejection, and unrequited love.
Catullus also describes similar sentiments about lesbia in other poems too. In poems, 28-29 Catullus states that lesbia was faithless and in poem 72 that her promises were worthless. In poem 85 Catullus famously wrote;
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris.
nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.
I hate, and I love. Why would I do this, perhaps you ask? I do not know. However, I feel that it happens, and I am tortured. In these lines, Catullus expresses his inner conflict. In two lines, he shows the raw torture his love for lesbia causes him.
Surrounding this, there is the near perfect wedding of Peleus and Thetis represents a kind of high point in the age of heroes. Achilles, fated to be born to Peleus and Thetis, will distinguish himself mainly by his cruelty on the battle field. Peleus, however, is more of a background character and is only mentioned insofar as his character is blessed in marriage by both the gods and the fates.
Although it seems as there is no connection between the two stories, unity exists in the exploration of love and marriage. Catullus contrasts the misfortune of Ariadne in love with that of Peleus. Peleus represents the happy ending he wishes for himself and Lesbia which stands in contrast to the reality of his situation; Ariadne’s tale.
Lesbia seems to be an important aspect of Catullus poetry, being the subject of twenty-six of his poems. Poem 62, 63 and 68 all share a similar theme as 64. Poem 62 subject matter is marriage. the end of the poem which takes the form of a debate, particularly the advice to the girl at the end, reflects a traditional Roman masculine point of view. In poem 68 Catullus addresses lesbia directly whereas poem 63 takes on the more distressing plot. 63 is the tale of Attis, a Greek hero caught up in a religious frenzy, who castrates himself to better serve the goddess Cybele. 63 mirrors 64 as a tale of devotion, hurt, and abandonment. There is a significant parallel between Catullus whose obsessive devotion to Lesbia emasculates him and Attis the religious extremist who feminizes himself for Cybele. This idea is echoed in the least few lines of poem 11
‘nec meum respectet, ut ante, amorem,
qui illius culpa cecidit uelut prati
ultimi flos, praetereunte postquam
tactus aratro est.’
Catullus love, devotion, and masculinity become the passing flower which lesbia plows. Just as Attis is emasculated by Cybele and Ariadne is left deserted by Theseus after she gave up everything for him.
V Ambiguity and Paradoxes
Ambiguity can be defined as a word, phrase, or statement which contains more than one meaning. Ambiguity leads to vagueness and confusion which creates alternative reactions and understanding of the same work.
Catullus uses ambiguity to create a sensation that one situation is taking place even when reading the verse form in context or merely studying the poem in its entirety the work takes on a whole new significance.
The poem opens with depictions of beauty imaginary of the Argo’s first voyage alluding that poem may be about the myth of Jason and Medea. Later in line 19 though we see the real subject of the poem is Peleus and Thetis, how they fell in love and their marriage, however, things take a dramatic turn when Ariadne is introduced as she stands deserted on the island of Naxos. Later, however, the narrative returns to the story of Peleus and Thetis and concluding with the song of the Fates.
The poem is layered with Contradictions. A prominent one, however, is that Catullus elevates the heroic age over the present time as a time when loyalty and devotion governed human action and gods walked among men, although he seems to have criticized aspects of the heroic attitude, particularly the way it conflicts with the idea of relationships and love. Through the story of Ariadne and her ekphrasis, it is suggested that the heroic age is corrupt in its love of glory and materiel wealth leading to the fall of men and their spilt with the gods.
The poem is likewise full of paradoxes. From the apparent disconnect regarding the various ship voyages, the first ship voyage of Peleus and Thetis followed by the ship which Theseus sails off on after he abandons Ariadne. To the disconnect between the emotions of two relationships of the poem. There is a further paradox of visual art, Ariadne’s ekphrasis, depicting sound, action, and emotion.
Through these, Catullus blurred the already blurred chronology of the stories, as well as characteristics of the heroes, to create a more complicated atmosphere.
According to the usual myth, Peleus and Thetis were already married by the time the ship, the Argo, sailed. Further, although the Argo is never specifically mentioned in the poem itself we can deuce that it was indeed the Argo which alludes to the tale of Jason and Medea. Moreover, in the usual myth, Theseus sailed to Crete after the first voyage of the Argo.
As an audience to the poem, the reader is left questioning why a roman poet is writing a poem about Greek heroes, in what time from the poem is taking place, who is speaking, why many of the actions of the poem are happening and how exactly they came about. An example of this is the tapestry Ariadne appears on. Catullus does not state its source and origin nor its purpose.
Yet, more than half of the poem is narrated through the tapestry. We are to believe what it sees, hears and says but we only have one side, and see a forgetful Theseus whose promises are fitting to write on the wind. Paradoxically, however, what Ariadne sees also alludes to, and so makes us see, a different picture: a Theseus who could have been made forgetful to serve the purposes of Bacch.
In poem 85 as discussed above, Catullus also makes use of paradoxes stating I love and I hate. In 68a Catullus states that he being overcome by grief due to his brother’s death is unable to write. Then in 68b although he is still experiencing the same pain to which he refers in 68a and in which Catullus repeats almost exactly what he said in 68a, Catullus states that he cannot stop himself from writing.
He captures two entirely different experiences: first, his inability to write poetry in 68a, due to his brother’ death, and second, his inability not to write poetry, despite his brother’s death.
VI Conclusion
Poem 64 being one of only a few mini epics written by Catullus is truly a great piece of work displaying Catullus as few of his shorter poems do. His themes, style, and technique in 64 display his skill like few others do.
Catullus offers us a moral evaluation, of heroic values, of the decline of his society. He does this and offers us further a glimpse into his feelings and views. It is undoubtedly an important theme with the tragedians; the effects of heroism on the hero himself, and on those who met him are repeatedly examined.
There exists a very complex of the relationship between the two halves of the poem. Although the differences in the two story’s are blatant, the most important aspect of these differences does not lie in specific words and phrases, but in the placement and correlation between the events that make up the narrative.
In the case of Theseus, the heroism, and its failure is separate. We know where his heroism stops and his failure starts. Through the narrative we get the feeling that Theseus could have acted differently but a certain point, he went wrong. With Achilles, however, Catullus makes no such distinction. The heroics of Achilles are also distinguished as appalling and cruel. therefore, in the final analysis of the poem as a whole, it is not the individual flaws of a particular hero in a particular relationship the poem is concerned with but with the nature of heroism itself.
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