Aspects of Catullus' Social FictionAspects of Catullus' Social Fiction examines a number of facets of Catullus' poetic persona as they relate to particular tensions and institutions in Roman society. Analyzed here are several familiar texts but also some less commonly studied poems which have much to teach us about Catullan poetry and late Republican Rome. Each chapter presents a close reading of one or more poems and a discussion of the interrelationships between them as well as certain overarching themes of Catullus' work as a whole, such as the Roman conception of masculinity and effeminacy, the nature of poetic composition, and the ways in which Roman society determined and often compromised the moral status of the individual. An introduction sets out a number of issues preliminary to the interpretation of Catullan poetry, and a conclusion suggests implications for a more general understanding of the poet and his work. |
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addressed aesthetic aspect attempt audience Band behavior Bithynia boni beatique Callimachus Catull Catullan corpus Catullan persona Catullan poems Catullan poetry Catullus 13 Catullus tells Celtiberian character Cicero cinaedi comedy comic contubernales conuiuium criticism described discussion effeminacy effeminate Egnatius erotic ethical fact fellatio fellator fiction friends friendship Furius and Aurelius Gamberale girl Greek Homosexuality imagery implied important impudicitia interpretation irrumatio irrumator Latin Latomus Lesbia literal literary literature litter-bearers Marrucinus Memmius merely metaphor mihi mistreatment moechi mollitia moral napkin nasum Nepos obscenity omnes oral sex Oxford Philodemus physical Piso poem 16 poem 28 poem 37 poems of Catullus poet poet's poetic political praetor Priapus puella Quinn quod rape relationship represents role Roman sexual Roman society Rome salax taberna scholars Selden significant Skinner social status Suffenus suggests symbolism Syndikus themes tion traditional unguentum Varus Veranius and Fabullus verse virility Wiseman woman word