Vivamus Mea Lesbia

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Vivamus, mea Lesbia Analysis of the Poem: “Catullus 5” also referred to as “Vivamus, mea Lesbia”, written by Gaius Valerius Catullus, is one of the most famous poems by Catullus. It depicts an instance in the affair between Lesbia (the wife of a Roman Statesman) when it is highly exuberant and passionate. It is differs to his other poems which feature Lesbia as “passer meae deliciae puella” describes essentially the onset of their relationship, of how they attain a playful and affectionate relationship. However, their affair then reaches the point where Lesbia (in “nulli se dicit mulier”) admits her copious love for Catullus as she prefers to be married to no one but him, and not even Jupiter could seek for her love. “Vivamus, mea Lesbia” may be seen the pinnacle and climax of their relationship and anything thence describes their love degenerating. “Miser Catulle” can be seen as the absolute destruction and end of their affair with Catullus spiting himself for being myopic, and perhaps completely blind, to the nature of their relationship. “Nulli se dicit mulier” and “dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum” The poem is written in a hendecasyllabic meter, wherein there are eleven syllables in each line. The use of repetition in the first sentence with “let us live” and “let us love” makes their relationship appear simple as they live together and love each other. It is then described that those who make rumours about them are plainly “old men” and all of these rumours deducted to one coin, making it seem insignificant. The sun, with its falling and returning, is juxtaposed with their relationship as when the “essence” of their relationship has fallen, they will live together forever, and come back again. The oxymoron of the innumerable amount of kisses explains the passionate, yet almost over exaggerated, affair they share with one another. Fluent
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