Catullus 8 Essay

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Long Essay- Catullus 8 In Catullus 8, Catullus is unsure of what he should do now that Lesbia had left him. It seems as though her leaving was a rather recent occurrence, as Catullus is still confused as to how he should feel about it. In the beginning, Catullus addresses himself, telling himself to stop being a fool (Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire) and to give up on what is already lost and ruined. This shows some sense in Catullus, and that he is ready to get over his feelings for Lesbia and stop being a fool. In these first two lines, Catullus seems to be very levelheaded, and has a very firm mindset, which is that he needs to get over Lesbia. However, through remembering happier times, his resolve wavers. In lines three through eight, Catullus remembers a time when he was in Lesbia’s favor. He repeats the line “fulsere candidi tibi soles” in a form in both lines three and line eight, which puts emphasis on the fact that at one time, “bright suns shone for him” meaning that he was very happy and fortunate when he was in Lesbia’s favor. He remembered when he would go wherever the girl (Lesbia) would lead him (“cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat,” line four) and how he loved her more than any girl could ever be loved. By remembering these times, Catullus is reminded of just how happy he was when he was with Lesbia, which causes his previous firmness of mind, that he was to stop being a fool and forget about Lesbia, to waver a bit. In the next section, Catullus switches back to present tense, which shows how the current situation was at the time he was writing the poem and returns some of his firmness of mind to him as he realizes the pointlessness of reminiscing. Almost as a reminder to himself after recalling his happy memories, Catullus says in line nine “Nunc iam illa non volt,” meaning that now Lesbia wants him no more. He then goes on to regain his
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