Course Materials

The Student's Catullus places its emphasis on understanding the original Latin text rather than merely translating it into English. A complete Latin-English vocabulary explains the meaning of Catullus' words; notes to each poem illuminate the meaning of his language, with explanations of word choice, word order, sound effects, and metric artistry. Historical and literary allusions are also explained, with the result that students enter deeper into the poet's world than the best English translation can suggest. The Student's Catullus makes it clear why we still read Catullus in Latin. Written to become the standard college textbook as well as a comprehensive reference, the book includes a brief introduction setting forth the known facts about the poet's life and the character of his poems, a fresh recension of all 113 poems, and a commentary in English on each poem, explaining difficult points of Latin, features of Catullus' artistry, and background information. Additional aids to the reader are a Who's Who of the most important people in Catullus' poems, an introduction to Catullan meters, a glossary of literary terms used in the commentary, a complete Catullan vocabulary, and six maps.