Catullus: The poems of Gaius Valerius Catullus

The book is a translation of the poems of the Latin writer Catullus, who wrote in the first century BCE. It includes epigrams, love poems, personal poems, and scurrilous attacks on others, such as Julius Caesar. The collection aims to balance formal poetic style with Catullus's direct and startling vocabulary, while an introductory essay provides background information on the poems and the challenges of translating them into poetic English.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 23 September 2023
Publisher: The Choir Press

The book is a remarkable translation into English verse of the poems of the Latin writer Catullus, who lived in the first century BCE. Catullus' poetic collection spans a wide range of styles, from concise two-line epigrams to much longer pieces that explore various subjects. His poems delve into the depths of human emotions, ranging from passionate declarations of love and joyous celebrations of sex to poignant personal reflections and scurrilous attacks on others, including Julius Caesar himself.

While Catullus' poetry has often been translated with a great deal of freedom, this collection seeks to strike a balance between a formal poetic style and the sometimes direct and deliberately startling vocabulary that characterizes Catullus' work. An introductory essay, which acknowledges the frequent translations of Catullus' poems into English, focuses not on Catullus himself, whose life remains largely unknown, but on the general and specific challenges of translating his work into poetic English. The essay also provides background information and context for some of the longer mythological poems included in the collection.

Through this meticulous translation, readers are invited to explore the rich tapestry of Catullus' poetic language and gain a deeper understanding of his profound insights into the human condition. Whether you are a lover of poetry or a scholar interested in ancient Latin literature, this book offers a captivating journey into the world of Catullus and his timeless poems.

Weight: 220g
Dimension: 178 x 127 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789633948