noli-nothis-permittere-te-terere

 

Catullus 87

Page history last edited by MDMoore 1 yr ago

Nulla potest mulier tantum se dicere amatam

vere, quantum a me Lesbia amata mea est.

nulla fides ullo fuit umquam foedere tanta,

quanta in amore tuo ex parte reperta mea est.

 

No woman is able to (truly) say that she was was (truly) loved

to such an extent as you, my Lesbia,  were loved by me.

There was no trust in any treaty ever as great

as was found in your love from my part.

 

  • truly can apply both to dicere and to amatam, as Catullus could be emphasizing speaking truly, or he could be emphasizing his role in loving Lesbia (vide, Catullus 8)
  • Note the alliteration in line 3, between the f and the u
  • Note the parallel between the first and second couplets -- There are none as much as...followed by the object of comparison
  • Not also the "in amore tuo...ex parte mea" -- the contrast between Lesbia and Catullus highlighted by the use of the prepositions.

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