Classics
2 total works
In this edition of Catullus' poetry, Guy Lee provides a text for the scholar and a facing translation for students and the general reader which is as faithful to the Latin as possible. As well as Catullus' mastery of lyric, invective epigram and themes from romantic legend, the translation also reflects the passionate, sometimes obscene, but always intensely personal nature of the Latin. Throughout there is an honesty to human emotions in all their variety that is intrinsic to Catullus' style and of immediate appeal. One famous example is the set of poems dedicated to his lover Lesbia. Guy Lee has also included an introduction to the poet and to his life and work and explanatory notes to the text and translation. There is also a chronology and brief bibliography.
The Roman poet Catullus is one of the most popular and frequently studied ancient authors. His poems were written just over two thousand years ago during the chaotic but culturally vibrant final decades of the Republic and deal with themes of passion and grief, friendship and enmity, politics, literature and myth. This new translation, the product of a collaborative effort between a classicist and a poet, allows modern readers to experience his poems rather as his ancient Roman audience did. The poems are presented as contemporary and concise with a new energy and pace that both enhance Catullus' appeal for non-specialists and challenge specialists to consider his work from a fresh perspective. Extensive notes are provided, as well as an introduction which takes account of modern poetics and popular culture. The translation will appeal not only to classicists but also to lovers of literature in general and poetry in particular.