Product Description

Of all Greek and Latin poets Catullus is perhaps the most accessible to the modern reader. Dealing candidly with the basic human emotions of love and hate, his virile, personal tone exerts a powerful appeal on all kinds of readers. The 116 poems collected in this new translation include the famous Lesbia poems and display the full range of Catullus's mastery of lyric meter, mythological themes, and epigrammatic invective and wit.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #160642 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
`The best current translator of Latin poetry, Guy Lee, has now turned his attention to "The Poems of Catullus" ... this is yet another distinguished version from Lee's pen which deserves to become the standard version both for those with Latin and those studying Catullus in translation, and its author deserves hearty congratulations.' Greece and Rome

'the work of a consummate Latinist ... with a desire to communicate something of the elegance and verbal flair of his original, a matter close to L.'s heart as the crisp introduction makes plain ... a very persuasive book' Roland Mayer, King's College, London, The Classical Review, Vol. XLIII, No. 2, 1993

About the Author
Gaius Valerius Catullus (ca. 84 BC ca. 54 BC) was one of the most influential Roman poets of the 1st century BC. His work is still widely studied, and his perennial influence continues to be seen in poetry and other forms of art. Guy Lee is at St John's College, Cambridge.

Customer Reviews

For students only
As a Latin student of Catullus, this book was recommended to me as a guide. While the format is great for students, Latin on the left side, English on the other, I have one serious quarrel with the translation. The translator takes many liberties and does NOT translate literally. He tries to make the English version sound as poetic as Catullus would and fails. Also, Catullus is very graphic in his descriptions of lewd acts and the translator flufs the English version to make it PG-13 instead of the intended R rating.

"One of the Greatest Personalities in Latin Literature.
The flamboyant poet from Verona, Catullus, who lived most of his life in Rome (84-54 BC), is probably one of the greatest personalities that stands out in Latin literature. His bold and skillful invective, summed up in witty epigrams, and his gallant love/hate relationship with the famous Lesbia all bring forth sharp reflections upon human emotions and ultimately surface Catullus' own personality. In these 116 poems, the reader will undoubtedly find something to relate to, even though they were written just over two thousand years ago. Many of the themes found here are relevant to the modern mind and condition, and seldom are boring and obscure archaisms found in the text. This complete collection of Catullus' poems, translated by Guy Lee and furnished with a parallel Latin text, is a great edition and indispensable addition to the classical library.

A great intro to a great poet
What can you say about Catullus? He's the poet's poet, a master of structure and language and image and soulful composition. These poems are a high point in classical literature.

The translation is reasonably good, considering the material. The language flows and in the places where the translator attempts to match the spirit of the original, although often the literal meaning of the original is lost. As others have said, he takes a few liberties to try to tweak the rating down to at least a heady PG-13, and that's not the best way to treat the poet. Most often, in this case, what is lost is the impact of the meter on the feel of the sentiment of the poem. But that can't be helped, there's no way to substitute a translation for he real thing, and as far as translations go this one is the best I've ever seen.