Catullus 7

Catullus 7 is a poem by Catullus addressed to his mistress Lesbia. Similar to Catullus 5, this poem revels in counting kisses, with a touch of stellar voyeurism.

Catullus 7 in Latin and English

Catullus 7 in Latin

The meter of this poem is hendecasyllabic, a common form in Catullus' poetry.

Latin text and translation

quaeris quot mihi basiationes
tuae Lesbia sint satis superque
quam magnus numerus Libyssae harenae
lasarpiciferis iacet Cyrenis
oraclum Iovis inter aestuosi
et Batti veteris sacrum sepulcrum
aut quam sidera multa cum tacet nox
furtivos hominum vident amores
tam te basia multa basiare
vesano satis et super Catullo est
quae nec pernumerare curiosi
possint nec mala fascinare lingua

You ask how many kisses
Of yours, Lesbia, would be enough and more for me.
As great as the number of Libyan sands
That lie at Cyrene producing silphium
Between the oracle of sweltering Jupiter
And the sacred tomb of old Battus,
Or as many as the stars that, when the night is silent,
See the secret love affairs of men:
For you to kiss so many kisses
is more than enough for crazy Catullus,
These kisses which neither the curious can count
Nor an evil tongue bewitch.

Bibliography

• Johnston, PA (1993). "Love and Laserpicium in Catullus 7". Classical Philology. 88 (4): 328–329. doi:10.1086/367376. S2CID 162290715.
• Arkins, B (1979). "Catullus 7". L'Antiqué Classique. 48 (2): 630–635. doi:10.3406/antiq.1979.1954.
• Segal, C (1974). "More Alexandrianism in Catullus VII?". Mnemosyne. 27 (2): 139–143. doi:10.1163/156852574X00836.
• Segal, C (1968). "Catullus 5 and 7: A Study in Complementaries". American Journal of Philology. 89 (3): 284–301. doi:10.2307/293446. JSTOR 293446.
• Moorhouse, AC (1963). "Two Adjectives in Catullus 7". American Journal of Philology. 84 (4): 417–418. doi:10.2307/293237. JSTOR 293237.

External links

• Carmina for some of the texts in Latin.
• Gaius Valerius Catullus