Catullus 111 Translation
Introduction |
In this poem, Catullus writes about Aufilena and how a woman should be happy to be married to her husband and to have no other man in her life. The poem could be addressed to Aufilena, or it could be about her. But, after looking at the last two lines, the poem seems to be a warning to her about what is the best way for a woman to live with a man.
The first two lines show Aufelina that brides should be content with their husbands. In line three, Catullus writes how it is better sleeping with any man, which goes against his statement about brides in lines one and two. Then, Catullus clarifies why it is better to have sex with any man because a mother should not have children with her uncle. The warning about incestual relationships is clear.
The word in question in this poem is “frater” which has often been interpreted to mean cousin. But, in Catullus’s way with words, he could mean something much bigger than that. Catullus mentions Aufilena and her brother Aufilenus in poem 100. The brother and sister have a relationship with Caelius and Quintius. The relationship is questionable as they are all somehow related. The word frater in the poem could refer to a brotherhood or familial relationship that is different than cousins.
The word frater could be something bigger, more political in nature. As Caelius was a politician, Catullus could be referring to Aufilena having children with a politician. It could be adding to the fraternity of the country. While the purpose of the word frater is uncertain, what does seem certain is that Catullus is worried about any sexual relationship that Aufilena is having with men who are not her husband. She, and other women, should take heed before they have sexual relations with any relatives.
Carmen 111 |
| Line | Latin text | English translation |
|---|---|---|
1 | AVFILENA, uiro contentam uiuere solo, | AUFILENA, to live content with her husband and no other |
2 | nuptarum laus ex laudibus eximiis: | is a glory for brides one of the most excellent: |
3 | sed cuiuis quamuis potius succumbere par est, | but ’tis better to sleep with any man whatsoever, |
4 | quam matrem fratres efficere ex patruo. | than that a mother should conceive cousins with her uncle. |
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Resources |
VRoma Project: http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/111.html
