Catullus 59 Translation
Introduction |
In Catullus 59, the poet wrote about the sexual behaviors of Rufa of Bononia, the wife of Menenius. These are not famous people who are known to history, but they must be known to the people of Catullus’s neighborhood. In line one, Catullus leaves nothing to the imagination as he says that Rufa fellates Rufulus. As family members had similar names, Rufulus and Rufa must be brother and sister.
Then in line two, Catullus shares that Rufa is often seen in the graveyards. She’s there grabbing meats from pyres. This is problematic because the ancient people were concerned about the pyres they lit for the dead. This woman steals items from them. While the first line of the poem is loaded with sexuality, the fourth and fifth lines are loaded with imagery.
In lines four and five, Catullus showcases how the woman was busy running after the meatloaf she grabbed and dropped. She is then “thumped” by the undertaker’s slave. Catullus takes time to mention that the slave is half-shaved.
This is a strange little poem that is like a limerick. Rufa seems to be a highly flawed woman who might be mocked by the people in the community. Catullus writes frequently about people in the community who have sexual relationships with their family members. As the ancient people did not understand the subtleties of DNA, there may have been several people born from the relationships between family members. He tells the sexual and incestuous poems like little folk songs and this one seems almost like a Jack and Jill going up the hill, then falling down. It’s odd but slightly endearing.
It does leave one to wonder about Menenius and whether or not he was bothered by his wife performing fellatio on her brother, or possibly even her father.
Carmen 59 |
| Line | Latin text | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BONONIENSIS Rufa Rufulum fellat, | Rufa of Bononia, the wife of Menenius, fellates Rufulus, |
| 2 | uxor Meneni, saepe quam in sepulcretis | she whom you have often seen in the graveyards |
| 3 | uidistis ipso rapere de rogo cenam, | grabbing the baked meats from the very pyre, |
| 4 | cum deuolutum ex igne prosequens panem | when as she ran after the loaf rolling down out of the fire |
| 5 | ab semiraso tunderetur ustore. | she was thumped by the half-shaved slave of the undertaker. |
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Resources |
VRoma Project: http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/059.html
