We'll be presenting poetry regularly on this blog and we'll try to do this every Monday. The poets will most often be foreign (i.e., non-English) and hopefully a surprise for the reader.

The first poem belongs to Catullus:

Caius Valerius Catullus (87-57 B.C.) to Claudia Pulchra Prima / Maior / Quadrantaria / Metelli / Lesbia
Let us live, my Lesbia, and let us love, and let us value all the rumors of more severe old men at only a penny! Suns are able to set and return: when once the short light has set for us one perpetual night must be slept by us. Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then second thousand, then a second hundred, then immediately a thousand then a hundred. then, when we will have made many thousand kisses, we will throw them into confusion, or lest we know anyone bad be able to envy when he knows there to be so many of kisses.	Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus, rumoresque senum severiorum omnes unius aestimemus assis! soles occidere et redire possunt: nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, nox est perpetua una dormienda. da mi basia mille, deinde centum, dein mille altera, dein secunda centum, deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum. dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, conturbābimus illa, ne sciāmus, aut ne quis malus invidere possit, cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.

Written in hendecasyllabic verse, the poem is almost epic in that it is made of the seduction in the first 6 lines, the next 5 being the coitus, with a b-side climax in conturbabimus illa and the post-orgasmic bliss in the last 2. It is worthwhile keeping the number of kisses secret, lest the evil ones will find it easier to engage in witchcraft the more numbers they know about their target; today, the evil ones could just still your identity more easily.

In those days, Lesbia referred to an island of young girl lovers, the kind we’d call today, in homage to Nabukov, “Lolitas”:

The name also suggests literary and erotic connotations, evoking the famous circle of young girl lovers on Lesbos Island, who included the poetess Sappho. Catullus's poem 35 celebrating his poet friend Caecilius of Novum Comum also mentions the devotion of Caecilius' girlfriend, who is herself accorded a remarkable tribute as "Sapphic girl, more learned than the Muse" (lines 16-17: Sapphica puella / musa doctior). This could well be Catullus' Lesbia before she became his own lover.

Clodia’s reputation is not that angelic, however, at least according to wikipedia. At the very least, she loved life. Was she a bonne vivante, a feminist, a socialite or just misunderstood?

Clodia was married to Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer, her first cousin. The marriage was not a happy one. Clodia engaged in several affairs with married men (possibly including the poet, Catullus - see below) and slaves, becoming at the same time a notorious gambler and drinker. Arguments with Metellus Celer were constant, often in public situations. When Metellus Celer died in strange circumstances in 59 BC, Clodia was suspected of poisoning her husband.

As a widow, Clodia became known as a merry one, taking several lovers. Clodia maintained several other lovers, including Marcus Caelius Rufus, Catullus' friend. This particular affair would cause an immense scandal. After the relationship with Caelius was over in 56 BC, Clodia publicly accused him of attempted poisoning. The accusation led to a murder charge and trial. Caelius' defence lawyer was Cicero, who took a harsh approach against her, recorded in his speech Pro Caelio. Cicero had a personal interest in the case, as her brother Publius Clodius was Cicero's most bitter political enemy. Among other things, Clodia was accused of being a seducer and a drunkard in Rome and in Baiae. Cicero insinuated that he "would [attack Caelius' accusers] still more vigorously, if I had not a quarrel with that woman's [Clodia's] husband - brother, I meant to say; I am always making this mistake. At present I will proceed with moderation... for I have never thought it my duty to engage in quarrels with any woman, especially with one whom all men have always considered everybody's friend rather than any one's enemy." He declared her a disgrace to her family and nicknamed Clodia the Medea of the Palatine. (Cicero's marriage to Terentia suffered from Terentia's persistent suspicions that Cicero was conducting an illicit affair with Clodia.)

This poem influenced many XIX century Romantics who translated or adapted it, such as Marlowe, Campion, Jonson, Raleigh and Crashaw. Here’s the Elizabethan Campion’s translation, followed by some newer echoes:

"My Sweetest Lesbia" by Campion, Thomas (1567-1620)

My sweetest Lesbia, let vs liue and loue,
And though the sager sort our deedes reproue,
Let vs not way them : heau'ns great lampes doe diue
Into their west, and straight againe reuiue,
But soone as once set is our little light,
Then must we sleepe one euer-during night.
If all would lead their liues in loue like mee,
Then bloudie swords and armour should not be,
No drum nor trumpet peaceful sleepes should moue,
Vnles alar'me came from the campe of loue :
But fooles do liue, and wast their little light,
And seeke with paine their euer-during night.
When timely death my life and fortune ends,
Let not my hearse be vext with mourning friends,
But let all louers rich in triumph come,
And with sweet pastimes grace my happie tombe;
And Lesbia close vp thou my little light,
And crown with loue my euer-during night.

Later echoes

Ben Jonson’s “Volpone: Come my Celia, let us prove” seems inspired by Campion’s adaptation, at least in its first few lines. It reminds me of the Setting Sun by Chemical Brothers.

Come my Celia, let us prove

BY BEN JONSON

Come my Celia, let us prove,

While we may, the sports of love.

Time will not be ours for ever:

He at length our good will sever.

Spend not then his gifts in vain;

Suns that set may rise again,

But if once we lose this light

'Tis, with us, perpetual night.

Why should we defer our joys?

Fame and rumour are but toys.

Cannot we delude the eyes

Of a few poor household spies?

Or his easier ears beguile,

So removed by our wile?

'Tis no sin love's fruit to steal,

But the sweet theft to reveal;

To be taken, to be seen,

These have crimes accounted been.

Where does poetry take you?

Sources / More info: catullus, wikisource-catullus, classical-lit, wiki-clodia, wiki-lesbia, guentberg-english-readings, latinum-podcast, wiki-pro-caelio, guardian-PoemOftheWeek, pfound-ben, yt-original-chem