Ariadne’s lament (64.132-148)
The beach-side lament of Ariadne, the mythological heroine of Crete, after she has been abandoned by the Athenian hero Theseus in Catullus 64, has its roots in Catullus’ personal experience of rejection, argues Sarah Winner. Catullus 64.132-148, read, translated, and discussed by Sarah Winner.
‘sicine me patriis avectam, perfide, ab aris,
perfide, deserto liquisti in litore, Theseu?
sicine discedens neglecto numine divum
immemor ah devota domum periuria portas? 135
nullane res potuit crudelis flectere mentis
consilium? tibi nulla fuit clementia praesto,
immite ut nostri vellet miserescere pectus?
at non haec quondam blanda promissa dedisti
voce mihi, non haec miseram sperare iubebas, 140
sed conubia laeta, sed optatos hymenaeos;
quae cuncta aerii discerpunt irrita venti.
nunc iam nulla viro iuranti femina credat,
nulla viri speret sermones esse fideles;
quis dum aliquid cupiens animus praegestit apisci, 145
nil metuunt iurare, nihil promittere parcunt:
sed simul ac cupidae mentis satiata libidost,
dicta nihil meminere, nihil periuria curant.’
latin-poetry-podcast Said,
May 17, 2012 @ 2:52 pm
Nice introduction, Sarah, It really draws the listener. And the use of analogies in your discussion is very helpful.