Catullus 50 – Otium

Cambridge Latin Anthology – Otium

In this course, Professor Sharon Marshall (University of Exeter) explores the concept of otium in the poetry of Catullus. It will be particularly useful for those reading the six poems that make up the ‘otium’ set text for OCR Latin GCSE (J282). In the first lecture, we think about the representation of otium in Catullus 50. After that, in the second lecture, we think about the precise nature of Catullus and Calvus’ relationship as presented in Catullus 50, and in particular the relationship between amicitia (friendship) and amor (erotic love). In the third lecture we turn to Catullus 13 and think about what Catullus and his circle value, before turning in the fourth and final lecture to think about Catullus’ comparison of the client-patron relationship (e.g. that between Piso and Philodemus) to a relationship of true friendship (e.g. that between himself and Fabullus) – and the importance of poetry in that relationship.

Catullus 50 – Otium

In this lecture we think about the representation of otium in Catullus 50, focusing in particular on: (i) the concept of otium and its relationship to negotium (‘business, activity’); (ii) the conventional expectations of a Roman citizen to devote his life to negotium, rather than otium; (iii) the representation of otium in Catullus 50, which leaves Catullus ‘inflamed’ (incensus, line 8) and ‘wild with excitement’ (indomitus furore, line 11), but also ‘half-dead’ (semimortua, line 15); (iv) the more negative representation of otium in Catullus 51, in which otium is described as having ‘ruined rulers and prosperous cities’ (otium et reges prius et beatas / perdidit urbes, lines 15-16); (v) the conflicting view of otium in Catullus 50 and 51, and Catullus’ interest in conflicting emotions more generally (e.g. Catullus 85, ‘odi et amo’); (vi) Catullus’ poetic principles, especially his interest in poem that was ‘charming’ (lepidus) and ‘highly polished’ (expolitum), and the extent to which Catullus 50 abides by these same poetic principles.