Catullus

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Pulcer was known not only for being a violent politician, but was also rumored to have had incestuous relations with one or more of his three sisters. All three sisters, including Clodia, were known to not have strong moral characters and acted out of the class they were born into. Although there is no real proof of Lesbia being a pseudonym for Clodia, critics have agreed that this is the most likely of whom the woman had his affair with.
Even the name Lesbia has an interesting background. The name derives for the Latin word Lesbian, describing the people from the island of Lesbos. Lesbos was the place where poets lived and devoted their lives to the arts. These poets were known for their talents and made the island a great seat of lyric inspiration in antiquity. (Havelock, pg. 130) The most famous of the poets on this island was a woman named Sappho. By using the reference to the island, the name becomes a testament to how he felt about Lesbia. He chose the name ...

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the love between men was considered stronger than that of the love men could feel for woman. This stemming from the idea that women were of a lower standard than men. In poem #86, talks of his idea of beauty. He mentions a woman named Quintia who is considered to be beautiful by many people. But, when he looks are this woman, he doesn’t see that because to him “Lesbia is beautiful, and she is not only totally dazzling, But she has stolen the charm from everyone else.” (Knox, 614)
When speaking of Lesbia, ’ language shines. It also brings out the more subtle side of him. In the two poems writes to Lesbia’s pet sparrow, the reader senses the hidden undertones, which he uses. He ...

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