Blog Post 8 - Horace and Catallus

In Epode 11, Horace portrays a change in his relationship with love, implying that he will no longer allow it to influence his life as it has in the past. While he apparently once allowed himself to become engrossed in the sort of passion that inspired poetry—that “demand[ed] that [he] should dote / more than anyone else”—he expresses regret for allowing his emotions to take control of his life. In describing his specific adoration of Inachia, Horace says, “Through all the city—and I am ashamed of it— / I was a laughing stock.” It is clear that Horace is embarrassed by the behavior he exhibited during this apparently unrequited love, and he suggests that it was his desire that made him act in such shameful and uncharacteristic ways. As he says, he vented his desperation for Inachia “the moment that the shameless god / warmed me with the heat of wine and dragged out my secrets”; he also declares that when he intended to go home, he would find himself “drift[ing] to her doorposts”. These images suggest that love was an outward force motivating the words and actions that others ridiculed. In the final stanza, Horace suggests that he now takes a different approach to love—one of more detachment and control. While he first proclaims that “now Lyciscus is [his] love”, he goes on to say the input of others would not be enough to separate them—but “another passion might”. He is clearly less invested in this love than he was in his passion for Inachia, showing that he does not plan on falling into the same sort of madness-inducing infatuation again.

            In contrast, Catallus seems to openly accept this crazed sort of love, showing no shame for his words or actions that are influenced by passion, no matter how demeaning. Catallus 16 most plainly shows his lack of embarrassment for his love-inspired behavior; in it, he addresses Aurelius and Furius, who evidently criticized him for the unmanly nature of his love for Lesbia. In a society where the dominant partner was considered to have the superior, masculine position, Catallus’ infatuation with Lesbia sometimes seemed to put him in the inferior, feminine role. Rather than express humiliation for this perception, as Horace likely would have done, Catallus instead attacks those who insult him, showing that he does not regret embracing and expressing his emotions. As he says, his verses “mayn’t be manly” but that does mean his character is indecent. While poets should be “squeaky-clean” in their person, his “bloody squiblets”—or his work—does not necessitate this same propriety. This implies that Catallus feels poetry should reflect of one’s genuine feelings and perspectives, rather than merely conform to society’s expectations.

            While Horace and Catallus both treat themes of love, it is clear that they hold very different perspectives regarding its influence in their lives. Horace is openly ashamed by his love-induced behavior and the reputation it earned him, while Catallus shows no regret for his actions or writings, instead insulting those who ridicule him for expressing his passion. These differences in their views on love are reflected in dissimilarities in their poetry; Horace displays obvious control and restraint in his work, where Catallus is instead very open, refusing to limit himself to the same degree in content or form.