LPC: Lesson - Catullus - Translation

Image: a painting of Lesbia playing with her sparrow.Catullus - Translation

Before continuing, take a moment to reflect on what you have learned and read so far. At this point, you have read a handful of Catullus' poems, both in English and in Latin. The tone of his poetry should be one you can give serious thought to analyzing: considering how it was used, what the aim of the style was, and how it has influenced poetry. This painting by Sir Edward John Poynter, called Lesbia and her Sparrow, was inspired by Catullus, Poem 2.

At this point, we are going to explore one final set of poems by Catullus. The following handout contains three poems that you will work on to create a translation of each. 

Download Handout

Please download the Lyric Poets: Catullus - Translation Project Handout Links to an external site.. Complete the handout before continuing in the course.

Listening to Catullus in Latin

There are several recordings available on the internet of people reading Catullus' poems in Latin. The audio files below come courtesy of the Association for Latin Teaching.

Catullus Poems - Read in Latin

Poem 2:

Poem 5:

Poem 75:

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