LATIN POETRY Catullus 101 (Elegiac couplet)

One of the saddest poems I've ever read. And also a good example of elegiac couplet, which is formed by combining an hexameter followed by a pentameter. The hexameter has the following scansion:

_ _ / _ _ / _ _ / _ _ / _ uu / _ _

And then a pentameter:
_ _ / _ _/ _ // _ uu /_ uu / _

(_ = long, u = short, in some cases -look in Wikipedia or wherever- a long can be replaced by two shorts):
So basically the poem is hexameter-pentameter-hexameter-pentameter-and-so-on.
I learned latin independently, so the pronunciation, the rythm, the entonation and everything basically comes from what I understood studying with books and without receiving any kind of feedback. Therefore, I do not know if I am doing it right and will IMMENSELY appreciate your comments. Thanks!
By the way, the drawings are by Gustave Doré and the music is by Edvard Grieg (Sonata for cello and piano in A minor, Op. 36, 2nd movement)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• catullus
• latin
• 101
• dead
• brother
• classical
• poetry
• hexameter
• pentameter
• elegiac
• couplet
• roman

[MaBu888]

Please use the flat L, don't palatalize the L. The L was very similar in Roman times to what it is now in some forms of Italian. It's proven thusly: the word multum used to be written as moltom in Old Latin, and the L is supposed to be just a little thinner than in English, but not as thin as in Spanish or French. Definitly, using a completely thick and flat L before c, p, t. I'll send you a link of a song by Toto Cutugno.

[jc625]

Thanks for your comment. My first language is Spanish and I learned Latin completely by myself. Learning the grammar and the vocabulary was obviously challenging because nobody was there to give me feedback, but learning how the standard pronunciation correctly was obviously impossible for me... a book cannot teach anybody how to pronounce correctly, regardless of how precise or detailed the description of the sounds were. So my pronunciation of Latin is basically my "interpretation"....

[jc625]

So my pronunciation of Latin is basically my "interpretation" as a Spanish native speaker of what Wheelock and others said. Obviously, since nobody corrected me, this "interpretation" was also very subjective and imprecise and, since not much was said about the L, I just pronounced it like in Spanish. So, I really appreciate your comment and I'll try in the future to palatize my L less. Also, I'd appreciate if you could send me a link where I could listen to the "flat L" you mentioned. Thanks!!!

[black0jackass]

Latin is the most beautiful language in the world!

[PhilPhilUSA]

I have an older brother. Your reading inspires me to better appreciate him while we are together...here. Thank you.

(great images and music, too)

[williamxiji]

@sukhbaatar108 no the narrator is right, based on classical latin pronunciation rules. and catullus lived during the classical latin period. you are using a later form of latin

[LilithProductions]

@sukhbaatar108 It depends if you're using Classical pronunciation or Ecclesiastical pronunciation.

[MsNeinNeinNein]

@jc625 Tu interpretación de la pronunciación es excelente, dado que en realidad no podemos saber como se pronunciaba el latin con precisión (no hay ninguna persona viva que tenga latin como lengua materna)

[jmoreno718]

That was beautiful, thanks for the upload.

[PrincessAshley121]

@rOsArluS im only in latin 2 and im working on it so my apologies its hard to use cases but im really good at dative

[rOsArluS]

@PrincessAshley121

Unless you are really trying to stress the subject, personal pronouns are not needed. That's the beauty of an inflected language. You have to use the latina instead of latin and poema instead of poem. Also, you need to use the accusative case for words like optima. (please correct me someone if I'm wrong)

Latina optimam est. Latina pulcherimmam (wrong word?) est, latinam amo. Latinam vocas, latinam voco. magistra optima habeo. Poema habebam et trisstisimum est. lacrimabo

[PrincessAshley121]

latin est optima. latin est pulcherimma,ego amo latin :) tu vocas latin , ego voco latin :)!! ego habeo optima magristra

ego habebas poem et est trisstisimus :[ ego lacrimabo

[sukhbaatar108]

Gentes---> gwith a soft sound

cinerem---> u must pronunce c like in "change"

Accipe--->same of "change", soft "c"

[Alexander12753]

Latin should be international language instead of English as it once was

[8catullus]

Catullus est bonus poeta!

(If i am talking about catullus in a emphasizing kanda way would that count as a vocative changing catullus to catulle or would it just stay catullus as i put)