Most scholars have separated Catullus 2 and Catullus 2B for reasons that are now, to me anyway, clear having (finally) read both poems. If joined, the last three lines are a weird ending to a poem addressed to a sparrow. They just don’t make sense together. These three lines also seem a little weird floating out in isolation from anything else: I want more backstory, Catullus! What exactly is so pleasing to you, darn it?!
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Catullus 2: An Easier Prose Story
Catullus 2, along with Catullus 3, are famous poems referencing Lesbia’s pet sparrow. While a sparrow may seem like an unusual pet today, they were common pets, especially as a gift from a lover. My cats would love for me to have a pet bird, but I imagine it would be a little much for everyone: me, the cats, the poor tormented bird, and my husband. I struggled some with this poem. Is it a sex metaphor? Maybe. Some people seem to have made that argument. Catullus doesn’t shy away from that topic. Though, I’m not sure I’m sold on that interpretation. Instead, I see some of the longing, the…
