Lyric Poetry: Catullus, Horace, and Elegiac Poets

Lyric Poetry: An Overview

Lyric poetry was originally sung to the accompaniment of the lyre. The term 'lyric' encompasses many different subjects and metric forms, but is characterized by a personal and subjective approach. Common forms include the ode or carmen. Early examples include anthem lyrics and the hymns of the Arval Brothers.

Catullus

The first lyric poets are found within the circle of Catullus, the 'new' or 'neoteric' poets. Their compositions are short, technically perfect, and formally and stylistically beautiful.

Catullus settled in Rome and became involved with Clodia, a beautiful woman who inspired a violent passion and bitter disappointment in Catullus. This relationship provided inspiration for his poetry, in which she appears under the pseudonym Lesbia. He was the chief representative of the literary movement of the bride, or neoteroi poetae. Neoteric poetry was known for its penchant for meticulous, short compositions and refined style. It draws inspiration from both Greek lyric and Alexandrian poetry. His poems can be classified into three groups: scholarly, mythological poems; satirical, epigrammatic poems; and lyrical and elegiac poems. All other compositions are autobiographical.

Horace

Horace's work includes a chronological order: Epodes, followed by the first book of Odes and Satires, the second book of Satires, The Poetic Art, the Carmen Saeculare, and more Odes. His work covers a wide range of subjects and tones, with formal perfection. He was mainly inspired by archaic monodic lyrics, as well as choral lyric poetry. His combinations achieve an extraordinary mastery; each poem is conceived as an architectural structure. He wanted his poetry to serve as a canon, and formal subjectivity predominates.

Elegiac Poets

Tibullus

His themes include the rejection of war, trade, wealth, and the embrace of a quiet, simple life with his beloved, and a predilection for the bucolic. His poetry is a sincere expression of his feelings of love.

Propertius

The violent passion he had for Cynthia made the poet express his opinion with great pathos, tragic love, the torment of jealousy, sadness, and disappointment.

Ovid

Ovid's work consists of Amores and Heroides (early works), and Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto, written in exile.