Is it Catullus' own irony coming to light here in the invocation of concordia, which will be all-too-absent from the marriage, or is it ironic prophecy on the part of the Parcae? It is hard to imagine the latter, given the triple reference we have already seen to their truth, and the refrain’s reminder that they are not just foretelling the events they sing of, but actively spinning them right then and there. Why go to such great lengths to highlight the truth of their song, only to have them present such a patent untruth? On the other hand, if the irony is Catullus' own gloss on the Parcae’s words, why has he abandoned the task of faithfully recording their veridicum oraclum?
A simple solution would be to suggest that Catullus is envisioning …show more content…
Catullus has already promised frequent invocation of heroes and their greatness in line 24, but has done little to deliver on that promise. As the mortal wedding guests arrive, they gaze in admiration at the coverlet, which we are told ‘shows the virtutes of heroes’ (51). However, the only scenes actually depicted are those of Ariadne abandoned on the beach at Dia, and Bacchus and his entourage searching for her. Konstan calls the supposed depiction of virtutes in the scene of abandonment ‘nothing other than an ironic and rather bitter judgement on such “virtues”.’ Now, finally, as the Parcae’s song begins to turn toward heroes and virtutes, we find more of the same irony at …show more content…
The implication is that one cannot have virtutes without victims. The first to testify to his greatness are the mothers of those he has slain: mourning his victims, but victims as well for their own bereavement. In their grief, these will undo their hair and beat their breasts, in language reminiscent of Ariadne in lines 63–65. Ariadne calls into question the virtutes of a man who would abandon her; the mothers testify to those of a man who has deprived them of their sons—the virtutes they know only too well from their own
A simple solution would be to suggest that Catullus is envisioning …show more content…
Catullus has already promised frequent invocation of heroes and their greatness in line 24, but has done little to deliver on that promise. As the mortal wedding guests arrive, they gaze in admiration at the coverlet, which we are told ‘shows the virtutes of heroes’ (51). However, the only scenes actually depicted are those of Ariadne abandoned on the beach at Dia, and Bacchus and his entourage searching for her. Konstan calls the supposed depiction of virtutes in the scene of abandonment ‘nothing other than an ironic and rather bitter judgement on such “virtues”.’ Now, finally, as the Parcae’s song begins to turn toward heroes and virtutes, we find more of the same irony at …show more content…
The implication is that one cannot have virtutes without victims. The first to testify to his greatness are the mothers of those he has slain: mourning his victims, but victims as well for their own bereavement. In their grief, these will undo their hair and beat their breasts, in language reminiscent of Ariadne in lines 63–65. Ariadne calls into question the virtutes of a man who would abandon her; the mothers testify to those of a man who has deprived them of their sons—the virtutes they know only too well from their own