pedicabo: the verbs are here not to be understood in the literal sense, but only as conveying vague threats, in the gross language of that day; cf. also Intr. 32.
[5-6] With the sentiment cf. Ov. Trist. 2.354 “vita verecunda est, Musa iocosa mea” ; Mart. 1.4.8 “lasciva est nobis pagina, vita proba” ; Hadr. apud Apul. Apol. 2 “lascivus versu, mente pudicus eras” ; Sen. Contr. exc. 6.8 “quid tu putas poetas, quae sentiunt, scribere? Vixit modeste, castigate” ; Plin. Ep. 4.14.5:
; and per contra Sen. Ep. 114.3.“ To his book's end this last line he'd have placed,
Jocund his Muse was, but his life was chaste
”Rob. Herrick
[5-6] pium poetam: cf. the contrary epithet applied to worthless poets in Catul. 14.7 “impiorum” .
[7] salem ac leporem: cf. Catul. 12.8 “leporum ac facetiarum” ; Catul. 50.7 “lepore facetiisque.”
[10] non dico ... sed: cf. Catul. 15.6 “non dico … verum.”
[12] milia multa basiorum: with reference to Catul. 48.1, and perhaps to other poems like it, addressed to Juventius, but not included in the final liber Catulli. The words are a precise repetition of those in Catul. 5.10, but there is no indication that Aurelius and Furius were at this time interested in the Lesbia episode (but for a later date cf. Catul. 11.1), while they were interested in Juventius (cf. Catul. 15.1, Catul. 21.1, Catul. 23.1, Catul. 24.1, and Catul. 81.1). That the reference is to Juventius rather than to Lesbia is further indicated by the comparison of Catul. 16.13 “male marem” with Ov. Art. Am. 1.524 “et siquis male vir quaerit habere virum.” On this use of male see Catul. 10.33n.
[14] The last verse is identical with the first also in Catul. 36, Catul. 52, and Catul. 57.
