E. T. Merrill, Commentary on Catullus, Poem 86

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On the inferiority of Quintia to Lesbia. Cf. also Catul. 43.1ff. Quintia is evidently not the Sister of the Quintius of Catul. 82.1ff. and Catul. 100.1ff.; for this poem dates from the time of the faith of Catullus in Lesbia, at which time Quintius was his friend (cf. c. 100). With the sentiment cf. Petron. ap. Poet. Lat. Min. 4.89 Baehrens non est forma satis, etc.

candida, longa, recta: these being characteristics of typical female beauty, as of that of the goddesses; cf. Ov. Am. 2.4.33 “tu, quia tam longa es, veteres heroidas aequas” ; Hor. S. 1.2.123 f. “candida rectaque sit, munda hactenus, ut neque longa nec magis alba velit, quam dat natura, videri;” Tennyson, Princess, A daughter of the gods, divinely tall, and most divinely fair.

[3] venustas: cf. Catul. 3.1n. Veneres.

[4] mica salis: cf. Mart. 7.25 “nullaque mica salis nec amari fellis in illis [versibus] gutta sit” .

[6] Veneres: cf. Pl. Stich. 278 “amoenitates omnium Venerum et venustatum adfero” ; Quint. 10.1.79 “Isocrates omnes dicendi Veneres sectatus est” .

Catullus. Catullus. E. T. Merrill. Cambridge. Harvard University Press. 1893.

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E. T. Merrill, Commentary on Catullus
E. T. Merrill, Ed.

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E. T. Merrill, Commentary on Catullus E. T. Merrill, Ed.

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