The agricultural year began in the fall: the harvests of summer and fall crops came in while seeds for the following year’s crops were sown. There is no small part of what we consider traditional observations of Christmas and New Year’s that derive from the ancient celebration of Saturn, Rome’s god of agriculture. While I know all of that must sound like you’re back in a world history class just before winter (or summer, for y’all in the Southern Hemisphere) holidays, I promise this chunk of history is going to be fun! So, strap in, we’re going to learn about ancient Rome! Interestingly, it is theorized that the cheer “Io, Io, Io” may very well be the roots of Santa’s “Ho, Ho, Ho!” Rome had a tradition of borrowing from other cultures and, after that defeat, they began integrating Greek rites into Saturnalia in hopes of gaining the favor of Kronos-Saturn’s Greek counterpart-who might bring additional strength to the Roman army. To all of my fellow readers: Io Saturnalia, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays.Such was the common greeting during Saturnalia “Io” was borrowed from the Greeks after Rome suffered a major defeat at the hands of Carthage during the Second Punic War. Oh to have seen the look on Calvus’s face when he reads that book of poetry. The part of the poem that has always amazed me is that Catullus threatens to get Calvus back by emptying the bookshop of every bad piece of poetry he can find, and he names names! Of the three he mentions, Suffenus is the poet whose writing we know the most about in Carmen 22, Catullus describes Suffenus’s verse as akin to lines composed by a goat herder or ditch digger. Catullus also calls Sulla, the original giver of the books, an elementary school teacher, which in ancient Rome is an insult to Sulla’s intelligence. What makes Calvus’s gift especially bad (and funny) is that he regifted it! Catullus calls Calvus out in the poem for his regifting-Calvus received the book as payment from one of his clients, named Sulla, and Calvus then passes the book off to Catullus. A book of lousy poetry seems a fitting joke gift between these men. Catullus considers Calvus an excellent poet and the two close friends would have contests and challenge each other to poetry duels. In addition to being a poet, Calvus is also a lawyer and Vatinianus who is mentioned in the first few lines in the poem is an odious man that Calvus once prosecuted. We know from his other poems that Calvus is one of Catullus’s most dear and well-respected friends. You got your bad feet, the troubles of our generation, Pay you back with these punishments! And as for you,īad poets, goodbye! Go away! Go back to that place where To the bookshop and collecting all the poisonous poetry I canįind for you-Suffenus and Caesius and Aquinus. On this day! I will not, absolutely not, let this go, Of days, Saturnalia, so that I might die again and again Oh great gods, what a horribleĪnd accursed little book! That very book which I amĬonvinced you sent to your friend Catullus on this best ![]() Gift to you then this situation has not turned out so badlyįor me, and, in fact, it is good and fortuitous, and yourĮfforts are not in vain. The elementary school teacher gave this new and well-chosen ![]() What could I have possibly said or done to make youĭestroy me with so much bad poetry? May the godsĭo very bad things to that client of yours who originally I would hate you as much as I hate that guy Vatinianus. ![]() Oh Calvus, if I didn’t love you more than my own eyes ![]() Catullus then plots the sweet revenge he will inflict upon Calvus (Translation is my own): poet, calls Saturnalia the “best of days.” In his Carmen 14a, Catullus describes his great annoyance when his friend, Calvus, gives him a joke gift-a book of bad poetry!-for Saturnalia. A general spirit of frivolity was felt throughout the city as Romans of all classes participated in the merrymaking. This special day, gradually expanded to a full week, was dedicated to the agricultural deity Saturn whose temple in the Forum was the center of sacrifices for the holiday. The ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia held on December 17th in the Julian calendar involved decorating, partying, eating, gift giving and general conviviality.
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