E. T. Merrill, Commentary on Catullus, Poem 100

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On the love of two friends for a certain brother and sister respectively. On Caelius see Intr. 59; Quintius is probably the Quintius of Catul. 82.1ff., but apparently not the brother of the Quintia of Catul. 86.1ff. (see introductory note to c. 86). Aufilenus is otherwise unknown, though to Aufilena are addressed Catul. 110.1ff. and Catul. 111.1ff., in which she is accused of faithlessness as a mistress and of incest with an uncle. The lack of any apparent feeling against Aufilena in c. 100 leads to the supposition that it was written before c. 110 and 111 but it is not necessary to suppose that its scene is laid at Verona, for v. 2 Veronensum indicates merely origin and not residence.

[2] flos iuvenum: cf. Catul. 24.1.

[2] depereunt: see Catul. 35.12n.

[3] hic: referring to the first mentioned person, Caelius, while ille refers to Quintius; cf. the similar use of hoc and illud in Catul. 97.3.

[3] hoc est quod dicitur: cf. Catul. 94.2.

[5] cui faveam potius: i. e. in whose success shall I feel the most lively interest? With the question and answer cf. Catul. 1.1ff. “cui” is for utri, as occasionally in writers of this and the following periods.

[6] per facta exhibita: the friendship may have been proved by withdrawing from rivalry with Catullus in his affair with Lesbia; but if Caelius be Caelius Rufus, we must suppose the withdrawal was but feigned, as Catullus afterward discovered; see Intr. l.c.

[7] vesana flamma: of the love of the poet for Lesbia; cf. Catul. 7.10 vesano Catullo.

[7] torreret medullas: cf. Catul. 35.15n.

[8] potens: successful; cf. Prop. 3.26.21 “quod tam mihi pulchra puella serviat et tota dicar in urbe potens;” and the fuller form in Ov. Met. 8.409 “voti potente” .

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

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

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