It it evident that these verses lack an introduction, but quite as
clear that (as Statius decided) they cannot be the ending of
Catul. 78.1ff., which is
admirably complete in itself. Scaliger would add then to Catul. 77.1ff.; but §1 the
tone of that reproachful hexastich is entirely different from the
coarse bitterness of these verses; §2 Catullus would
hardly think of Lesbia as an innocent girl,
as in vv. I, 2; §3 vv. 5, 6 seem to indicate that the
person addressed is not named in the poem (cf. Catul. 71.1ff. and Catul. 104.1ff.), while in 77 and the group to which
it belongs Rufus is expressly named. Nor does either Catul. 80.1ff., as Bergk thought, or
Catul. 91.1ff., as was the
opinion of Corradius de Allio, need any completion at all, still
less such a completion as these verses would afford. It seems
best to regard them as a fragruent of an independent poem, from
the beginning of which certain verses are lost. These, which need
not be more than two, apparently contained a conditional sentence
embodying some sentiment like ‘if you were a man of
cleanly life, I would not object to your amour’ (cf.
Catul. 21.9ff.,
“si faceres satur, tacerem: nunc ipsum id
doleo, quod”
, etc.).
[3] puellae: apparently not Lesbia (see note above)
[4] savia: here, as sometimes oscula, of the lips; cf. Pl. Mil. 94 “maiorem partem videas valgis saviis” ; Gell. 19.11.4 “dum semihiulco savio meo puellum savior” .
[4] comminxit: etc. cf. Catul. 99.10.
[5] id non impune feres: of stealing and carrying off something without challenge; cf. Catul. 99.3; Catul. 14.16.
[6] fama loquetur anus: cf. Catul. 68.46n. charta loquatur anus.
