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I chose the song Love on the Brain by Rihanna because it related to Catullus 85 or Lesbia VI. Catullus talks about his love and hate and how it tortured him in this poem. Rihanna talks about how the love she has for someone is ultimately torturing her and beats her. 

“And babe I’m fist-fighting with fire Just to get close to you Can we burn something babe’

“OdI et amo. Quare id facial, frotase requirió. Nescio, Sed fieri sentio et excrucior.”

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#Catellus3

I chose “Polly” by Nirvana because, similarly to Catullus3/Lesbia 3, the subject is a bird. The Bird in “Polly” represents love too but in a negative way. In Catullus 5 the love is leaving or dying but it was a good thing in the beginning. (”tam bellum mihi passerem abstulistis”) In “Polly” the bird or “love” is a result of an abusive relationship and isn’t real and the line “let me clip, dirty wings” represents the songwriter’s desire to hold onto the bird. 

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I chose the song, “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl” by the band Wet because it relates to Catullus 8/ Lesbia VII. This song, along with the poem, talks about a girl leaving her partner. In Catullus 8, Catullus talks about how Lesbia doesn’t want his love anymore and how he is upset over it. (”Nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque impotens noli”) In this song, the singer talks about being in a relationship she doesn’t want anymore and ends it although she doesn’t seem very sad about it.

“You can't do me right So I, decide that I don't wanna be your girl no more, no I just wanna see you up and out Out of the door”

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I think “Stop Me if You Think You’ve Heard This One Before” by the Smiths is a good example of Catellus’ feelings in Catellus 70 as well as his underlying feelings throughout the rest of his poetry. Morrissey sings, “Nothing's changed... I still love you... only slightly less than I used to” and Catellus clearly feels similarly. While Catellus foresaw Lesbia’s adulterous behavior (”but what a woman who says to her passionate lover, one should write in the wind and rushing water”...”sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti, in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua”) he still loves her to some degree. 

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I think Weezer’s “Love Explosion’” is similar to Catellus 5 because the song begins with Rivers Cuomo referencing criticism that he hears from people who disapprove of him (”take a listen around you, all the people that crowd around in your house, they've been wanting to kill you in your sleep”) which is similar to Catellus referencing rumors that he hears about his relationship with Lesbia. He then continues to instruct himself (or the subject of this song) to ignore or even joke around with those who judge them (“take a load off and bow down to the others who love to call you their names”). This encouragement to ignore rumors is similar to Catellus’ idea to live fully when he and Lesbia still have time. (”rumoresque senum severiorum omnes unius aesimemus assis”)

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I chose the song “Chump” by Green Day because the lyrics discuss a similar dilemma to the one Catellus faces in Catellus 51. Green Day sings, “I don't know you but I think I hate you. You're the reason for my misery. Strange how you've become my biggest enemy. And I've never even seen your face.” to describe someone who they feel jealous of and inferior to. In the first lines of Catellus 51, he references an unnamed man who appears to be “equal to a god.” Catellus feels jealous of this man because Lesbia likes him. (”ille mi par esse deo videtur, ille, si fas est, superare divos”)