An Analysis of Tibullus 1.3
Phaeacia
Ibitis Aegaeas sine me, Messalla, per undas,
O utinam memores ipse cohorsque mei. Me tenet ignotis aegrum Phaeacia terris, Abstineas avidas, Mors, modo, nigra, manus. Abstineas, Mors atra, precor: non hic mihi mater 5 Quae legat in maestos ossa perusta sinus, Non soror, Assyrios cineri quae dedat odores Et fleat effusis ante sepulcra comis, Delia non usquam; quae me cum mitteret urbe, Dicitur ante omnes consuluisse deos. 10 |
You will go through the Aegean waves without me, Messalla, oh if only my comrades themselves were mindful of me. Phaeacia holds me sick in unknown lands, let you remain, Black Death, away from me with greedy hands. Let you remain, dark death, I pray: not here the mother who collects the burned up body in her sad bosom, nor my sister who gives Assyrian odors on the rites and cry before the tomb with poured out hair, no Delia whatsoever; whom when she would send me to the city, is said to be counseled before all gods.
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Tibullus begins this poem by lamenting that he is stuck on Phaeacia. He addresses death, obviously not ready to die. However, his main reasons are that he does not have the proper family and customs present to mourn him. A modern man might not understand this fact, especially because Tibullus does not even address the aspects of life that we would view as dear to us. However, he does mention that the love of his life, Delia, is not there, and that is reason enough not to die. With Phaeacia alluding to the Odyssey, the question is raised whether Tibullus is stranded at all. He may be linking himself to Odysseus in the sense that his girlfriend is like Penelope: under siege by suitors - in this case Messalla. In this interpretation Tibullus is stranded in his own mind amidst a sea of doubt. This article argues that Tibullus is simply rejecting travel, conforming to his views of peaceful living and the "vita iners" (lazy life).
Religion
Aut ego sum causatus aves aut omina dira,
Saturni sacram me tenuisse diem. O quotiens ingressus iter mihi tristia dixi Offensum in porta signa dedisse pedem! 20 Audeat invito ne quis discedere Amore, Aut sciat egressum se prohibente deo. Quid tua nunc Isis mihi, Delia, quid mihi prosunt Illa tua totiens aera repulsa manu, Quidve, pie dum sacra colis, pureque lavari 25 Te—memini—et puro secubuisse toro? |
Or I offered as an excuse bird signs or dire omens, or that sacred Saturday held me. Oh how many times I said having started off on my journey that my feet gave sad signs or offense at the gate! Let no one dare to leave with love unwilling. Or know that he going is prohibited by a god. What is your Isis to me now, Delia, what use is that bronze struck by your hand so many times, or what, while you prayed in sacred way, I remember that you were bathed purely and slept away from me on a pure couch.
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Here Tibullus informs us how hard it was to leave on his "expedition" in the first place. He rattles off all the excuses he gave, lamenting that he left his lover behind. He urges no one to abandon a working relationship, claiming that love itself did not want him to go. Apparently, Delia was a worshiper of Isis and often remained chaste during rituals, a feature which Tibullus harps on in his moment of darkness.
The Ages of Man
Quam bene Saturno vivebant rege, priusquam 35
Tellus in longas est patefacta vias! Nondum caeruleas pinus contempserat undas, Effusum ventis praebueratque sinum, Nec vagus ignotis repetens conpendia terris Presserat externa navita merce ratem. 40 Illo non validus subiit iuga tempore taurus, Non domito frenos ore momordit equus, Non domus ulla fores habuit, non fixus in agris, Qui regeret certis finibus arva, lapis. Ipsae mella dabant quercus, ultroque ferebant 45 Obvia securis ubera lactis oves. Non acies, non ira fuit, non bella, nec ensem Inmiti saevus duxerat arte faber. |
How well they were living in the Saturnian rule, before the world was made open by long roads! Not yet had the pine scorned the blue waves, and had offered a spread sail to the wind, nor had the a wanderer sailor seeking money in unknown lands filled her raft with external merchandise. In that time the strong bull was not subdued by the yoke, the horse did not bite the reigns with a tame mouth, the house did not have nay coverings, a stone, which marked a certain end, was not fixed in the fields. The oaks themselves were giving honey, and by their own will brought udders full of milk onto the most carefree people. There was no bitterness, no anger, nor war, nor did a cruel craftsman lead a sword with his evil skill.
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The Golden Age, or Saturnian rule, represents Tibullus' ideal of a lazy life in which everything is provided for you. There is no need to travel, no need to work excessively hard, and nature is still in control. While despairing about his current situation, the current state of the world also comes to his mind as something to rant about. The themes he discusses here are prevalent in his other poetry, all stemming from his views on the ideal lifestyle.
Tibullus' Tombstone
Quodsi fatales iam nunc explevimus annos,
Fac lapis inscriptis stet super ossa notis: 'Hic iacet inmiti consumptus morte Tibullus, 55 Messallam terra dum sequiturque mari.' |
But if I’ve now fulfilled my allotted years, let a stone inscribed with these words be set up above my bones: HERE LIES TIBULLUS WASTED BY INEXORABLE DEATH, WHILE FOLLOWING MESSALLA BY LAND AND SEA.
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Tibullus' attack on Messalla here can be seen as either revealing a playful friendship between the two men or a bitter hatred. While on the whole Tibullus seems rather nonchalant about reaching his expiration date, suggesting that he probably means to poke fun a Messalla in good taste with his epitaph, the words could imply that Tibullus does hold Messalla responsible for his death - both physically and emotionally, if you buy into the interpretation that Messalla has stolen Delia.
The Underworld - Both Good and Bad
Sed me, quod facilis tenero sum semper Amori,
Ipsa Venus campos ducet in Elysios. Hic choreae cantusque vigent, passimque vagantes Dulce sonant tenui gutture carmen aves, 60 Fert casiam non culta seges, totosque per agros Floret odoratis terra benigna rosis; Ac iuvenum series teneris inmixta puellis Ludit, et adsidue proelia miscet Amor. Illic est, cuicumque rapax mors venit amanti, 65 Et gerit insigni myrtea serta coma. |
But I, since I’m fitted ever for tender Love, I’ll lead Venus through the Elysian Fields. There the dance and song flourish, and here and there, the birds fly, singing sweet songs from slender throats: the fields, untilled, bear cassia, and over all the land the kindly earth flowers with perfumed roses: and ranks of young men and girls mix in play, and Love stirs his warfare endlessly. There are the lovers to whom came greedy Death, and their hair bears myrtle wreaths for all to see.
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Tibullus first describes the sweet fields of Elysium, where he is sure that he would end up. He uses natural images of spring and fertility to conjure the happiness and glee that he associates with love. Tibullus sees himself as a quality lover through and through, stating that he will lead the goddess of love herself through the blossoming fields. This section ties into Tibullus' golden age and love for Delia, creating a trinity love.
At scelerata iacet sedes in nocte profunda
Abdita, quam circum flumina nigra sonant: Tisiphoneque inpexa feros pro crinibus angues Saevit, et huc illuc inpia turba fugit. 70 Tum niger in porta serpentum Cerberus ore Stridet et aeratas excubat ante fores. Illic Iunonem temptare Ixionis ausi Versantur celeri noxia membra rota, Porrectusque novem Tityos per iugera terrae 75 Adsiduas atro viscere pascit aves. Tantalus est illic, et circum stagna, sed acrem Iam iam poturi deserit unda sitim, Et Danai proles, Veneris quod numina laesit, In cava Lethaeas dolia portat aquas. 80 Illic sit, quicumque meos violavit amores, Optavit lentas et mihi militias. |
But the place of the wicked, who are passed, lies deep in darkness, round which black rivers sound: and wild Tisiphone rages, with savage snakes for hair, and the impious crowd runs here and there. Then there is black Cerberus carrying a snake in his mouth hissing and keeping guard of the bronze doors. Ixion is there who dared to attempt Juno his guilty limbs whirling on the swift wheel: and Tityos stretched over nine acres of ground vultures feeding forever on his dark liver. Tantalus is there, pools of water round him: but it flies from his raging thirst before he can drink: and Danaus’s daughters, who offended the power of Venus, carry the waters of Lethe in leaking buckets. Let whoever who has violated my love be there, who wished me long services abroad.
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Here Tibullus turns his attention to Tartarus, the darker side of the underworld. He draws upon many mythological characters imprisoned and tortured there for their sins, using particularly graphic language. He ends with Danaus' daughters, who scorned Venus, who which we know by now is Tibullus' favorite deity. This overall depiction seems to serve as a brief tangent in which Tibullus establishes a hell in which he places all those who hurt his love life. He implicitly names Messalla, again possibly in a playful manner or further suggesting Delia's lechery. This portion of the underworld seems to represent Tibullus' current situation, whether he is physically or emotionally stranded.
Return to Delia
Tum veniam subito, nec quisquam nuntiet ante,
Sed videar caelo missus adesse tibi. 90 Tunc mihi, qualis eris, longos turbata capillos, Obvia nudato, Delia, curre pede. Hoc precor, hunc illum nobis Aurora nitentem Luciferum roseis candida portet equis. |
Then suddenly I will come, and no one will announce it before, but I will seem to be present to you having been sent from the the sky. Then run to me, however you will be, disheveled as to your long hair, with bare feet, up to me, Delia. This I pray, that this very day bright Aurora will carry to us the shining morning star on rose horses.
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Tibullus heroically concludes his poem on a triumphant note, imagining his divine return to Delia. Mysteriously and magically appearing, he appreciates her no matter how made-up she is. Transitioning from his underworld descriptions, this ending seems like a strong statement that Tibullus wishes to live. Even though he is convinced that he would go to the blissful Elysium, Delia beats everything. Without any snide comment about Messalla or Delia's infidelity, it seems unlikely overall that Tibullus has been referencing an affair between the two. Whether he was actually on an island is still debatable, but it is indisputable that Delia is the star by which he navigates.