Catullus 109

At this point in their story, Catullus and Lesbia have met, spoken, and are together. Whatever that may mean.

In lines 1-2, Catullus says that Lesbia has made vows of everlasting love to him. However, he prays to the gods that she is able to keep this promise vere, sincere, and ex animo. He asks them to extend their promise of friendship for all of his life.

Catullus here tells us that Lesbia is fickle. Why would he need to pray to the gods if she was a truthful and sincere person who spoke her promises from her heart? What is more, he does not ask the gods to remove any obstacles from their love, even though Lesbia is married. If her husband was a problem, he would have asked the gods to take him out of the picture. However, he does not do that. Catullus seems to have great confidence that Lesbia will do whatever her heart desires - trivial things like obstacles are clearly not a problem for her. Lesbia has power and control. Catullus further prays that their contract of sacred friendship will last. Why does not he use the word love, as he did in the first couplet? Perhaps he hopes that even if his love does not, his friendship with Lesbia will. The last thing Catullus wants is for Lesbia to ignore or forget about him, because, as he knows, that is the true opposite to love.