Sappho and Catullus

        Sappho and Catullus’ lyrical poetry differ from Homer’s epic poetry style in their purpose, the theme expressed in the works, and the form of the lines themselves. Lyrical poetry addresses an audience much more intimately than an epic poem.  It also deals with one or two subjects are a time, while epic poems are expansive stories. The coupled lines of lyrical poetry also invite the reader to a more personal experience, whereas epic poetry is grandiose. Although both types of poetry coexisted in ancient times, they are clearly different forms of literature.

        As we read Sappho and Catullus’ poems one of the first difference that is apparent compared to Homer is the length. They are short, with words that are meant to evoke meaning (even through a translation). This shows how the poems were means to be re-read and understood one word, or line, at a time in order to gain the full meaning. In Homer’s Odyssey the individual words matter less than the overall story. This is due in part to the message of the work of literature.

        Lyrical poems deal with one or two subjects closely. For example Poem 31 by Sappho is all about jealousy. She expresses so well the feelings associated with jealousy, but the full meaning is only clear after some interpretation. “He seems to me equal to gods, that man” (line 1) means he is a threat. This kind of deep analytics is not possible when an author is trying to present multiple themes over a longer work. Homer has many hidden meanings, but they cannot go as deep as a short lyrical poem because it would never end. Sappho can provide us with the sketch of a person and let us imagine the rest, while the opposite is true in epic poems.

        Not all the characters in The Odyssey are fully fleshed-out, but the main one, Odysseus, certainly is. We follow his thoughts and actions for the course of years; we get to know him intimately.  In contrast, the people described in the lyrical poems are sketches, barely mentioned through figures of speech. This allows the reader to project their own images onto those characters, and makes them more personable.

        The ancient Greeks and Romans had both types of poetry, lyrical and epic. They each served a different purpose for the audience. In modern times the epic poem has been replaced by the Hollywood Blockbuster movie. We sit in front of the screen and are told which characters are good, which are bad, and how the story ends. By contrast, the lyrical poem has not been replaced yet; authors still print poems that are similar in purpose and in form to those of Sappho and Cautullus. We can see the true difference in the two types of literature in this light.

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