Tantum . . . Quantum in Catullus 87

Written and Researched by Matthew Winter ‡ Latin translations by Matthew Winter   

LXXXVII. ad Lesbiam:

NVLLA POTEST MVLIER TANTVM SE DICERE AMATAM

     VERE QVANTVM A ME LESBIA AMATA MEA EST.
NVLLA FIDES VLLO FVIT VMQVAM FOEDERE TANTA
     QVANTA IN AMORE TVO EX PARTE REPERTA MEA EST.

"No lady can assert that she is as truly loved

as my Lesbia is loved by me.

No greater confidence was ever in any agreement

as was in your love, obtained from my part."

In Catullus 87, we see the repetition of tantum . . . quantum twice in the four lines Catullus dedicates to his mistress, Lesbia. This particular construction is not obscure from Catullus' poems, but the double construction accents the comparisons Catullus was trying to verbalize. Written on losing faith in Lesbia, E.T. Merill commentaries that Catullus 87 could be the completion of Catullus 75, another poem on his affections of Lesbia—Catullus wrote a great volume concerning love in general and this proves to be no exception. 

Tantum and quantum are quantitative adjectives however conveying a sense of what a descriptive adjective would carry. We would most precisely translate tantus (as it, with quantus, can completely decline), as "of such size; so great, so much". Quantus would translate "how great; how much/many; of what size/amount/degree/number/worth/price"—proving to be more descriptive, but never more important than tantus. When tantus and quantus are paired together, however, their literal translation can alter significantly. Basically, tantus . . . quantus translate "as much . . . as". We can dissect the Latin above to achieve a more, literal meaning to what Catullus' was saying.  

"Nulla potest mulier tantum se dicere amatam / vere". Mulier, with nulla, is the subject of the verb potest; with the complementary infinitive dicere, also part of an indirect statement construction; est is implied with amatam, and tantum links to it. "Quantum a me Lesbia amata mea est". Lesbia with mea is the subject of amata . . . est; quantum modifying the phrase. The phrase could be translated, "No lady can assert that she is as truly loved as my Lesbia is loved by me." Through the effect of the perfect passives, the indirect statement and the use of tantum . . . quantum, we are brought to the conclusion that Catullus loves his mistress so much, no other woman could say she is loved.

"Nulla fides ullo fuit umquam foedere tanta".  Nulla fides is the subject of fuit, with tanta modifying it. Ullo foedere can be translated "in any pact/agreement". "Quanta in amore tuo ex parte reperta mea est". Quanta is the subject of reperta . . . est; and the rest comprise prepositional phrases (mea with ex parte). The phrases could be translated together as "No greater confidence was ever in any agreement as was in your love, obtained from my part."

Notice the particular construction of "...tanta / Quanta..." in lines 3-4. It appears in Catullus 37.11-14, although tanta and quanta are in different case, number and gender:

puella nam mi, quae meo sinu fugit,
amata tantum quantum amabitur nulla,
pro qua mihi sunt magna bella pugnata,
consedit istic.

"How I see it, (my) girl, who flees from my lap, (is) loved as much as none will be loved, for which great battles have been fought, she settles there, in this affair." Catullus compares his love for Lesbia as tantus (so much) contrasted with the love some people will never experience. The line is paralleled so carefully (a sort of chiasmus, perhaps?), it is a delicate piece of poetry.

Catullus will forever remain a grand contemporary in Latin literature, as his poems are always beautiful and unique Perhaps this ode tries to attempt the great love Catullus shared with Lesbia, greater than we had expected.

REFERENCES

Catullus, works accessed from The Latin Library. #37 and 87. Accessed September 25, 2012.

E.T. Merill, editor. "Catullus' Carmina". Catullus 37 and 87. Accessed September 25, 2012.

Whitaker, William. "Words". Entry, "tantus" and "quantus". Acessed September 25, 2012.