Odi et Amo: On Some Ancient Readings of Mixed Affect in Catullus
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Donncha O’Rourke
Abstract
Catullus’ Odi et amo (‘I hate and I love’) epigram presents an opportunity to consider how the apparent experience of mixed affect was understood in antiquity. While erotic passion does not necessarily carry a positive valence any more than does hatred, Catullus’ epigram depends for its paradox on a popular conception of love and hate as conflicting emotions. This paper considers Catullus’ closer scrutiny of this apparent paradox within the framework of ancient psychology and emotion theory (Plato and Aristotle, Stoicism and Epicureanism), before going on to examine how the epigram, understood philosophically, was received by its ancient readers. Ovid, Martial and Pliny continue Catullus’ exploration of the mixing, valence and intentional objects of emotions, sometimes associating the epigram with ‘weakness of will’ or akrasia. Moving into the Christian era the paper concludes with Augustine’s resolution of acratic moral conflict through commitment to the love of God.
Abstract
Catullus’ Odi et amo (‘I hate and I love’) epigram presents an opportunity to consider how the apparent experience of mixed affect was understood in antiquity. While erotic passion does not necessarily carry a positive valence any more than does hatred, Catullus’ epigram depends for its paradox on a popular conception of love and hate as conflicting emotions. This paper considers Catullus’ closer scrutiny of this apparent paradox within the framework of ancient psychology and emotion theory (Plato and Aristotle, Stoicism and Epicureanism), before going on to examine how the epigram, understood philosophically, was received by its ancient readers. Ovid, Martial and Pliny continue Catullus’ exploration of the mixing, valence and intentional objects of emotions, sometimes associating the epigram with ‘weakness of will’ or akrasia. Moving into the Christian era the paper concludes with Augustine’s resolution of acratic moral conflict through commitment to the love of God.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements VII
- Contents IX
- List of Figures XI
- Introduction 1
- Ambivalent Affects in Experimental Psychology 29
- Mixed Emotions in Emotion Communication: A Chimera in my Brain 45
- Mixed Emotions and the Climate Crisis in Contemporary Anglophone Fiction 63
- Ubi sunt? On the Varieties and Mixed Pleasures of Poignancy 79
- Being of Two Minds in Eleventh-Century China: Affective Bimodality in Guo Xi and Su Shi 97
- Explaining (Away?) Conflicting Emotions: A View from Sanskrit Aesthetic Phenomenology 115
- Odi et Amo: On Some Ancient Readings of Mixed Affect in Catullus 135
- Bittersweet History: Cicero on Mixed Affect in Experiencing Literature 155
- Ambivalent Feelings towards the Lupercalia: Discussing Civilisation in Republican and Early Imperial Rome 171
- Bibliography 187
- List of Contributors 205
- Index 207
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements VII
- Contents IX
- List of Figures XI
- Introduction 1
- Ambivalent Affects in Experimental Psychology 29
- Mixed Emotions in Emotion Communication: A Chimera in my Brain 45
- Mixed Emotions and the Climate Crisis in Contemporary Anglophone Fiction 63
- Ubi sunt? On the Varieties and Mixed Pleasures of Poignancy 79
- Being of Two Minds in Eleventh-Century China: Affective Bimodality in Guo Xi and Su Shi 97
- Explaining (Away?) Conflicting Emotions: A View from Sanskrit Aesthetic Phenomenology 115
- Odi et Amo: On Some Ancient Readings of Mixed Affect in Catullus 135
- Bittersweet History: Cicero on Mixed Affect in Experiencing Literature 155
- Ambivalent Feelings towards the Lupercalia: Discussing Civilisation in Republican and Early Imperial Rome 171
- Bibliography 187
- List of Contributors 205
- Index 207
