130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery 🚀 Auckland Bookstore • Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

Catullus. Tibullus. Pervigilium Veneris

By Catullus and Tibullus
Series: Loeb Classical Library
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.3 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 140 ratings, 11 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Catullus. Tibullus. Pervigilium Veneris presents a rich collection of Latin poetry spanning personal passion, grief, and classical celebration. Catullus offers nearly sixty short lyrics and several longer poems revealing his intense emotions, including love for Lesbia, the loss of his brother, and his vibrant social life in Rome. Tibullus contributes elegies emanating raw love and longing, most notably for "Delia" and "Nemesis," with an intriguing addition of poems linked to Sulpicia. The Pervigilium Veneris completes the volume with a celebrated spring festival poem honouring Venus, marking a significant transition from classical to medieval romanticism.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$5999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 3-4 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This volume appeals to enthusiasts of classical literature, students of Latin poetry, and readers interested in the emotional and artistic depths of ancient Roman verse.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Catullus (84 54BCE) couples consummate poetic artistry with intensity of feeling. Tibullus (c. 54 19 BCE) proclaims love for Delia and Nemesis in elegy. The beautiful verse of the Pervigilium Veneris (fourth century CE?) celebrates a spring festival in honour of the goddess of love.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Catullus (Gaius Valerius, 84–54 BCE), of Verona, went early to Rome, where he associated not only with other literary men from Cisalpine Gaul but also with Cicero and Hortensius. His surviving poems consist of nearly sixty short lyrics, eight longer poems in various metres, and almost fifty epigrams. All exemplify a strict technique of studied composition inherited from early Greek lyric and the poets of Alexandria. In his work, we can trace his unhappy love for a woman he calls Lesbia, the death of his brother, his visits to Bithynia, and his emotional friendships and enmities at Rome. For consummate poetic artistry coupled with the intensity of feeling, Catullus's poems have no rival in Latin literature.

Tibullus (Albius, ca. 54–19 BCE), of equestrian rank and a friend of Horace, enjoyed the patronage of Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus, whom he several times apostrophizes. Three books of elegies have come down to us under his name, of which only the first two are authentic. Book 1 mostly proclaims his love for "Delia," Book 2 his passion for "Nemesis." The third book consists of a miscellany of poems from the archives of Messalla; it is very doubtful whether any come from the pen of Tibullus himself. However, a special interest attaches to a group of them which concern a girl called Sulpicia: some of the poems are written by her lover Cerinthus, while others purport to be her own composition.

Pervigilium Veneris, a poem of not quite a hundred lines celebrating a spring festival in honour of the goddess of love, is remarkable both for its beauty and as the first clear note of romanticism which transformed classical into medieval literature. The manuscripts give no clue to its author, but recent scholarship has made a strong case for attributing it to the early fourth-century poet Tiberianus.

Series: Loeb Classical Library

View all
  • Callirhoe
    Chariton's Callirhoe, subtitled Love Story in Syracuse, is the oldest extant novel. It is a fast-paced historical romance with ageless charm. Chariton narrates the adventures of an exceptionally beautiful young bride named Callirhoe, beginning with her abduction by pirates—adventures that take her as far as the court of the Persian king Artaxerxes and involve shipwrecks, several ardent suitors, an embarrassing...
    By Chariton
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Confessions, Volume I
    Aurelius Augustine (354-430 CE), one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity and philosophy, was the son of a pagan, Patricius of Tagaste, and his Christian wife, Monnica. While studying to become a rhetorician, he plunged into a turmoil of philosophical and psychological doubts, leading him to Manichaeism. In 383, he moved to Rome and then...
    By Augustine
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Historia Augusta, Volume I
    The Historia Augusta is a biographical work, roughly following the model of the imperial biographer Suetonius, and covering the lives of the Roman emperors from Hadrian (r. 117–138) to Carinus (r. 283–285), with a lacuna between the lives of the Gordians and the Valerians. Although the work comes down to us as a collection of thirty books written by six...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Historia Augusta, Volume II
    The Historia Augusta is a biographical work roughly following the model of the imperial biographer Suetonius and covers the lives of the Roman emperors from Hadrian (r. 117–138) to Carinus (r. 283–285), with a lacuna between the lives of the Gordians and the Valerians. Although the work comes down to us as a collection of thirty books written by six...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Historia Augusta, Volume III
    The Historia Augusta is a biographical work roughly following the model of the imperial biographer Suetonius (LCL 31, 38) and covering the lives of the Roman emperors from Hadrian (r. 117–138) to Carinus (r. 283–285), with a lacuna between the lives of the Gordians and the Valerians. Although the work comes down to us as a collection of thirty books...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Letters to Friends, Volume I
    Cicero was a prodigious letter writer, and happily, a splendid treasury of his letters has come down to us. Collected and in part published not long after his death, over 800 of them were rediscovered by Petrarch and other humanists in the fourteenth century. Among classical texts, this correspondence is unparalleled; nowhere else do we get such an intimate look...
    By Cicero
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Euthydemus. Gorgias
    Socrates against sophistry. Plato of Athens, who laid the foundations of the Western philosophical tradition and in range and depth ranks among its greatest practitioners, was born to a prosperous and politically active family circa 427 BC. In early life, an admirer of Socrates, Plato later founded the first institution of higher learning in the West, the Academy, among whose...
    By Plato
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Hippocrates, Volume III
    The definitive English edition of the Father of Medicine. This is the third volume in the Loeb Classical Library's complete edition of Hippocrates' invaluable texts, which provide essential information about the practice of medicine in antiquity and about Greek theories concerning the human body. The five treatises in this volume, integral parts of the Hippocratic collection, are devoted to the...
    By Hippocrates
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Gallic War
    The conquest that begot the Roman Empire. Caesar (C. Iulius, 102-44 BC), a statesman and soldier, defied the dictator Sulla; served in the Mithridatic wars and in Spain; entered Roman politics as a "democrat" against the senatorial government; was the real leader of the coalition with Pompey and Crassus; conquered all Gaul for Rome; attacked Britain twice; was forced into...
    By Caesar
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Aetia. Iambi. Lyric Poems
    Callimachus (ca. 303–ca. 235 BC), a proud and well-born native of Cyrene in Libya, arrived as a young man at the court of the Ptolemies in Alexandria. Here, he composed poetry for the royal family, helped establish the Library and Museum as a world centre of literature, science, and scholarship, and wrote an estimated 800 volumes of poetry and prose...
    By Callimachus
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Art of Rhetoric
    Aristotle (384–322 BC), the great Greek thinker, researcher, and educator, ranks among the most important and influential figures in the history of philosophy, theology, and science. He joined Plato's Academy in Athens in 367 and remained there for twenty years. After spending three years at the Asian court of a former pupil, Hermeias, he was appointed by Philip of Macedon...
    By Aristotle
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • City of God, Volume V
    Augustinus (354–430 CE), son of a pagan, Patricius of Tagaste in North Africa, and his Christian wife Monica, while studying in Africa to become a rhetorician, plunged into a turmoil of philosophical and psychological doubts in search of truth, joining for a time the Manichaean society. He became a teacher of grammar at Tagaste and lived much under the influence...
    By Augustine
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Michael Roberts commends the work as "an authoritative and up-to-date text" offering a translation that "communicates accurately and clearly the meaning of the Latin."

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780674990074

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 January 1913

Country: United States

Imprint: Harvard University Press

Illustration: Indexes

Contributors:

  • Translated by F. W. Cornish
  • Translated by J. P. Postgate
  • Revised by G. P. Goold
  • Translated by F. W. Cornish
  • Translated by J. P. Postgate
  • Translated by J. W. Mackail
  • Revised by G. P. Goold
  • Translated by F. W. Cornish
  • Translated by J. P. Postgate
  • Translated by J. W. Mackail
  • Revised by G. P. Goold

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 108.0mm

Height: 162.0mm

Weight: 318g

Pages: 400

Collections

Arts & Culture Biography & Memoir Catullus Non-Fiction Series: Loeb Classical Library Tibullus

About the Author

Francis Warre Cornish (1839–1916) was a Master and Vice-Provost of Eton College. John Percival Postgate, FBA (1853–1926) was Professor of Latin at the University of Liverpool. John William Mackail, OM (1859–1945) was a Scottish man of letters and President of the British Academy. G. P. Goold was William Lampson Professor of Latin Language and Literature at Yale University, and General Editor of the Loeb Classical Library (1974–1999).

Also by Catullus

View all
  • The Poems
    A collection of the beautiful, surprising poems of Catullus. One of the most versatile of Roman poets, Catullus wrote verse of an almost unparalleled diversity and stylistic agility, from the brevity of the epigram to the sustained elegance of the elegy. This collection contains all of Catullus' extant work and includes his lyrics to the notorious Clodia Metelli—married, seductive, and...
    By Catullus
    Paperback
    $5400
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • I Hate and I Love
    Little Black Classics - the new series to celebrate Penguin's 80th anniversary. Dazzling modern lyrical poems from Catullus - by turns smutty, abusive, romantic and deeply moving. Introducing Little Black Classics - 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries....
    By Catullus
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    By Jane Ussher
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    I’ll Believe in Anything
    From Jacob Tierney, the creator of Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, comes I’ll Believe in Anything, an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 and immediately took the world by storm. I’ll...
    By Jacob Tierney
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    16% off
    New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    By Jon Toogood
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    20% off
    The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    21% off
    The Iliad
    When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017—revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)—critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    On Sale
    20% off
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    By Monique Fiso
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    By Freddie Mercury
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Birdlands Birdlands
    New Release
    Birdlands
    A rare, intimate journey into the wild islands where Aotearoa's birds live beyond the reach of most human lives. In the most remote outposts of Aotearoa, our islands are populated not with people, but with birds. From the storm-lashed Subantarctic Islands in the deep south to the scattered volcanic islands of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf in the north, Birdlands offers a...
    By Edin Whitehead
    Hardback
    $4199
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    21% off
    This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    By Layne Staley
    Hardback
    $5800
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Mah Jong Player's Companion
    Since the arrival on the market of Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney's two previous books, The Game of Mah Jong Illustrated and Improve Your Mah Jong, a wide range of hands from many parts of the world has been sent to them. In this player's companion, the authors have put together a cross-filled reference guide where over 120 hands, illustrated...
    By Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Split Enz
    New Release
    Split Enz
    'My favourite band. Ever! And certainly the best dressed.' Sam Neill Split Enz were never designed to fit. Emerging from art school mischief in early-1970s New Zealand, they turned pop into surreal theatre: costume, character and melody colliding in a rock band that refused to behave like one. At the centre of that vision was Noel Crombie—percussionist, performer and the...
    By Michael Dwyer and Noel Crombie
    Hardback
    $5199
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Artist's Way
    The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a transformative guidebook that has captivated millions, including luminaries such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferriss. With its profound ability to inspire and elevate, this book invites readers to embark on an enriching creative journey, fostering a deeper connection to one's artistic process and sense of purpose. The heart of Cameron's groundbreaking programme...
    By Julia Cameron
    Paperback
    $3700
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Arts & Culture lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all