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 | Author | Message |  |  | | | Posted on Fri Jan 21, 2005 04:10:25 |  | 
 |  |  |  | I know this is going to sound so weird, but I am in high school Latin, third year. We've just finished Catullus, but something is bothering me about Carmen 2. 
 My Latin teacher made a comment in passing about the Sparrow poem, and said that you will learn a deeper meaning in college...
 
 So, can anyone tell me the deeper, college level meaning of Carmen 2?
 
 Thanks!
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 |  |  | | | Posted at Mon Feb 21, 2005 21:59:33 | Quote | 
 |  |  |  | It's a phallic image - read it carefully again and you'll be surprised how well it works... Perhaps we're just thinking a bit too much like Freud, and the Romans wouldn't have thought like that, but it's possible! |  |  | 
 |  |  | | | Posted at Mon May 16, 2005 04:39:19 | Quote | 
 |  |  |  | According to my professor, the whole phallic idea comes from an Italian Renaissance interpretation: apparently the word passer is close to a medieval Italian slang word for the penis. If you look at the poem closely though, that interpretation really doesn't stand up. E.g. lines 3-4. |  |  | 
 |  |  | | | Posted at Sun Mar 18, 2007 22:56:03 | Quote | 
 |  |  |  | I don't think the image has to necessarily be phallic so much as erotic.  The imagery of the sparrow pecking at the girl's extended finger, and sitting in her lap, etc. |  |  | 
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