Really interesting - although I think IW makes too much of a meal of Odi et amo: loses its intense, succinct, despairing fury completely. Also (based on my reading of your excellently detailed review) there's a danger, in translating someone who writes frequently and explicitly about sex, of assuming that that's the only prism they see things through, missing out on the playful affection and lovers' baby-talk of some of the Lesbia poems; as well as the swooning romance -"Give me a thousand kisses and then another thousand" etc., which is clearly at the nexus of passion and romantic love occupied by some of Donne's love poems.
Really interesting - although I think IW makes too much of a meal of Odi et amo: loses its intense, succinct, despairing fury completely. Also (based on my reading of your excellently detailed review) there's a danger, in translating someone who writes frequently and explicitly about sex, of assuming that that's the only prism they see things through, missing out on the playful affection and lovers' baby-talk of some of the Lesbia poems; as well as the swooning romance -"Give me a thousand kisses and then another thousand" etc., which is clearly at the nexus of passion and romantic love occupied by some of Donne's love poems.
Brilliant review, though.
I would be intrigued to get your take on Simon Smith’s earlier, likewise complete Catullus (also from Carcanet).