Caesar\'s Calendar. Ancient Time and the Beginnings of History (Sather Classical Lectures)

If anyone on the other side wishes to catalogue in similar fashion the achieve-

ments of Caesar, who appeared greater than he, he would indeed count offthe

entire globe, and it will be agreed that this is a task without limit.

Both men embody the emulation of Alexander the Great in pushing the boundaries
of Roman civilization to the edge of the world.^105
Catullus 11 is priceless contemporary evidence for how these massive conquests
on either side of the world were received in their time.^106 We can see the repercus-
sions of this style of speech throughout the poem and document how the implica-
tions were immediately felt:^107

Furi et Aureli, comites Catulli,

siue in extremos penetrabit Indos,

litus ut longe resonante Eoa

tunditur unda,

siue in Hyrcanos Arabasue molles, 5

seu Sagas sagittiferosue Parthos,

siue quae septemgeminus colorat

aequora Nilus,

siue trans altas gradietur Alpes,

Caesaris uisens monimenta magni, 10

Gallicum Rhenum, horribiles uitro ulti-

mosque Britannos,

omnia haec, quacumque feret uoluntas

caelitum, temptare simul parati,

pauca nuntiate meae puellae 15

non bona dicta:

cum suis uiuat ualeatque moechis,

quos complex simul tenet trecentos,

nullum amans uere sed identidem omnium

ilia rumpens, 20

nec meum respectet ut ante amorem,

qui illius culpa cecidit uelut prati

ultimi flos praetereunte postquam

tactus aratrost. 24

Incorporating Asia. 61