Catullus and the Beatles

By Ruth Breindel, who taught Latin, Greek, Linguistics and Mythology at Moses Brown School for 30 years.

Who doesn’t love the Beatles?  The similarities between their songs and Catullus’ poems are amazing; while they lived 2,000 years apart, their poetry endures forever.  These 5 examples of corresponding poems/songs bring to life the poems of Catullus for students.  Even now, the Beatles are held in high regard; showing their link to Catullus enhances both.  Themes of love, betrayal and friendship are timeless and appear in the songs and poems.  You can use a Beatles song (easy to find on the Internet) as you read Catullus, or at the end of all his poems.  Have the students find songs that express these themes as beautifully as either the Beatles or Catullus.  Bring life into the class!

More from the CANE blog

Links for the Evening of January 9th

On Romans and various charming parasites. On the rights and privileges of the Vestal Virgins. I’m sure some of our students would love to employ

Expanding the Ancient World

Expanding the Ancient World is a series of professional development workshops and online resources for teachers, run by NYU. Featuring inquiry-based workshops, flexible lesson plans, and