Is the list of numbers of kisses in poems 5 and 7 simply a trope, or do they tell us about Catullus’ family
and upbringing? Is there magic or just an accountant’s keeping track of things?

In the New Yorker magazine of April 7, 2025 (paywall), David Mendelsohn is writing about Catullus and 2 new
translations/interpretations of his poems. It is always a pleasure to read something Mendelsohn has
written, and I will not go into his review. This is what interested me:

Isobel Williams, in the introduction to her renderings of the poems, rightly observes
that Catullus, who was likely the scion of successful businesspeople, has a “book-keeper’s
eye.” (page 24)

This is a view of Catullus that I never thought about. I assumed that the counting of the kisses was
numerology, especially when, in 7, he says,

quae nec pernumerare curiosi
possint nec mala fascinare lingua.

So that neither the curious/nosy are able to count up nor enchant/bewitch with an evil tongue.

Numerology was very important in the ancient world, and an uncountable number of things – the
sands in the desert or the stars at night – are exciting and scary. The use of the abstruse place names
and references just add to the magic.

However, what if he really is a bookkeeper? What if he is toting up the numbers as one would the
price of jars of olive oil? Does this change our view of Catullus? Does this add to our understanding of
him and his world?

I would suggest melding the two interpretations. As the son of merchants, Catullus understands the
power of numbers (even if there is no zero!).