Ritual and Desire: Catullus 61 and 62 and Other Ancient Documents on Wedding and Marriage

Catullus' two wedding poems contain important statements regarding the poet's personality, Roman sexual morality, attitudes to love and marriage, and the practice and psychology of ancient religion. This work subjects the two poems to detailed analysis, and yields new insights into the ritual drama enacted, the mythical and erotic dimensions, and the depiction of male and female. The poems are shown to be more provocative than is usually recognised; marriage is conceived as eternal wedding night.