Flosculus Iuventiorum: le ‘cycle’ de Juventius entre eros, lepos et sales

The Juventius ‘cycle’ between eros, lepos and sales · This reconstruction of the love story between Catullus and Juventius aims to highlight the dense network of relationships Catullus entertained within his Liber. The love for the young man follows a process identical to that of the love affair with Lesbia, but presents a lesser intensity. Sarcasm, invective and irony prevail towards this voluble young man, who manifests a behavior in some respects similar to that which will characterise the beloved woman in the Latin elegy. Juventius appears as the typical puer delicatus, capricious, but in the elegy, the poet’s rival is chosen by the woman precisely because of his economic status ; Juventius, on the other hand, is only attracted to pale, penniless lovers, which causes the poet disappointment and anger. Juventius’ love story, with its dense network of allusions, revisits literary topoi with ever-renewed interpretations. Catullus also uses his multilingualism as a weapon of attack and mocking sarcasm.