Odi et amo: On some ancient readings of mixed affect in Catullus

Catullus’ Odi et amo (‘I hate and I love’) epigram presents an opportunity to consider how the apparent experience of mixed affect was understood in antiquity. While erotic passion does not necessarily carry a positive valence any more than does hatred, Catullus’ epigram depends for its paradox on a popular conception of love and hate as conflicting emotions. This paper considers Catullus’ closer scrutiny of this apparent paradox within the framework of ancient psychology and emotion theory (Plato and Aristotle, Stoicism and Epicureanism), before going on to examine how the epigram, understood philosophically, was received by its ancient readers. Ovid, Martial and Pliny continue Catullus’ exploration of the mixing, valence and intentional objects of emotions, sometimes associating the epigram with ‘weakness of will’ or akrasia. Moving into the Christian era the paper concludes with Augustine’s resolution of acratic moral conflict through commitment to the love of God.