top of page
Poetic Analysis
In-depth analysis of your favorite Latin poems!


Amores 1.6: A Poetic Analysis
We have all been, at some point in our lives, locked out. You may take that statement as metaphorically as you please, but what I am...
Alexei Varah
Oct 2612 min read


Catullus 29: A Poetic Analysis
The only thing there seems to be more of in our present day than political issues is commentary surrounding them. For every one...
Alexei Varah
Oct 199 min read


Amores 1.2: A Poetic Analysis
When one has not experienced purely requited love and instead has been relegated to an endless onslaught of talking stages,...
Alexei Varah
Oct 1211 min read


Ode 1.25: A Poetic Analysis
There is nothing more terrifying than an aging woman. Or so society argues. The fear of the female hag -- wrinkly, pruning, and sagging...
Alexei Varah
Oct 59 min read


Catullus 12: A Poetic Analysis
Everyone has that one friend who refuses to pay for anything. Any activity in which the tickets aren't free? You'll have to pay for both...
Alexei Varah
Sep 289 min read


Amores 1.9: A Poetic Analysis
"Love is War." Without a doubt, every one of us has heard that phrase uttered once in our lives, whether it be with the most earnest...
Alexei Varah
Sep 2110 min read


Aeneid 3.655-691: A Poetic Analysis
Polyphemus is likely one of the most well-known of the ancient Greek "monsters." Born the one-eyed giant son of Poseidon and Thoosa, the...
Alexei Varah
Sep 1410 min read


Ode 3.30: A Poetic Analysis
The phrase "Your digital footprint is forever," or some comparable variant, has likely been ingrained in our brains by now. However,...
Alexei Varah
Sep 78 min read


Catullus 3: A Poetic Analysis
After someone close to you dies, there is an unacknowledged pressure to make your grief a spectacle. Whether it be in the form of...
Alexei Varah
Aug 319 min read


Epigram 1.115: A Poetic Analysis
Love in the 21st century is, quite frankly, painful. Loving others has never been more challenging, with dating apps commodifying organic...
Alexei Varah
Aug 247 min read


Catullus 51: A Poetic Analysis
The term "summer love" is one that current popular culture is absolutely obsessed with. Whether it be the name of your Pinterest mood...
Alexei Varah
Aug 178 min read


Epigram 10.2: A Poetic Analysis
All artists, whether in ancient Rome or 2025, find themselves asking, at least once, the same question: what will make my art stand the...
Alexei Varah
Aug 107 min read


Ode 2.14: A Poetic Analysis
As we begin to make the transition from July to August, it is difficult not to mourn the inevitable end of summer. Although the air is...
Alexei Varah
Aug 38 min read


Aeneid 6.724–751: A Poetic Analysis
As we advance towards the end of the beloved "dog days of summer", in which a sun that refuses to set lingers just a little less every...
Alexei Varah
Jul 278 min read


Amores 1.1: A Poetic Analysis
This past week, as the French and others around the world commemorated Bastille Day, the world was reminded that protesting and...
Alexei Varah
Jul 208 min read


Ode 1.11: A Poetic Analysis
Let me guess, when you were (or if you still are) a Latin novice with zero knowledge of the language, you still knew the phrase " carpe...
Alexei Varah
Jul 137 min read


Ode 3.2: A Poetic Analysis
This past Friday, my fellow Americans and I celebrated more than just the July 4th date; we celebrated the ideals of liberty, freedom,...
Alexei Varah
Jul 68 min read


Catullus 50: A Poetic Analysis
Much like a 21st-century summer afternoon, Roman summers were playful, sun-washed, and idyllic. Catullus 50 illustrates not just the...
Alexei Varah
Jun 297 min read


Ode I.38: A Poetic Analysis
As the Western world gears up to fully embrace the summer months, many of us have felt our workload lighten and the possibilities of...
Alexei Varah
Jun 226 min read
bottom of page