Best 37 quotes of Catullus on MyQuotes

Ah, what is more blessed than to put cares away, when the mind lays by its burden, and tired with labor of far travel we have come to our own home and rest on the couch we longed for? This it is which alone is worth all these toils.

Away with you, water, destruction of wine!

Brother, hello and good-bye. Frater, ave atque vale

For the godly poet must be chaste himself, but there is no need for his verses to be so.

Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then a thousand more.

Give up wanting to deserve any thanks from anyone, or thinking anybody can be grateful.

Godlike the man who sits at her side, who watches and catches that laughter which (softly) tears me to tatters: nothing is left of me, each time I see her.

I can imagine no greater misfortune for a cultured people than to see in the hands of the rulers not only the civil, but also the religious power.

I hate and I love. And if you ask me how, I do not know: I only feel it, and I am torn in two.

I hate and I love. Perchance you ask why I do that. I know not, but I feel that I do and I am tortured. [Lat., Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris. Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.]

I hate and love. And why, perhaps you’ll ask. I don’t know: but I feel, and I’m tormented.

I hate and love. You ask, perhaps, how can that be? I know not, but I feel the agony.

It is difficult to suddenly give up a long love. Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem

I write of youth, of love, and have access by these to sing of cleanly wantonness.

My mind's sunk so low, Claudia, because of you, wrecked itself on your account so bad already, that I couldn't like you if you were the best of women, -or stop loving you, no matter what you do.

Nothing is more silly than silly laughter.

Now Spring restores the balmy heat, now Zephyr's sweet breezes calm the rage of the equinoctial sky.

Oh, this age! How tasteless and ill bred it is!

So a maiden, whilst she remains untouched, so long is she dear to her own; when she has lost her chaste flower with sullied body, she remains neither lovely to boys nor dear to girls.

Stop wishing to merit anyone's gratitude or thinking that anyone can become grateful.

The confounding of all right and wrong, in wild fury, has averted from us the gracious favor of the gods.

There is nothing more foolish than a foolish laugh. Risu inepto res ineptior nulla est

There is nothing more silly than a silly laugh.

The vows that woman makes to her fond lover are only fit to be written on air or on the swiftly passing stream.

What a woman says to an eager lover, write it on running water, write it on air.

What women say to lovers, you'll agree, One writes on running water or on air.

Who now travels that dark path from whose bourne they say no one returns. [Lat., Qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum Illue unde negant redire quemquam.]

But your own tears blind you to mine. I am not neglectful of friendship, but we two squat in the same coracle, we are both swamped by the same stormy waters, I have not the gifts of a happy man. . . Often enough.

Come boy, and pour for me a cup Of old Falernian. Fill it up With wine, strong, sparkling, bright, and clear; Our host decrees no water here. Let dullards drink the Nymph's pale brew, The sluggish thin their blood with dew. For such pale stuff we have no use; For us the purple grape's rich juice. Begone, ye chilling water sprite; Here burning Bacchus rules tonight!

I have lost you, my brother And your death has ended The spring season Of my happiness, our house is buried with you And buried the laughter that you taught me. There are no thoughts of love nor of poems In my head Since you died.

Il ne faut pas t'étonner qu'aucune femme ne veuille, Rufus, glisser sa cuisse légère sous la tienne même si tu la soudoyais en lui offrant une robe splendide ou une pierre diaphane et raffinée. C'est qu'une sale histoire te porte tort, selon laquelle un bouc sauvage logerait sous tes aisselles. On le redoute, et ce n'est pas surprenant : la bête est très méchante et aucune fille ne coucherait avec. Alors débarrasse-toi de cette calamité redoutable pour les narines, ou cesse de t'étonner que l'on te fuie.

In perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale. (Forever and ever, brother, hail and farewell.)

Mulier cupido quod dicit amanti, in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua ((What woman says to fond lover should be written on air or the swift water)

Nothing is left of me Each time I see her

soles occidere et redire possunt: nobis cum semel occidit breuis lux, nox est perpetua una dormienda.

We should live, my Lesbia, and love And value all the talk of stricter Old men at a single penny. Suns can set and rise again; For us, once our brief light has set, There's one unending night for sleeping. Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, Then another thousand, then a second hundred, Then still another thousand, then a hundred; Then, when we've made many thousands, We'll muddle them so as not to know Or lest some villain overlook us Knowing the total of our kisses. (Translated by Guy Lee)

What a woman tells her lover in desire should be written out on air & running water.