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Catullus Quotes (-84--54)
Poet
About Catullus
Gaius Valerius Catullus (c. 84 – c. 54 BC) was a Roman poet, the dominant figure among the New Poets (neoterici) of the 1st century BC.
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Explore our curated collection of the most famous and impactful Catullus quotes.
“Si vitam puriter egi.”
“Per caputque pedesque.”
“Nam risu inepto res ineptior nulla est.”
“Quid datur a divis felici optatius hora?”
“Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem.”
“Otium et reges prius et beatas
perdidit urbes.”
perdidit urbes.”
“Ipse qui sit, utrum sit an non sit, id quoque nescit.”
“Siqua recordanti benefacta priora voluptas
Est homini.”
Est homini.”
“Cui dono lepidum novum libellum
Arido modo pumice expolitum?”
Arido modo pumice expolitum?”
“Quaeris, quot mihi basiationes
tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque?”
tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque?”
“Qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum
illuc, unde negant redire quemquam.”
illuc, unde negant redire quemquam.”
“Mulier cupido quod dicit amanti
in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.”
in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.”
“Omnia fanda nefanda malo permixta furore
iustificam nobis mentem avertere deorum.”
iustificam nobis mentem avertere deorum.”
“Desine de quoquam quicquam bene velle mereri,
Aut aliquem fieri posse putare pium.”
Aut aliquem fieri posse putare pium.”
“Si quicquam cupido optantique optigit umquam
insperanti, hoc est gratum animo proprie.”
insperanti, hoc est gratum animo proprie.”
“Odi et amo. quare id faciam, fortasse requiris.
nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.”
nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.”
“Da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.”
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.”
“Ille mi par esse Deo videtur,
ille, si fas est, superare Divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit
dulce ridentem.”
ille, si fas est, superare Divos,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit
dulce ridentem.”
“Lugete, O Veneres Cupidinesque,
Et quantum est hominum venustiorum.
Passer mortuus est meae puellae,
Passer, deliciae meae puellae.
• Lord Byron's translation:”
Et quantum est hominum venustiorum.
Passer mortuus est meae puellae,
Passer, deliciae meae puellae.
• Lord Byron's translation:”
“Huc est mens deducta tua mea, Lesbia, culpa
atque ita se officio perdidit ipsa suo,
ut iam nec bene velle queat tibi, si optima fias,
nec desistere amare, omnia si facias.”
atque ita se officio perdidit ipsa suo,
ut iam nec bene velle queat tibi, si optima fias,
nec desistere amare, omnia si facias.”
“Ut flos in saeptis secretus nascitur hortis,
Ignotus pecori, nullo contusus aratro,
Quem mulcent aurae, firmat sol, educat imber;
Multi illum pueri, multae optavere puellae.”
Ignotus pecori, nullo contusus aratro,
Quem mulcent aurae, firmat sol, educat imber;
Multi illum pueri, multae optavere puellae.”
“O quid solutis est beatius curis,
cum mens onus reponit, ac peregrino
labore fessi venimus larem ad nostrum,
desideratoque acquiescimus lecto?
hoc est quod unum est pro laboribus tantis.”
cum mens onus reponit, ac peregrino
labore fessi venimus larem ad nostrum,
desideratoque acquiescimus lecto?
hoc est quod unum est pro laboribus tantis.”
“Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux,
nox est perpetua una dormienda.”
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux,
nox est perpetua una dormienda.”
“Nunc iam nulla viro iuranti femina credat,
nulla viri speret sermones esse fideles;
quis dum aliquid cupiens animus praegestit apisci,
nil metuunt iurare, nihil promittere parcunt:
sed simul ac cupidae mentis satiata libido est,
dicta nihil metuere, nihil periuria curant.”
nulla viri speret sermones esse fideles;
quis dum aliquid cupiens animus praegestit apisci,
nil metuunt iurare, nihil promittere parcunt:
sed simul ac cupidae mentis satiata libido est,
dicta nihil metuere, nihil periuria curant.”
“''Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus
Advenio has miseras, frater, ad inferias,
Ut te postremo donarem munere mortis
Et mutam nequiquam alloquerer cinerem.
Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum,
Heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi,
Nunc tamen interea haec prisco quae more parentum
Tradita sunt tristi munere ad inferias,
Accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu,
Atque '''in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale.'''''
• Sir William Marris's translation:”
Advenio has miseras, frater, ad inferias,
Ut te postremo donarem munere mortis
Et mutam nequiquam alloquerer cinerem.
Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum,
Heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi,
Nunc tamen interea haec prisco quae more parentum
Tradita sunt tristi munere ad inferias,
Accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu,
Atque '''in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale.'''''
• Sir William Marris's translation:”
Catullus Quotes by Topic
Find exactly what you are looking for by browsing this categorized list of Catullus quotes by topic.
Catullus on Love 4 quotes
“Vivamus, mea Lesbia atque amemus.
My Lesbia, let us live and love.”
Catullus on Poetry about love 4 quotes
“Vivamus, mea Lesbia atque amemus.
My Lesbia, let us live and love.”
Catullus on Death 2 quotes
“Qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum Illuc unde negant redire quemquam.
Who now travels that dark path from whose bourne they say no one returns.”
Catullus on Salt
“Can you find in the whole of her body the least pinch of salt?”
Catullus on Myrtle
Catullus on Beds
“'Twas in the central chamber had been spread, For her, the bride divine, the nuptial bed; Of Indian ivory form'd, it shunned the eye, Veiled by its covering of the crimson dye.”
Catullus on Purple
“But for the Diva’s use bestrewn is the genial bedstead, Hidden in midmost stead, and its polisht framework of Indian Tusk underlies its cloth empurpled by juice of the dye-shell.”
Catullus on Counting
“Whoe’er the number would define Of sports and joys that shall be thine, He first must count the grains of sand That spread the Erythræan strand, And every star and twinkling light That stud the glistening arch of night.”
What Catullus Said About Others
Discover personal opinions Catullus shared regarding contemporaries.
Catullus on Kenneth Rexroth
“It takes great labor to uncover the convincing simple speech of the heart. Poetic candor comes with hard labor, so even does impetuosity and impudence.”
Quotes About Catullus
Gain deeper perspective through quotes about Catullus from others.
Thomas Babington Macaulay on Catullus
“An admirable poet. No Latin writer is so Greek. The simplicity, the pathos, the perfect grace, which I find in the great Athenian models, are all in Catullus, and in him alone of the Romans.”
John William Mackail on Catullus
“It is just this quality, this clear and almost terrible simplicity, that puts Catullus in a place by himself among the Latin poets. Where others labour in the ore of thought and gradually forge it out into sustained expression, he sees with a single glance, and does not strike a second time.”
Paul MacKendrick on Catullus
“Catullus is a completely sophisticated, urbane poet, and his sophistication is sincere because his emotions were sophisticated. He expresses the spirit and essence of what we call "society".”
Frank N. Magill on Catullus
“Catullus was the leading representative of a revolution in poetry created by the neoteroi or "new men" in Rome. Rather than writing about battles, heroes, and the pagan gods, Catullus draws his subjects from everyday, intensely personal life.”
Osip Mandelstam THE WORD AND CULTURE translated into English on Catullus
Harold Nicolson on Catullus
“It passes my comprehension why Tennyson could have called him 'tender'. He is vindictive, venomous and full of obscene malice. He is only tender about his brother and Lesbia, and in the end she gets it hot as well.”
John Platts on Catullus
“Catullus was the first Roman who imitated with success the Greek writers, and introduced their numbers among the Latins.”
Valerius Catullus on Catullus
“Valerium Catullum, a quo sibi versiculis de Mamurra perpetua stigmata imposita non dissimulaverat, satis facientem eadem die adhibuit cenae hospitioque patris eius, sicut consuerat, uti perseveravit.”
Alfred on Catullus
“Tenderest of Roman poets nineteen-hundred years ago.”
About Catullus
Gaius Valerius Catullus (c. 84 – c. 54 BC) was a Roman poet, the dominant figure among the New Poets (neoterici) of the 1st century BC.
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