13 Quotes & Sayings By Catullus

Catullus was a Roman poet of the 1st century BC. Considered to be the greatest lyric poet of ancient Rome, his poems have been preserved almost entirely through a single manuscript copy, the Vergilius Vaticanus. His poems were widely admired and imitated by later poets.

1
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! Catullus
2
To whom shall I offer this book, young and sprightly, Neat, polished, wide-margined, and finished politely? To you, my Cornelius, whose learning pedantic, Has dared to set forth in three volumes gigantic The history of ages–ye gods, what a labor! – And still to enjoy the small wit of a neighbor. A man who can be light and learned at once, sir, By life's subtle logic is far from a dunce, sir. So take my small book–if it meet with your favor. The passing of years cannot dull its sweet savor. . Catullus
3
Nothing is left of me Each time I see her Catullus
4
What a woman tells her lover in desireshould be written out on air & running water. Catullus
5
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. Catullus
6
Journeying over many seas & through many countries I came dear brother to this pitiful leave-taking The last gestures by your graveside The futility of words over your quiet ashes. Life cleft us from each other Pointlessly depriving brother of brother Accept then, our parents' custom These offerings, this leave-taking Echoing forever, brother, through a brother's tears Catullus
7
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. Catullus
8
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris. Nescio. des fieri sentio et excrucior. I hate and I love. You may ask, why I do this. I do not know. But I sense that I do and it pains me. Catullus
9
I hate and love. And why, perhaps you’ll ask. I don’t know: but I feel, and I’m tormented. Catullus
10
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) . Catullus
11
Nothing is more silly than silly laughter. Catullus
12
Oh this age! How tasteless and ill-bred it is! Catullus