The vows that woman makes to her fond lover are only fit to be written on air or on the swiftly passing stream.
CATULLUSThe vows that woman makes to her fond lover are only fit to be written on air or on the swiftly passing stream.
CATULLUSWhat women say to lovers, you’ll agree, One writes on running water or on air.
CATULLUSAway with you, water, destruction of wine!
CATULLUSGive me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then a thousand more.
CATULLUSLet us live, my Lesbia, and let us love. Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus
CATULLUSGive up wanting to deserve any thanks from anyone, or thinking anybody can be grateful.
CATULLUSI hate and love. You ask, perhaps, how can that be? I know not, but I feel the agony.
CATULLUSWhat a woman says to an eager lover, write it on running water, write it on air.
CATULLUSWe see not our own backs.
CATULLUSEvery one has his faults: but we do not see the wallet on our own backs.
CATULLUSThe confounding of all right and wrong, in wild fury, has averted from us the gracious favor of the gods.
CATULLUSGodlike 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.
CATULLUSIt is difficult to suddenly give up a long love. Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem
CATULLUSI hate and I love, and who can tell me why?
CATULLUSMy 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.
CATULLUSFor the godly poet must be chaste himself, but there is no need for his verses to be so.
CATULLUS