black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Better a sparrow, living or dead, than no birdsong at all.

Catullus

We see not our own backs.
CATULLUS

Back Mistake One Liner Ourselves
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.]
CATULLUS

Darkness Path Return Travel
I hate and I love, and who can tell me why?
CATULLUS

Hate Love Myself
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.
CATULLUS

Admire Herself Man Myself Relationship Side Time
I write of youth, of love, and have access by these to sing of cleanly wantonness.
CATULLUS

Access Clean Love Myself Sing Writing Youth
There is nothing more foolish than a foolish laugh.
CATULLUS

Foolish Laugh One Liner
Better a sparrow, living or dead, than no birdsong at all.
CATULLUS

Better Death Gratitude Live Worth
Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then a thousand more.
CATULLUS

Kiss Myself Relationship Romance
Let us live, my Lesbia, and let us love. Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus
CATULLUS

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

Fond Promise Stream Vow Woman
Away with you, water, destruction of wine!
CATULLUS

Aware Destruction Dream Habit Lost One Liner Truth Water Wine
I hate and love. And why, perhaps you’ll ask. I don’t know: but I feel, and I’m tormented.
CATULLUS

Feeling Hate Known Love Myself Torment
What woman says to fond lover should be written on air or the swift water. [Lat., Mulier cupido quod dicit amanti, In vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.]
CATULLUS

Fond Lover Swift Water Women Writing
Oh, this age! How tasteless and ill bred it is!
CATULLUS

Age Birth Birthday Cake Surprise Taste
My lady’s sparrow is dead, the sparrow which was my lady’s delight
CATULLUS

Animal Bird Death Delight Myself Women
What women say to lovers, you’ll agree, One writes on running water or on air.
CATULLUS

Lover Myself Running Water Women Writing
Give up wanting to deserve any thanks from anyone, or thinking anybody can be grateful.
CATULLUS

Deserve Give Up Gratitude Thankful Thinking
What a woman says to an eager lover, write it on running water, write it on air.
CATULLUS

Lover Relationship Water Woman Writing
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.
CATULLUS

Agony Emotion Feeling Hate Known Love Myself Tear
The confounding of all right and wrong, in wild fury, has averted from us the gracious favor of the gods.
CATULLUS

Angry Favor God Right Wild Wrong
Now Spring restores the balmy heat, now Zephyr’s sweet breezes calm the rage of the equinoctial sky.
CATULLUS

Calm Heat Rage Restore Sky Spring
It is difficult to lay aside a confirmed passion.
CATULLUS

Confirm Difficult One Liner Passion
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.
CATULLUS

Civil Culture Greatness Imagination Misfortune People Power Religious Ruler
To whom do I give my new elegant little book? Cui dono lepidum novum libellum?
CATULLUS

Book Little Myself One Liner
Stop wishing to merit anyone’s gratitude or thinking that anyone can become grateful.
CATULLUS

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

Agony Feeling Hate Love Myself
For the godly poet must be chaste himself, but there is no need for his verses to be so.
CATULLUS

Chaste God Himself Poem Poet

Better a sparrow, living or dead, than no birdsong at all.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

Better a sparrow, living or dead, than no birdsong at all.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Catullus Quotes