Catullus quotes

Catullus was a renowned Roman poet, famous for his passionate and personal lyric poetry. His verses explore themes of love, loss, and the social life of ancient Rome. He influenced many later poets and is celebrated for the emotional intensity and vivid imagery of his work. Here are 25 of his quotes:

There is nothing more silly than a silly laugh. (Catullus)
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. View quote
Catullus
Give up wanting to deserve any thanks from anyone, or thinking anybody can be grateful. View quote
Catullus
I hate and love. And why, perhaps you'll ask. I don't know: but I feel, and I'm tormented. View quote
Catullus
What he himself is, whether he is or is not, he does not know so much as this. View quote
Catullus
Over head and heels. View quote
Catullus
What is given by the gods more desirable than the fortunate hour? View quote
Catullus
It is difficult suddenly to lay aside a long-standing love. View quote
Catullus
If I have led a pure life. View quote
Catullus
Mourn, ye Graces and Loves, and all you whom the Graces love. My lady's sparrow is dead, the sparrow my lady's pet, whom she loved more than her own eyes. View quote
Catullus
Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then another thousand, then a second hundred, then yet another thousand, then a hundred. (Catullus)
As a flower springs up secretly in a fenced garden, unknown to the cattle, torn up by no plough, which the winds caress, the sun strengthens, the shower draws forth, many boys, many girls, desire it. View quote
Catullus
Idleness ere now has ruined both kings and wealthy cities. View quote
Catullus
Suns may set and rise again. For us, when the short light has once set, remains to be slept the sleep of one unbroken night. View quote
Catullus
All right and wrong, confounded in impious madness, turned from us the righteous will of the gods. View quote
Catullus
To this point is my mind reduced by your fault, Lesbia, and has so ruined itself by its own devotion, that now it can neither wish you well though you should become the best of women, nor cease to love you though you do the worst that can be done. View quote
Catullus
What a woman says to her ardent lover should be written in wind and running water. View quote
Catullus
You ask how many kissings of you, Lesbia, are enough for me and more than enough? View quote
Catullus
If a man can take any pleasure in recalling the thought of kindnesses done. View quote
Catullus
If anything ever happened to any one who eagerly longed and never hoped, that is a true pleasure to the mind. View quote
Catullus
Henceforth let no woman believe a man's oath, let none believe that a man's speeches can be trustworthy. They, while their mind desires something and longs eagerly to gain it, nothing fear to swear, nothing spare to promise; but as soon as the lust of their greedy mind is satisfied, they fear not then their words, they heed not their perjuries. (Catullus)
He seems to me to be equal to a god, he, if it may be, seems to surpass the very gods, who sitting opposite thee again and again gazes at thee and hears thee sweetly laughing. View quote
Catullus
Now he goes along the dark road, thither whence they say no one returns. View quote
Catullus
Wandering through many countries and over many seas I come, my brother, to these sorrowful obsequies, to present you with the last guerdon of death, and speak, though in vain, to your silent ashes, since fortune has taken your own self away from me-alas, my brother, so cruelly torn from me! Yet now meanwhile take these offerings, which by the custom of our fathers have been handed down-a sorrowful tribute-for a funeral sacrifice; take them, wet with many tears of a brother, and for ever, my brother, hail and farewell! View quote
Catullus
To whom am I to present my pretty new book, freshly smoothed off with dry pumice stone? View quote
Catullus

Catullus

Catullus - Image
Photo: Schorle, CC BY-SA 3.0
Occupation: Roman Poet
Born: 84 BC
Died: 54 BC
Quotes count: 25
Wikipedia: Catullus

Related authors

Tacitus - thumbnail
Tacitus  90 
Roman Senator
Ovid  263 
Roman Poet
Horace - thumbnail
Horace  258 
Roman Poet
Virgil - thumbnail
Virgil  225 
Roman Poet
Cicero - thumbnail
Cicero  490 
Roman Statesman
Martial - thumbnail
Martial  34 
Poet
Tibullus - thumbnail
Tibullus  12 
Roman Poet
Sallust - thumbnail
Sallust  75 
Roman Historian
Lucretius - thumbnail
Lucretius  66 
Roman Poet
Livy - thumbnail
Livy  76 
Roman Historian