Siqua recordanti benefacta priora voluptas
est homini , cum se cogitat esse pium ,
nec sanctam violasse fidem , nec foedere nullo
divum ad fallendos numine abusum homines ,
multa parata manent in longa aetate , Catulle ,
ex hoc ingrato gaudia amore tibi .
Nam quaecumque homines bene cuiquam aut dicere possunt
aut facere , haec a te dictaque factaque sunt :
omnia quae ingratae perierunt credita menti .
Quare iam te cur amplius excrucies ?
Quin tu animo offirmas atque istinc teque reducis ,
et dis invitis desinis esse miser ?
Difficile est longum subit deponere amorem ;
difficile est , verum hoc qua lubet efficias .
Una salus haec est , hoc est tibi pervincendum ;
hoc facias , sive id non pote sive pote .
O di , si vestrum est misereri , aut si quibus umquam
extremam iam ipsa in morte tulistis opem ,
me miserum aspicite et , si vitam puriter egi ,
eripite hanc pestem perniciemque mihi ,
quae mihi subrepens imos ut torpor in artus
expulit ex omni pectore laetitias .
Non iam illud quaero , contra me ut diligat illa ,
aut , quod non potis est , esse pudica velit :
ipse valere opto et taetrum hunc deponere morbum .
O di , reddite mi hoc pro pietate mea .

If to remember deeds whilòme well done be a pleasure
Meet for a man who deems all of his dealings be just ,
Nor Holy Faith ever broke nor in whatever his compact
Sanction of Gods abused better to swindle mankind ,
Much there remains for thee during length of living , Catullus ,
Out of that Love ingrate further to solace thy soul ;
For whatever of good can mortal declare of another
Or can avail he do , such thou hast said and hast done ;
While to a thankless mind entrusted all of them perisht .
Why , then , crucify self now with a furthering pain ?
Why not steady thy thoughts and draw thee back from such purpose ,
Ceasing wretched to be maugrè the will of the Gods ?
Difficult ' tis indeed long Love to depose of a sudden ,
Difficult ' tis , yet do e ' en as thou deem to be best .
This be thy safe-guard sole ; this conquest needs to be conquered ;
This thou must do , thus act , whether thou cannot or can .
If an ye have ( 0 Gods ! ) aught ruth , or if you for any
Bring at the moment of death latest assistance to man ,
Look upon me ( poor me ! ) and , should I be cleanly of living ,
Out of my life deign pluck this my so pestilent plague ,
Which as a lethargy o ' er mine inmost vitals a-creeping ,
Hath from my bosom expelled all of what joyance it joyed ,
Now will I crave no more she love me e ' en as I love her ,
Nor ( impossible chance ! ) ever she prove herself chaste :
Would I were only healed and shed this fulsome disorder .
Oh Gods , grant me this boon unto my piety due !

If recalling past good deeds is pleasant to a man ,
when he thinks himself to have been virtuous ,
not violating sacred ties , nor using the names of gods
in any contract in order to deceive men ,
then there are many pleasures left to you , Catullus ,
in the rest of life , due to this thankless passion .
Since whatever good a man can do or say
to anyone , has been said and done by you .
All , that entrusted to a thankless heart is lost .
Why torment yourself then any longer ?
Why not harden your mind , and shrink from it ,
and cease to be unhappy , since the gods are hostile ?
It’s difficult to suddenly let go of a former love ,
it’s difficult , but it would gratify you to do it :
That’s your one salvation . That’s for you to prove ,
for you to try , whether you can or not .
O gods , if mercy is yours , or if you ever brought help
to a man at the very moment of his death ,
gaze at my pain and , if I’ve lived purely ,
lift this plague , this destruction from me ,
so that the torpor that creeps into my body’s depths
drives out every joy from my heart .
I no longer ask that she loves me to my face ,
or , the impossible , that she be chaste :
I choose health , and to rid myself of this foul illness .
O gods , grant me this for all my kindness .