Miser Catulle , desinas ineptire ,
et quod vides perisse perditum ducas .
Fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles ,
cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat
amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla ;
ibi illa multa cum iocosa fiebant
quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat ,
fulsere vere candidi tibi soles .
Nunc iam illa non volt ; tu quoque , impotens , noli ,
nec quae fugit sectare , nec miser vive ,
sed obstinata mente perfer , obdura .
Vale puella ! Iam Catullus obdurat ,
nec te requiret , nec rogabit invitam .
At tu dolebis , cum rogaberis nulla .
Scelesta , vae te ! Quae tibi manet vita ?
Quis nunc te adibit ? Cui videberis bella ?
Quem nunc amabis ? Cuius esse diceris ?
Quem basiabis ? Cui labella mordebis ?
At tu , Catulle , destinatus obdura .

Sad Catullus , stop playing the fool ,
and let what you know leads you to ruin , end .
Once , bright days shone for you ,
when you came often drawn to the girl
loved as no other will be loved by you .
Then there were many pleasures with her ,
that you wished , and the girl not unwilling ,
truly the bright days shone for you .
And now she no longer wants you : and you
weak man , be unwilling to chase what flees ,
or live in misery : be strong-minded , stand firm .
Goodbye girl , now Catullus is firm ,
he doesn’t search for you , won’t ask unwillingly .
But you’ll grieve , when nobody asks .
Woe to you , wicked girl , what life’s left for you ?
Who’ll submit to you now ? Who’ll see your beauty ?
Who now will you love ? Whose will they say you’ll be ?
Who will you kiss ? Whose lips will you bite ?
But you , Catullus , be resolved to be firm .

Woe-full Catullus ! cease to play the fool
And what thou seest dead as dead regard !
Whilòme the sheeniest suns for thee did shine
When oft-a-tripping whither led the girl
By us beloved , as shall none be loved .
There all so merry doings then were done
After thy liking , nor the girl was loath .
Then certès sheeniest suns for thee did shine .
Now she ' s unwilling : thou too ( hapless ! ) will
Her flight to follow , and sad life to live :
Endure with stubborn soul and still obdure .
Damsel , adieu ! Catullus obdurate grown
Nor seeks thee , neither asks of thine unwill ;
Yet shalt thou sorrow when none woos thee more ;
Reprobate ! Woe to thee ! What life remains ?
Who now shall love thee ? Who ' ll think thee fair ?
Whom now shalt ever love ? Whose wilt be called ?
To whom shalt kisses give ? whose liplets nip ?
But thou ( Catullus ! ) destiny-doomed obdure .

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 there is any good that comes from a man remembering earlier times , when he thinks that he is faithful , and thinks that he hasn’t violated any sacred contracts , nor abused the gods by using their power to deceive men , despite the many things that were done , joy remains to you , Catullus , from this ungrateful love . Whatever people are able to say or do for anyone , the same things have been done and said by you . All these things that were believed , perished . Why do you torture yourself more ? Why don’t you strengthen your mind and lead both yourself and the unwilling gods from being miserable . It is difficult to put aside long-held love , it is difficult , but you should do this satisfying act for yourself . This is your one hope , you must truly conquer this ; you must do this , whether impossible or not . Oh gods , if it is within you to have mercy , or if you have saved anyone in their dying moment , look at miserable me , if I lived purely , take this plague and ruin from me , which drives out happiness from my whole heart as it crawls as a numbness does into my deepest veins . For now , I do not seek her love in return , or , for that which is not possible , that she wishes to be chaste . I , myself , choose to be strong and defeat this foul disease . Oh gods , return this to me because of my responsibility .

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 .