Latin quotes love

“Let love steal in disguised as friendship.”
Intret amicitiae nomine tectus amor.

Ovid book Ars amatoria

“Love is a thing full of anxious fears.”
Res est solliciti plena timoris amor.

Ovid book Heroides

“Whoever worships the gods in good faith, loves their priests too.”
Qui bona fide deos colit amat et sacerdotes.

Statius Silvae

“The dove loves even when it attacks; the wolf hates even when it flatters.”
Columba amat et quando caedit. Lupus odit et quando blanditur.

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) early Christian theologian and philosopher

“Love yields to business. If you seek a way out of love, be busy; you'll be safe then.”
Qui finem quaeris amoris, Cedit amor rebus; res age, tutus eris.

Ovid book Remedia amoris

“Beauty grows in you to the extent that love grows, because charity itself is the soul's beauty.”
Quantum in te crescit amor, tantum crescit pulchritudo; quia ipsa caritas est animae pulchritudo.

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) early Christian theologian and philosopher

“Young love is errant, but it needs to get around;
The time and practice make it strong and sound.
That bull you fear, you petted when it wasn't big;
What now you sleep beneath was once a twig.
That little stream, in gaining waters as it goes,
Grows stronger, till at last a river flows.”
Dum novus errat amor, vires sibi colligat usu: Si bene nutrieris, tempore firmus erit. Quem taurum metuis, vitulum mulcere solebas: Sub qua nunc recubas arbore, virga fuit: Nascitur exiguus, sed opes adquirit eundo, Quaque venit, multas accipit amnis aquas.

Ovid book Ars amatoria

“If you would give every man as he deserves, then love the good and pity those who are evil.”
Vis aptam meritis uicem referre: Dilige iure bonos et miseresce malis.

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480) philosopher of the early 6th century

“In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity (love).”
In necessariis unitas, In dubiis libertas, In omnibus autem caritas.

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) early Christian theologian and philosopher

“O happy race of mortals,
if your hearts are ruled
as is the universe, by Love!”
O felix hominum genus, si uestros animos amor quo caelum regitur regat!

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480) philosopher of the early 6th century

“Biting poverty and cruel Cupid are my foes. Hunger I can endure; love I cannot.”
Paupertas me saeva domat dirusque Cupido:<br/>sed toleranda fames, non tolerandus amor.

Claudian (370–404) Roman Latin poet

“Love is a kind of warfare.”
Militiae species amor est.

Ovid book Ars amatoria

“Venerate the martyrs, praise, love, proclaim, honor them. But worship the God of the martyrs.”
Ideo, carissimi, veneramini martyres, laudate, amate, praedicate, honorate: Deum martyrum colite.

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) early Christian theologian and philosopher

“I was not yet in love, yet I loved to love…I sought what I might love, in love with loving.”
Nondum amabam, et amare amabam...quaerebam quid amarem, amans amare.

Aurelius Augustinus book Confessions

“For God loves to save and not to condemn; therefore is he patient with evil, that out of evil good may be brought.”
Non enim amat Deus damnare sed salvare, et ideo patiens est in malos, ut de malis faciat bonos.

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) early Christian theologian and philosopher

“Who can give law to lovers? Love is a greater law to itself.”
Quis legem det amantibus? Maior lex amor est sibi.

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480) philosopher of the early 6th century

“Let my delight be the country, and the running streams amid the dells—may I love the waters and the woods, though I be unknown to fame.”
Rura mihi et rigui placeant in vallibus amnes, Flumina amem sylvasque inglorius.

Virgil Georgics

“Love the sinner and hate the sin.”
Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum.

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) early Christian theologian and philosopher

“I am the poor man's poet; because I am poor myself and I have known what it is to be in love. Not being able to pay them in presents, I pay my mistresses in poetry.”
Pauperibus vates ego sum, quia pauper amavi; Cum dare non possem munera, verba dabam.

Ovid book Ars amatoria

“Let the man who does not wish to be idle fall in love!”
Qui nolet fieri desidiosus, amet!

Ovid book Amores

“Let him who loves, where love success may find,
Spread all his sails before the prosp'rous wind;
But let poor youths who female scorn endure,
And hopeless burn, repair to me for cure.”
Siquis amat quod amare iuvat, feliciter ardens Gaudeat, et vento naviget ille suo. At siquis male fert indignae regna puellae, Ne pereat, nostrae sentiat artis opem.

Ovid book Remedia amoris

“Love conquers all. Let Love then smile at our defeat.”
Omnia vincit Amor; et nos cedamus Amori.

Virgil book Eclogues

“Once a woman declared that she was desperately in love with him, and he took her to bed with him. "How shall I enter that item in your expense ledger?" asked his accountant later, on learning that she had got 4,000 gold pieces out of him; and Vespasian replied, "Just put it down to 'passion for Vespasian'."”
Expugnatus autem a quadam, quasi amore suo deperiret, cum perductae pro concubitu sestertia quadringenta donasset, admonente dispensatore, quem ad modum summam rationibus vellet inferri, "Vespasiano," inquit, "adamato".

Sueton book The Twelve Caesars

“Lovers' quarrels are the renewal of love.”
Amantium irae amoris integratio est.

Terence Andria

“He took his way to the abode of sacred Loyalty, seeking to discover her hidden purpose. It chanced that the goddess, who loves solitude, was then in a distant region of heaven, pondering in her heart the high concerns of the gods. Then he who gave peace to Nemea accosted her thus with reverence: "Goddess more ancient than Jupiter, glory of gods and men, without whom neither sea nor land finds peace, sister of Justice…"”
Ad limina sanctae contendit Fidei secretaque pectora temptat. arcanis dea laeta polo tum forte remoto caelicolum magnas uoluebat conscia curas. quam tali adloquitur Nemeae pacator honore: 'Ante Iouem generata, decus diuumque hominumque, qua sine non tellus pacem, non aequora norunt, iustitiae consors...'

Silius Italicus Punica

“Love of life, which departs last from the heart.”
Qui mente novissimus exit, lucis amor.

Statius book Thebaid

“But love for an object eternal and infinite feeds the mind with joy alone, and a joy which is free from all sorrow. This is something greatly to be desired and to be sought with all our strength.”
Sed amor erga rem aeternam et infinitam sola laetitia pascit animum, ipsaque omnis tristitiae est expers; quod valde est desiderandum totisque viribus quaerendum.

Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677) Dutch philosopher

“To her Lord, her Father; her Husband, her Brother; his Servant his Child; his Wife, his Sister; and to express all that is humble, respectful and loving to her Abelard, Heloise writes this.”
Domino suo, imo Patri; Conjugi suo, imo Fratri; Ancilla sua, imo Filia; ipsius Uxor, imo Soror; Abaelardo Heloisa, &c. Abel. Op.

Heloise (1101–1164) French nun, writer, scholar, and abbess

“One who mocked Jove's ardent wooing, unmoved by heavenly suitors; not Halys only or Apollo were deceived by the trickery of the nymph they loved.”
Blandos que Iovis quae luserat ignes caelicolis immota procis: deceptus amatae fraude deae nec solus Halys nec solus Apollo.

Gaius Valerius Flaccus book Argonautica

“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient and ever new! Late have I loved you! And, behold, you were within me, and I out of myself, and there I searched for you.”
Sero te amavi, pulchritudo tam antiqua et tam nova, sero te amavi! et ecce intus eras et ego foris, et ibi te quaerebam.

Aurelius Augustinus book Confessions

“I have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and therefore I die in exile.”
Dilexi iustitiam et odi iniquitatem; propterea morior in exilio.

Pope Gregory VII Pope from 1073 to 1085

“So true it is that love of money alone is incapable of dreading death by the sword.”
Usque adeo solus ferrum mortemque timere auri nescit amor.

Marcus Annaeus Lucanus book Pharsalia

“Beyond the cloud-wrapt chambers of western gloom and Aethiopia's other realm there stands a motionless grove, impenetrable by any star; beneath it the hollow recesses of a deep and rocky cave run far into a mountain, where the slow hand of Nature has set the halls of lazy Sleep and his untroubled dwelling. The threshold is guarded by shady Quiet and dull Forgetfulness and torpid Sloth with ever drowsy countenance. Ease, and Silence with folded wings sit mute in the forecourt and drive the blustering winds from the roof-top, and forbid the branches to sway, and take away their warblings from the birds. No roar of the sea is here, though all the shores be sounding, nor yet of the sky; the very torrent that runs down the deep valley nigh the cave is silent among the rocks and boulders; by its side are sable herds, and sheep reclining one and all upon the ground; the fresh buds wither, and a breath from the earth makes the grasses sink and fail. Within, glowing Mulciber had carved a thousand likenesses of the god: here wreathed Pleasure clings to his side, here Labour drooping to repose bears him company, here he shares a couch with Bacchus, there with Love, the child of Mars. Further within, in the secret places of the palace he lies with Death also, but that dread image is seen by none. These are but pictures: he himself beneath humid caverns rests upon coverlets heaped with slumbrous flowers, his garments reek, and the cushions are warm with his sluggish body, and above the bed a dark vapour rises from his breathing mouth. One hand holds up the locks that fall from his left temple, from the other drops his neglected horn.”
Stat super occiduae nebulosa cubilia Noctis Aethiopasque alios, nulli penetrabilis astro, lucus iners, subterque cavis graue rupibus antrum it uacuum in montem, qua desidis atria Somni securumque larem segnis Natura locavit. limen opaca Quies et pigra Oblivio servant et numquam vigili torpens Ignauia vultu. Otia vestibulo pressisque Silentia pennis muta sedent abiguntque truces a culmine ventos et ramos errare vetant et murmura demunt alitibus. non hic pelagi, licet omnia clament litora, non ullus caeli fragor; ipse profundis vallibus effugiens speluncae proximus amnis saxa inter scopulosque tacet: nigrantia circum armenta omne solo recubat pecus, et nova marcent germina, terrarumque inclinat spiritus herbas. mille intus simulacra dei caelaverat ardens Mulciber: hic haeret lateri redimita Voluptas, hic comes in requiem vergens Labor, est ubi Baccho, est ubi Martigenae socium puluinar Amori obtinet. interius tecti in penetralibus altis et cum Morte jacet, nullique ea tristis imago cernitur. hae species. ipse autem umentia subter antra soporifero stipatos flore tapetas incubat; exhalant vestes et corpore pigro strata calent, supraque torum niger efflat anhelo ore vapor; manus haec fusos a tempore laevo sustentat crines, haec cornu oblita remisit.

Statius book Thebaid

“That he had love-affairs in the provinces, too, is suggested by another of the ribald verses sung during the Gallic triumph:
Home we bring our bald whoremonger;
Romans, lock your wives away!
All the bags of gold you lent him
Went his Gallic tarts to pay.”
Ne provincialibus quidem matrimoniis abstinuisse vel hoc disticho apparet iactato aeque a militibus per Gallicum triumphum:<br/>"Urbani, servate uxores: moechum calvom adducimus.<br/>Aurum in Gallia effutuisti, hic sumpsisti mutuum."

Sueton book The Twelve Caesars

“Theologian: But what is to love?
Philosopher: To be delighted by the happiness of another.”
Theologus: Amare autem? Philosophus: Felicitate alterius delectari.

Gottfried Leibniz (1646–1716) German mathematician and philosopher

“So many lovely things, so rare, so young,
A day begat them, and a day will end.”
Tot species, tantosque ortus variosque novatus<br/>una dies aperit, conficit ipsa dies.

Ausonius (310–395) poet

“None knows the reason why this curse
Was sent on him, this love of making verse.”
Nec satis apparet, cur versus factitet.

Horace Ars Poetica

“That which you weep for is what you really loved.”
Quod defles, illud amasti.

Marcus Annaeus Lucanus book Pharsalia

“I hate and love. Why I do so, perhaps you ask. I know not, but I feel it, and I am in torment.”
Odi et amo. quare id faciam, fortasse requiris. nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.

Gaio Valerio Catullo list of poems by Catullus