You importune me, Tucca, to present you with my books. I shall not do so; for you want to sell, not to read, them.

Short is the life of those who possess great accomplishments, and seldom do they reach a good old age. Whatever thou lovest, pray that thou mayest not set too high a value on it.

You are sad in the midst of every blessing. Take care that Fortune does not observe--or she will call you ungrateful.

I am a shell-fish just come from being saturated with the waters of the Lucrine lake, near Baiae; but now I luxuriously thrust for noble pickle.

I would not miss your face, your neck, your hands, your limbs, your bosom and certain other of your charms. Indeed, not to become boring by naming them all, I could do without you, Chloe, altogether.

A good man doubles the length of his existence; to have lived so as to look back with pleasure on our past existence is to live twice.

You admire, Vacerra, only the poets of old and praise only those who are dead. Pardon me, I beseech you, Vacerra, if I think death too high a price to pay for your praise.