Catullus 86

Catullus 86 is a Latin poem of six lines in elegiac couplets by the Roman poet Catullus.

Latin Text

Quintia formosa est multis, mihi candida, longa,
recta est. haec ego sic singula confiteor,
totum illud “formosa” nego: nam nulla venustas,

nulla in tam magno est corpore mica salis.
Lesbia formosa est, quae cum pulcherrima tota est,

tum omnibus una omnis subripuit Veneres.

Translation

Quintia is beautiful to many, to me she is fair, tall,
And upright. I thus confess all these things individually,
I deny all this "beautiful": for no charm,
Not a grain of salt is in so great a body.
Lesbia is beautiful, who is not only wholly the most beautiful,
But has alone stolen every charm from all women.

Analysis

On the inferiority of Quintia to Lesbia, Catullus further treats in 43.1ff. Quintia is evidently not the Sister of the Quintius of 82.1ff. and 100.1ff; for this poem dates from the time of the faith of Catullus in Lesbia, at which time Quintius was his friend.