“Catullus” Painted by Polish Artist Stefan Bakałowicz

As I am reading a biography of Caesar Augustus, I thought I would present a delightful poem by Catullus (84-64 BCE):

Fabullus, provided the gods favor you,
in a few days’ time we’ll be dining well.
For your part could you bring a decent

sizable meal, a fair-fleshed girl and
also, the wine with your wit and laughter?
If you can manage these, dear friend,

we’ll be dining in style, for right now
Catullus’ purse is a nest of cobwebs;
for your noble efforts you’ll get the

most pure friendship, and all things
sweet and agreeable. I’ll have a perfume
that is my girl’s, it was given her by Venus

and the Cupids. It is so sweet, Fabullus
that when you smell it, you’ll wish
you were nothing but nose.