Catullus

Gaius Valerius Catullus (84–54 BC) is one of the most famous lyric poets of ancient Rome, a contemporary of Cicero, Caesar, and Pompey. In search of a better fate, Catullus left his native Verona and moved to Rome, where he met his fellow poets and began a love affair with the debauched aristocrat Clodia, who played a fateful role in his life. Catullus's poems have been translated into many languages of the world and occupy an honorable place in the gold fund of world literature. The author, a specialist in ancient history, painstakingly reconstructs the poet's biography, portraying it against the broad backdrop of the socio-political life of Rome during the decline of the Republic.