Catullus Caius

, or Quintus Valerius , a poet of Verona, whose compositions, elegant and simple, are the offspring of a luxuriant imagination. He was acquainted with the most distinguished people of his age, and directed his satire against Cæsar, whose only revenge was to invite the poet, and hospitably entertain him at his table. Catullus was the first Roman who imitated with succe the Greek writers, and introduced their numbers among the Latins. Though the pages of the poet are occasionally disfigured with licentious expre ions, the whole is written with great purity of style. Catullus died in the 46th year of his age, B.C. 40. The best editions of his works, which consist only of epigrams, are that of Vulpius, 4to, Patavii, 1737, and that of Barbou, 12mo, Paris, 1754. Martial , bk. 1 , ltr. 62 .— Ovid , Tristia , bk. 2 , li. 427 .――A man surnamed Urbicarius , was a mimographer. Juvenal , satire 13, li. 111 .