Gaius Valerius Catullus (c.84–c.54 BC) came from a wealthy Verona family. He was part of a new movement in Latin poetry, fusing Roman vernacular traditions with imported Greek forms. Although his poetry mentions many famous figures of his day, including Cicero and Julius Caesar, little is known of Catullus’ own life. A few poems refer to his provincial service in Bithynia in 57 BC, while his married mistress, Lesbia, may have been the notorious noblewoman Clodia Metelli. According to classical tradition Catullus died at the age of 30. Despite its high reputation, most of his poetry was subsequently lost for over a thousand years, to be rediscovered during the Renaissance.
Bloodaxe published Josephine Balmer's translation Catullus: Poems of Love and Hate in 2004 simultaneously with her collection Chasing Catullus, her own new poems with fresh versions of ancient texts.
