You will dine well, my Fabullus, at my house
You will dine well at my house, my Fabullus,
in a few days (if the gods favor you),
and if you bring with you a great and good
dinner, not without a pretty girl
and wine and wit and laughs for all.
I say: if you bring these, our charming one,
you will dine well—for the little purse
of your Catullus is full of cobwebs.
But in return you will receive wonderous love
or something that is more elegant and more delightful:
for I will give you an oil, which the Venuses
and Cupids gave to my girl,
and when you smell it, you will ask the gods
to make you all nose, Fabullus.
