Ere to the world gave forth Cinna the labour of years—
'Smyrna;' but in one month Hortensius hundred on hundred
Verses, an unripe birth feeble, of hurry begot."
Our poet goes on, in verses somewhat defective and corrupt, to say that Cinna's masterpiece will be studied by ages yet unborn, whereas the annals of Volusius—the scribbler of whom the 36th poem written for Lesbia records Catullus's opinion—may expect one inevitable destiny—to be used as wrappers for mackerel and other cheap fish. It is but fair to add that Virgil passingly alludes to the poetry of Cinna as meritorious.[1]
There remain one or two other contemporaries of kindred vein of whom we know only the names, and what Catullus has written on them. Such are Cæcilius and Cornificius, to whom are addressed his 35th and 38th poems. The former, as is gathered from the first of these, dwelt, or had a villa, near the town and lake of Como—
In many a dimpling smile"—
and this Catullus exhorted him to quit upon a visit to himself at Verona, not, however, without shrewd misgivings that there was a charming cause for his
- ↑ Virgil, Ecl. ix. 35.
