Sweet friend, Verannius, welcome home at last! Had I a thousand friends, all were surpass'd By my Verannius! Art thou _home_ return'd, To thine own household gods, and hearts that yearn'd To greet thee--brothers happy in one mind, And thy dear mother, too,--all fond, all kind? O happy, happy news! and now again To see thee safe! and hear thee talk of Spain-- Its history, places, people, and array, Telling of all in thy old pleasant way! And shall I hold thee in a friend's embrace, Gaze on thy mouth, and in thine eyes, and trace The features of the well-remember'd face! Oh, if one happiest man on earth there be, Amongst the happy, I, dear friend, am he! CURATE.--This Verannius, and his friend Fabullus, seem to have been upon the most intimate and familiar terms with our poet. Little presents, pledges of their mutual friendship, had doubtless been given and received. Catullus elsewhere complains against Marrucinus Asinius, that he had stolen a handkerchief, sent him out of Spain by Verannius and Fabullus. AQUILIUS.--Have you not translated it? CURATE.--No. AQUILIUS.--I have, and will read it, after yours to Verannius: and it is curious as showing that the Romans had the practice of using handkerchiefs, or napkins, of value,--perhaps such a fashion as is now revived by the other sex,--and embroidered with lace. GRATIAN.--Now, Mr Curate.--If you let our friend digress thus, we shall never have your version. CURATE.-- AD VERANNIUM. My friend, the dearest and the best, E'en though ten thousand I possess'd!-- My own Verannius! art thou come To greet again thy gods of home, And brethren that so well agree Together, and in loving thee-- And come to thy sweet mother, too? O blessed news! and it is true, That I shall see thee safe at last; And hear thee tell thy travel pass'd-- Of Spanish places, things, and tribes, (While every word my heart imbibes,) In thine old way: shall I embrace Thy neck--and kiss thy pleasant face? Find me the happy where you can, I still shall be the happiest man. GRATIAN.--What are we to have next? AQUILIUS.--An invitation to dinner, or, as the Romans made it, supper--and a curious invitation it is. Fabullus, to whom it was addressed, was companion to his friend Verannius--and both were with the pestilent Piso, in Spain. CURATE.--And brought little out of it; but returned poorer than they went--as did, it should seem, Catullus himself from Bithynia. So that I should imagine the invitation to Fabullus was a mere jest upon their mutual poverty. For it does not appear that Fabullus was in a condition to indulge in luxuries. AQUILIUS.--Perhaps, when the invitation was sent, Catullus was not aware that his friend had been as unsuccessful, under Piso, as he had himself been, under Memmius. Thus stands the invitation:-- AD FABULLUM.