Varro (RR 2, 1, 2) refers to his ‘nobiles pecuariae’ in Bruttium inherited, as Cichorius suggests, from the poet. […] In Verona the father of the poet Catullus, no doubt a person of substance, was the friend and host of the proconsul:4 among his officers were knights from the aristocracy of the towns. 5 Benefits anticipated were more potent than benefits conferred. […] The poet may have owed something to the patronage of the Metelli. […] At auction Pompeius’ property brought in fifty million denarii: it was worth much more. 6 Antonius and the poet Q. […] Among Caesar’s nominees may be reckoned the Hostilii from Cremona and the poet Helvius Cinna, tribune of the plebs in 44 B.C.4 Gallia Narbonensis can assert a peculiar and proper claim to be the home of trousered senators.