Gaius Valerius Catullus (Classical Latin: [ˈɡaːiʊs waˈɫɛriʊs kaˈtʊlːʊs]; c. 84 - c. 54 BCE), often referred to simply as Catullus (Classical Latin: [kaˈtʊlːʊs], kə-TUL-əs), was a Latin poet of the late Roman Republic who wrote chiefly in the neoteric style of poetry, focusing on personal life rather than classical heroes. His surviving works are still read widely and continue to influence poetry and other forms of art.