To Emmelie Prophète, in memory of that long conversation about style and a few fits of laughter

Maecenas is one of my favorite characters in literature. He was Virgil’s friend, and Virgil in fact introduced him to Horace. You remember that line, “Carpe diem,” which recommends enjoying the present moment? Well, it is a line by Horace. Maecenas had formed a small circle of poets whom he discreetly supported. Maecenas was not an artist, but a wealthy private adviser to Emperor Augustus. I was amazed by this discovery, having always heard of a patron, but never of Maecenas himself. What delighted me was that this man, who in no way claimed to be Virgil or Horace, would become a common noun in the world of the arts. His fame easily crossed two millennia and remains forever associated with his poet friends.