Catullus

Let's focus on some Latin poetry, this time by Catullus [c84-54 b.c.]. His full name was Caius Valerius Catullus, and there's more of his work here and here for tons of info and poems. It's important to remember that the Romans were totally different in culture than our modern world. They had different views on everything--and all of the elite had slaves. Catullus wrote about love for women, love for younger men, and deep passions of every possible kind.

Let's also look at the use of the Latin word 'lymphae' below, because Lympha was an ancient Roman goddess of fresh water [ie the divine aspect of how water is clear and life-giving]. There were special agricultural deities that farmers were often particularly devoted to. Also don't forget that the Romans [and others in the ancient world] often conceived of religion as a series of gods who chose to make themselves known to people. If you made a deal with them, they would probably fulfill their end of the bargain, ie. you donate an ox to a religious feast or ceremony, and the god gives you a good harvest. If it doesn't work, you probably messed up your end of it. 

Gods were simply out there, everywhere. They didn't 'belong' to anyone, but they could 'help' anyone. A god from Persia could be worshipped by a cult/group in Rome with no issue. Many worshipped Isis and other foreign gods. 

'Falernian' is wine from a certain region in Italy. 'Postumia' is a woman that Catallus knows. 'Thyonianus' is a epithet or poetic name for Bacchus/Dionysus; it comes from his symbol of the thyrsus (θύρσος), the honey dipped, pinecone topped, and ivy or tainia ribbon decorated poles [ie wands/scepters] of his followers, especially the maenads.

XXVII.

Boy cupbearer of old Falernian,                              Minister vetuli puer Falerni

pour me fiercer cups                                                Inger mi calices amariores,

as bids the laws of Postumia,                               Vt lex Postumiae iubet magistrae,

mistress of the feast, drunker than a drunken grape.            Ebriosa acina ebriosioris.

But ye, hence, as far as ye please, crystal waters,               At vos quo lubet hinc abite, lymphae

bane of wine, hie ye to the sober:                                     Vini pernicies, et ad severos

here the Thyonian juice is pure.                            Migrate: hic merus est Thyonianus.

Here is a simpler translation, from here at PoetryinTranslation:

Serving-boy fill for me stronger cups

of old Falernian, since Postumia,

the mistress’s, laws demand it,

she who’s juicier then the juicy grape.

But you water, fatal to wine, away with you:

far off, wherever, be off to the strict.

This wine is Bacchus’s own.

Another translation, more stylized:                     To his Cup-Boy.

Thou youngling drawer of Falernian old

Crown me the goblets with a bitterer wine

As was Postumia's law that rules the feast

Than ebriate grape-stone more inebriate.

But ye fare whither please ye (water-nymphs!)

To wine pernicious, and to sober folk

Migrate ye: mere Thyonian juice be here!