Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-08 BC)

65 BC Born in Venusia in S. Italy. Son of a freedman auctioneer’s agent. Educated in Rome, then Athens 44 BC Assassination of Julius Caesar. Horace serves as tribune in army of Brutus 42 BC Returns to Rome. Becomes treasury official 38 BC Gains patronage of Maecenas

35 BC Satires I 30 BC Epodes and Satires II 23 BC Odes I-III 19 BC Epistles I 17 BC Secular Hymn 13 BC Odes IV and Epistles II 8 BC Death of Maecenas, and Horace 59 days later “Horati Flacci ut mei memor esto.” “Be mindful of Horatius Flaccus as though he were myself.”

Roman Satire 1. Quintilian (1st c. AD) ascribed satire (genre comprising humorous ridicule) to Lucilius ( BC) 2. First incidence of Latin term, “satura,” in work of Ennius ( BC), in Saturae 3. Lucilius used satire to make harsh attacks 4. Horace claims Lucilius as model, but is much more gentle with mockery

Roman Odes 1. Thoughtful contemplation of a topic 2. Ode form generally dated back to Greek poet Pindar (518?-c. 438 BC), who adapted choral odes of Greek theatre to write poems celebrating success of athletes in elevated moral tone and religiously pious style 3. Horace writes on various topics, including politics, love, friendship, aging, death, enjoyment of life, ethics and poetry