| Horace |
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Quintus Horatius FlaccusHis LifeQuintus Horatius Flaccus was born on December. 8, 65 B.C., in Venusia in southern Italy. He refers to himself as libertino natus patre - the son of a freedman. In Satire 1.6 he tells us that his father was a coactor argentarius (auction broker) and publicanus (tax collector). Horace recalls him with affection and respect. He does not mention his mother, brothers, or sisters but does refer to his nurse, Pullia. One assumes his mother may have died early in his life, perhaps in childbirth. Horace's father was able to save enough money to take his son to be educated in Rome and Athens. In Rome Horace studied with L. Orbilius Pupillus, whom he recalls as plagosus, 'fond of not sparing the rod.' Horace's own father served as paedogogus, escorting him to school, giving him sound advice, and protecting him from dangers. At the age of 19, Horace continued his education in Athens at the Academy founded by Plato. Among his fellow students was M. Cicero, son of the orator; M. Valerius Messalla; and many other sons of patrician families. His studies at the Academy were interrupted by the Civil War that followed the assassination of Caesar in 44 B.C. Brutus,one of the assassins, arrived in Athens in September of 44 to raise an army which would fight against Octavian and Antony. The people of Athens, the birthplace of democracy, welcomed the man whom they felt had killed a tyrant to preserve a republic. Many of the young Roman students were attracted to his cause. Horace attached himself to Brutus and was appointed military tribune, a rank usually given to sons of senators and equites. His military career was cut short, however, when Brutus and Cassius and the cause of the Roman republic were defeated in November at Philippi. There are some allusions that Horace deserted after this defeat. Whatever actually occurred, he was definitely on the losing side and when he returned to Rome, he discovered his father had died and his property had been confiscated. He tells us he turned to poetry because of this new-found poverty. Patronage was not uncommon and perhaps he hoped to find a patron who would support him. In 39, Augustus decreed a period of general amnesty and Horace benefited from this act. He began his life in public office as a clerk in the state treasury. At this time he was writing his Epodes and probably met Vergil, who in turn introduced him to Maecenas in 38 B.C. Under the patronage of Maecenas, Horace could concentrate on his writing. Augustus too was captured by the writing skills of Horace and, through Augustus and Maecenas, he became part of the literary elite. Augustus even offered Horace a position as private secretary, which Horace rejected although he retained Augustus's favor. The gifts bestowed on him by the wealthy Maecenas and Augustus allowed him to buy a Sabine farm where he could write in the peace of the countryside. Horace continually refers to the relationship between himself and Maecenas as one of mutual concern and friendship, not one of patron and client, despite the substantial gifts he received from Maecenas. Suetonius' descriptions and Horace's own writings give us a sketchy portrait of the man: somewhat short, plump, and very charming. Suetonius adds that Horace never married. We know next to nothing of the last five years of Horace's life. He died at age 57 on November 27, 8 B.C., and was buried on the Esquiline Hill next to Maecenas, who had died a few months earlier. His Work and PhilosophyHorace's first works were a book of Satires (10 poems). He wrote of the need for a life of growth through serenity. They were followed by the Epodes, an attack on the abuses of the elite and ruthless ambitions. A second book of Satires followed. In 23 B.C., He published the Odes, a collection of 88 poems concerned with love, friendship and beauty. The Epistles followed (19-15 B.C.) and a Secular Hymn which had been commissioned by Augustus. His last work was a final book of Odes. Horace's poetry taught moderation and simplicity with humor and wit, promoting virtues that were much lacking during the period in which he lived. Augustus was quite concerned about the breakdown in morals and values. He tried to impose various sumptuary laws, limiting, for example, how many courses could be served at a banquet, or banning clothing made of silk. (These laws were about as effective as Prohibition was in America in the 1920s.) When Horace, who had learned about Epicurean philosophy in Greece, began to espouse some of its practices through his poetry, he naturally found favor with Augustus. Most Romans were seeking direction for their lives that they did not see coming from the gods of Olympus. Educated Romans dismissed the Olympian religion as a way to keep the common people amenable to direction from higher authority (including that of the rulers of Rome). But most -- with the exception of the Epicureans -- also believed in some form of life after death. Horace is inconsistent in religious and philosophical reasoning. He appears to be agnostic rather than an atheist, since he does acknowledge that there may be a divine power guiding humanity. But a man such as Horace could not think of Augustus as a deity -- a man with whom he joked about gaining weight. He laughs at philosophy but goes on to discuss it seriously, and a theme that repeatedly turns up in his writings is the Aristotelian Golden Mean. Horace seems inclined to the Epicurean view that the only thing to survive death is fame. Sources
J. Jahnige, February 2000 |
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