Name: Staci McGill
Date: 12/14/2008 08:51:39 PM ET
Horace's use of adjectives serves to enhance the poem and to bring about a greater
image of love. By the use of pure ("purus" Line 1) to describe his liver,
believed to be the center of feeling during Roman times, he is holding out hope to
secure his one true love by not staining it, but also by not wishing to guard himself
with a poisoned ("veneatis...sagittis" Line 3) arrow also serves to prove
that he wishes to keep all potential poison away from his heart. For many this
provides an image of a strong yet tender man which is what many women dream of
having as their man. He also uses the adjectives describing Caucasus as
inhospitable ("inhospitalem" Line 6) which again serves to create an
enhanced image of a man traversing treacherous environments which is appealing
to many looking for a husband.
Name: Morgan Ashley Davenport
Date: 01/12/2009 07:56:39 AM ET
Horace deliberatly uses adjectives that enhance his message that love makes him
invulnerable and strong, so much so that a "lupus" (line 9) fled from him
in the woods, even though he was "inermen" (line 12). Some examples are
"aestuosas" (line 5), "in hospitem" (line 6), and
"malusque" (line 19). All of these adjectives prop up the perils Horace
is facing with only love as a defense, which makes his love all the stronger. His
use of adjectives in this poem is integral to the message.
Name: Alexandra Strauss
Date: 03/25/2009 04:20:38 PM ET
Interestingly, Horace talks of invulnerability in relationship to love, ideas
that often seems at odds. The use of "purus" in line 1 sets up the tone
of the poem; as it begins, the audience thinks of him (esp. his liver, his center) as
being pure, perfect, invinceble. Without this strong beginning, the rest would fallen
flat. In the middle section, Horace brings up the dangers he faces without armor
or protection, just his love. Words like "inhospitalis" show the horrors
and difficulty that he face. The majority of this poem contributes to this section,
emphasizing the scope of his ordeals. At the end, he clearly states what gives him
the power: love. Her sweet (dulce) smile and sweet voice. Dulce is such a sweet word
to say that is seems like the perfect descriptor to describe a motivationally wonderful
thing. This gives the emotional clinch to the poem that brings it from hyperbolic
adventures to a realistic yet equally remarkable love.
Name: Daniel Rasch
Date: 04/02/2009 12:51:58 AM ET
The weapons Horace describes as unneccesary are appropriately labeled
"poisoned" or "weighed down" (venenantis & gravida). Who needs
those barbaric, dangerous, cumbersome weapons when you have love?
The locations traveled in, which Horace again describes as no big deal, are also
labeled with extreme adjectives (aestuosas...inhospitalem). But again: you've got
love, you'll be fine!
The final adjectives (okay, I cheated: one's an adverb, and two of them are really
present active participles... but they work!) of the poem describe Lalagen, Horace's
sweetheart. She laughs sweetly and talks sweetly (dulce ridentem...dulce loquerem);
and according to Horace, this is enough inspiration to love her wherever he may be;
whether he's in a frozen camp or under Phoebus' chariot itself.
"All you need is love... *ba da da du-du-dum...*"
Name: Kendall Brooke Layton
Date: 06/09/2009 05:54:43 PM ET
In Ode 1.22, Horace uses vivid adjectives throughout his entire poem to enhance its
message. Beginning by giving the general idea that a moral person shouldn’t have to fear
misfortune, he further explains this by delving into a story. One adjective he uses is
'purus,' meaning pure, free from crime, upright in life. He uses this word to modify
those who are pure in life and unstained by guilt to explain those who do not need to
fear misfortunes or worry about tomorrow's troubles, because the important thing is
that they stay pure in life and unmarked by guilt (integer vitae scelerisque purus
non eget Mauris iaculis neque arcu; 1-2; no need of Moorish archer's craft to guard
the pure and stainless liver). Next, he uses the adjective 'venenatus,' meaning
poisonous, to modify the word arrows (nec venenatis gravida sagittis, Fusce,
pharetra; 3-4; nor bow nor quiver loaded with poisoned arrows, Fuscus). This
to me, describes how Horace perceives that every person should strive to remain
pure and innocent in life so as to not use 'poisoned' words or commit evil
deeds that would hurt anyone else. Lastly, Horace uses the adjective ‘imermem,’
meaning unarmed, modifying himself alone in the Sabine woods (terminum curis vagor
expeditis fugit inermem; 11-12; unarmed and free from care, there fled from me a wolf).
I think he used this adjective to enhance his poem in continuing with his whole theory
that if you remain pure and un-poisoned in life, you will never have to worry about
evil coming your way.
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