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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
“Horati Flacci ut
mei memor esto.”
“Be mindful of
Horatius Flaccus
as though he
were myself.”
13 BC Odes IV and Epistles II
8 BC Death of Maecenas, and Horace 59 days later
Roman Satire
1. Quintilian (1st c. AD) ascribed satire
(genre comprising humorous ridicule)
to Lucilius (180-102 BC)
2. First incidence of Latin term, “satura,” in
work of Ennius (239-169 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