The Complete Odes and Epodes

by Horace

  12–13. words were eaten: a more literal translation would be ‘dust was bitten’.

  14. This line refers satirically to Homer’s habit of using divinities to rescue his heroes from military embarrassments.

  23. Perfume was customarily kept in phials made from sea-shells.

  25–6. For master of wine see note on I.4.17–18.

  9

  13. This line refers to Nestor, whose son, killed in the Trojan War, was Antilochus (cf. line 15).

  10

  19. Apollo’s archery, when he turned it against man, brought disease and blight.

  13

  19. dungeons: Horace’s expression is Italum robur (‘Italian oak’ or ‘Italian strength’), which may mean something equivalent to the English ‘heart of oak’. However, robur was used regularly to denote the dungeon of Rome (the Tullianum).

  24. Aeolian: though a Lesbian, Sappho – and Alcaeus – used the Aeolic dialect. (See Glossary: Lesbos .)

  28, 32. Alcaeus himself was exiled from Lesbos for his opposition to the tyrant Myrsilus, who was later driven out.

  34. Cerberus – more usually credited with three heads.

  14

  9. Styx.

  23. The cypress was associated, as in later times, with death and grieving.

  15

  4–5. Grapevines were usually trained upon (or ‘married to’) elms; plane trees were unsuitable for this purpose.

  17. The common turf was protected because it was used to build outdoor altars and to roof cottages.

  16

  9–10. The consul was the military commander of Rome – his was the most senior magisterial office. The lictor walked before him on ceremonial occasions carrying the fasces – see note on I.12.35.

  38. The little farm was the small Sabine estate presented to Horace by Maecenas.

  39. Grecian Muse: see Glossary: Lesbos.

  17

  17–20. These lines refer to Maecenas’ well-known interest in astrology – which Horace did not share.

  25–6. See note on I.20. 3–8.

  27. Cf. II. 13.

  18

  13. my powerful friend: Maecenas, who had given Horace the Sabine farm referred to in line 12.

  119

  13. Marooned by Theseus on Naxos, Ariadne was rescued and married by Bacchus, who gave her a crown of seven stars which became a constellation after her death.

  29–32. Bacchus had gone into the underworld to bring back his mother Semele.

  20

  17. dissimulating fear: see note on I.19. 12.

  ODES, BOOK III

  1

  10. The Campus was the Campus Martius, or Field of Mars, where the Romans exercised and trained.

  16. The Romans drew lots by shaking dockets in an urn.

  20–21. An allusion to Damocles.

  26. Arcturus and Haedus (the Kid) are constellations that set and rise in late and early October respectively.

  31–2. The Dog-star (Canicula) was considered to parch the field in summer.

  39. War-galleys were bronze-beaked by virtue of a metal-sheathed ram on the bow, at or below the water-line, the purpose of which was to hole and thus sink enemy vessels.

  2

  13. This is the celebrated line: ‘Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori’ – ‘the old lie’, as Wilfred Owen called it.

  29. Ancient of Days: Diespiter, Jupiter.

  3

  15–16. Having founded and become the first king of Rome, Romulus (Quirinus) was said to have disappeared in a thunderstorm in a chariot drawn by the horses of Mars, his father.

  20,24. Paris was the partial judge who in his famous ‘judgement’ preferred Aphrodite (Venus) to Hera (Juno) and Athene (Minerva). His prize was Helen, the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta.

  21. Helen (see preceding note) was the foreign woman – Paris brought her to Troy.

  25–6. The egregious guest and Spartan adult’ress were Paris (in Sparta) and Helen – see note on lines 20, 24 above.

  31–6. Juno was the mother of Mars, who was the father, by Rhea Silvia – or Ilia, a Trojan priestess (see Glossary: Ilia) – of Romulus, my hateful grandson, the founder of Rome.

  60. Augustus was rumoured to have contemplated at one time moving the seat of government from Rome to the east.

  4

  9–16. These names from the region around Venusia would have been quite unfamiliar to a metropolitan Roman.

  41–2. These lines are the fulcrum of the poem. Having refreshed Caesar by the performance of some work(s) of art (cf. line 37), the Muses now give him lene consilium, ‘calm wisdom’ or advice. They turn from aesthetics to the policies of Rome, the two domains being united by resting upon order, proportion, harmony – principles the Muses well understand. The artefact (as it were) to be achieved by Augustus is an ordered peace, and his pursuit of this end is as glorious as Jove’s suppression of the disorderly revolt of the Giants/Titans: thus the last 38 lines of the poem constitute one sustained metaphor.

  45. him who controls: Jupiter.

  49. progeny: see Glossary: Giants and Titans.

  63–4. The places named are associated with Apollo. He had an oracle at Patara on the river Xanthus in Lycia (south of Troy). The island of Delos was his birthplace.

  73–6. See Glossary: Giants.

  5

  10. the sacred shields: these were kept by the Salii (priests of Mars) and symbolized the stability of the empire.

  11. toga: the proper and proudly worn dress of a Roman citizen.

  6

  14. At the battle of Actium archers from Dacia fought alongside Cleopatra’s Egyptians.

  23. to her dainty fingernails: a more conventional rendering would be ‘from her tenderest years’ (i.e. from the time when her fingernails were tender). For an interesting argument which supports my reading cf. p.66 of Gordon Williams’ Third Book of Horace’s Odes (Oxford, 1969).

  7

  6. The constellation of the Goat rises at the end of September, a season of storms.

  26–8. Exercise on the Field of Mars was usually followed by bathing in the Tiber.

  8

  1–4. The Kalends of March was the Matronalia, a festival celebrated by married women in honour of Juno in her role of goddess of childbirth. Lines 3–4 refer to sacrifice on an outdoor altar.

  6. Cf. II.13.

  11. It was thought that smoking the jar helped the wine to mature.

  21. The Cantabri were defeated in 29 B.C.

  9

  11. Greek and Roman music employed a number of modes, each of which was clearly associated with specific emotions. One mode differed from another approximately as major differs from minor in tonal music. (The word modos is translated here as ‘modes’ on the assumption that its denotation of measure or quantity can apply to discriminations of pitch.)

  10

  3–20. It was a conventional posture of the unrequited lover to lie stretched out at the beloved’s threshold.

  10. Horace does not specify any particular implement or machine, yet the image is vivid and its relevance plain.

  11

  3–4. The barbitos, the lyre of Lesbos, made from tortoise-shell.

  15–16. Cerberus so succumbed when Orpheus entered the underworld to attempt to rescue from death his wife Eurydice.

  3 3. Just one: Hypermnestra.

  12

  The soliloquy form (Neobule addresses herself) is unique in Horace, as is the metre of this poem.

  13

  3. Horace will celebrate the Fontinalia (13 October).

  9. The Dog-Days, i.e. the days of the Dog-star (Canicula), were usually reputed to be the hottest.

  14

  1–4. Augustus returned from his Spanish campaign, in the course of which he contracted a serious illness, in 25 B.C.

  18. The Marsian troubles were the Social War (91 or 90–88 B.C.) between Rome and the Italian allies (Socii) over the question of franchise. It was inconclusive, but full Roman citizenship was later granted to all t
he Italians.

  28. Plancus was consul in 42 B.C., the year of the battle of Philippi, when Horace was twenty-three.

  15

  13–16. The point is that at her age Chloris should occupy herself with domesticity, not dissipation.

  16

  11–12. The Argive prophet was Amphiarius. He was persuaded by his wife to take part in the expedition of the Seven against Thebes, which he knew would end in disaster. She in turn had been bribed by Polynices, rightful king of Thebes.

  13. The Macedonian was Philip II (father of Alexander the Great), who gained possession of many Greek cities by bribery.

  20. Maecenas preferred to remain an influential eques (knight) instead of moving into the professional, senatorial class.

  34–5. Laestrygonian jars contained the wine of Formiae, founded by Lamus, legendary king of the Laestrygonians.

  18

  10. Nones of December: the Faunalia were celebrated on 5 December.

  19

  14–17. There were nine… Muses and three Graces.

  20

  15. the boy shanghai’d: Ganymede.

  22

  1. Virgin: Diana.

  2–3. Diana shared with Juno the function of presiding over childbirth.

  4. In heaven, Luna (the moon); on earth, Diana; in the underworld, Hecate.

  23

  20. sputtering: because thrown on the fire.

  24

  1. intact: because untouched by Rome.

  3. Many editors read terrenum (‘mainland’) for Tyrrhenum (‘Tuscan’).

  4. I follow the alternative reading publicum (‘common’) for Apulicum, since no one built grand villas on the coast of Apulia.

  28. Father of Cities: a reference to Augustus, who was called pater patriae (‘father of his country’).

  57. Things Greek were liable to be thought vicious or effeminate. A hoop was a favourite gift from a young man to the boy he loved.

  26

  3–8. The arms etc. are dedicated to Venus and hung up in her temple like trophies.

  7. The levers and axes were to break down the door where gentler means (e.g. the lyre of line 5) had failed to gain admittance. (I prefer Bentley’s secures to the arcus of the MSS since axes would provide a more practicable means of forcing entry than would bows and arrows.)

  9–10. According to one version of the legend, Venus was first washed ashore at Paphos, in Cyprus. One of her many temples was at Memphis, in Egypt.

  27

  15. The left was the unlucky side in augury.

  25. So denotes (presumably) in similar weather, at the same season, with equivalent imprudence. Since Horace rehearses the story at considerable length (52 lines), one surmises that there may have been some further analogy or parallel between Europa’s case and that of ‘Galatea’: if so, it is lost.

  40–2. According to Homer, truly prophetic dreams come to the sleeper through the gate of horn, mere fantasies through that of ivory.

  28

  2. The Neptunalia were celebrated on 23 July.

  13–16. praise her: Venus. The island of Cnidos was associated with her, and according to one legend she was first washed ashore at Paphos, in Cyprus.

  29

  5. my estate: his Sabine farm, Maecenas’ gift.

  17–19. Andromeda’s… father was Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, who gave his name to a star. Cepheus, Procyon and Leo all rise in July.

  34. a river: e.g. the Tiber.

  62. his twin: Castor.

  30

  13. See Glossary: Lesbos.

  CENTENNIAL HYMN

  In 17 B.C. Augustus re-instituted the Secular Games, a festival celebrating the preservation of the State which was intended to be held every eleventh decade (saeculum): see lines 21–4. On the third and final day of the Games, an ode was sung in Apollo’s temple by a choir of boys and girls. Horace was commissioned to write it: the result was this Centennial Hymn.

  The stanzas of the Hymn are grouped into six triads (plus one stanza by way of a coda), each triad being unified thematically. This arrangement points the poem’s connection with the choric forms of the Greeks (e.g. Pindar), whose odes proceeded in triads of strophe, antistrophe and epode.

  8. the Seven Hills: of Rome.

  9. Sun: Apollo (Phoebus).

  13–16. Ilithyia was a Greek goddess of childbirth. Lucina was Juno’s name in this same capacity. Genitalis (‘bringer of birth’) is a title not found elsewhere.

  17. Goddess: Diana, in her role of goddess of childbirth.

  18–20. In the hope of increasing the population, Augustus introduced legislation that laid a heavy tax on bachelors – to little avail.

  35. Luna: Diana in her role of goddess of the moon.

  49. he of Anchises’ and Venus’ pure blood: Augustus. Horace credits him with direct descent from Anchises and Venus since they were the parents of Aeneas.

  71. Fifteen Men: the keepers of the prophetic Sybilline Books, who had charge of the Secular Games.

  ODES, BOOK IV

  1

  2. so long: ten years (23–13 B.C.) had elapsed since the publication of Odes I, II and III, Epistles I and II intervening.

  12. See note on I.13.1–12.

  40. See note on III.7.26–8.

  2

  1. Julus Antonius, son of Mark Antony by Fulvia (brought up by his stepmother Octavia), obtained Augustus’ favour and was consul in 10 B.C. He is reported to have written an epic poem: Horace tactfully suggests that he is better qualified to compose a victory ode on Augustus’ expected return from Gaul in late 16 B.C.

  2–4. See Glossary: Icarus.

  11. dithyrambs: Greek choral odes, originally sung in honour of Dionysus (Bacchus). Pindar’s are composed in exceptionally free verse and audacious style.

  13–16. The reference is to paeans, hymns in honour of gods and heroes, such as Theseus who fought with the Lapiths against the Centaurs, and Bellerophon who killed the Chimaera.

  18. the Elean palm: the palm awarded to victors at Olympic games, which are celebrated in some of Pindar’s odes. (Elean because Olympia was in Elis.)

  25. swan of Dirce: Pindar. Dirce was a spring near Thebes, and therefore near the birthplace of Pindar.

  32. Horace refers to the intricacy of the numerous metres he adopted or adapted from Alcaeus and Sappho (see Glossary: Lesbos) and employed in the Odes.

  43–4. The law-courts were in the Forum and were closed on occasions of public rejoicing.

  50. See note on epode 9, lines 20–22.

  3

  3. The Isthmian games took place on alternate years on the Isthmus of Corinth.

  8. Delian wreaths were of laurel (or ‘bays’) which was sacred to Apollo, whose birthplace was the island of Delos.

  12. Aeolian: because Horace’s models Alcaeus and Sappho (see Glossary: Lesbos) wrote in the Aeolic dialect.

  17. Pierian virgin: the Muse (Euterpe or Melpomene).

  22. pointed out: as the commissioned author of the Centennial Hymn, cf. introductory note p.221.

  4

  A neo-Pindaric ode to celebrate the victories of Augustus’ stepsons in 15 B.C..

  2. king of the Gods: Jupiter.

  28. Neros: Tiberius (later emperor) and Drusus, Augustus’ stepsons.

  37–44. C. Claudius Nero (ancestor of the Neros of line 28) defeated Hasdrubal at the river Metaurus in 207 B.C., the first Roman victory over the Carthaginians after a series of defeats. The dire Carthaginian was Hannibal.

  73. The Claudian family was interrelated with the Julian, of which Augustus was a member.

  5

  Written during Augustus’ absence in Gaul and Spain from 16 to 13 B.C.

  21–4. Augustus enacted severe laws against adultery.

  29–32. This stanza presents rather an idealized picture of idyllic independence for Horace’s time: landowners whose farms were their homes were rare under Augustan ‘capitalism’.

  30. The Romans trained their grapevines to grow on trees: prior to such a �
�marriage’ the trees were lonely bachelors.

  31–6. The worship of Augustus as a demi-god was encouraged. The Senate decreed that libations should be poured to him at private meals as well as public banquets.

  6

  1. God: Phoebus (Apollo) – see line 26.

  11–12. Achilles was killed by Paris aided by Apollo.

  13. The Greeks sailed away from Troy leaving behind a great wooden horse, which the Trojans dragged into their city as the Greeks had expected. At night the men hidden inside the horse emerged and opened the gates to their returning fellows. Troy was sacked.

  22. your: Phoebus’.

  23–4. other walls: those of Rome.

  31. Horace now addresses the choir (of girls and boys) which is to perform his Centennial Hymn – see note on line 42 below.