Perhaps no classical writer has been so consistently in vogue as Horace. Famous in his own lifetime as a close associate of the Emperor Octavian, to whom he dedicated several odes, Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65–8 BC) has never really been out of fashion. Petrarch, for example, modelled his letters on Horace's innovative Epistles, while also borrowing from his Roman forebear in composing his own Italian sonnets.
The echo of Horace's voice can be found in almost every genre of medieval literature. And in later periods, this influence and popularity if anything increased. Yet, as Paul Allen Miller shows, while Horace may justifiably be called the poet for all seasons he is also in the end an enigma. His elusive, ironic contrariness is perhaps the true secret of his success. A cultured man of letters, he fought on the losing side of the Battle of Philippi (42 BC). A staunch Republican, he ended up eagerly (some said too eagerly) promoting the cause of Julio-Claudian imperialism. Viewed as the acme of Roman literary civilization, he was shaped by his Athens education at Plato's famous Academy. This new introduction reveals Horace in all his paradoxical genius and complexity.

- 216 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Horace
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Table of contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction • Why Horace, Why Now?
- I • Roman Socrates
- II • Going Soft on Canidia
- III • Exegi monumentum
- IV • Freedom, Friendship and the Ties that Bind
- Epilogue
- Notes
- Bibliography
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Yes, you can access Horace by Paul Allen Miller in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Roman Ancient History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.