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The Works of Horace

Table of Contents

Handy Literal Translations

The First Book of the Odes of Horace.

Ode i. To Maecenas.

Ode ii. To Augustus Caesar

Ode iii. To the Ship, in Which Virgil Was About to Sail to Athens.

Ode iv. To Sextius.

Ode v. To Pyrrha.

Ode vi. To Agrippa.

Ode vii. To Munatius Plancus.

Ode viii. To Lydia.

Ode ix. To Thaliarchus.

Ode x. To Mercury.

Ode xi. To Leuconoe.

Ode xii. To Augustus.

Ode xiii. To Lydia.

Ode xiv. To the Roman State.

Ode xv. To Paris.

Ode xvi. To a Young Lady Horace Had Offended.

Ode xvii. To Tyndaris.

Ode xviii. To Varus.

Ode xix. To Glycera.

Ode xx. To Maecenas.

Ode xxi. On Diana and Apollo.

Ode xxii. To Aristius Fuscus.

Ode xxiii. To Chloe.

Ode xxiv. To Virgil.

Ode xxv. To Lydia.

Ode xxvi. To Aelius Lamia.

Ode xxvii. To His Companions.

Ode xxviii. Archytas.

Ode xxix. To Iccius.

Ode xxx. To Venus.

Ode xxxi. To Apollo.

Ode xxxii. To His Lyre.

Ode xxxiii. To Albius Tibullus.

Ode xxxiv. Against the Epicurians.

Ode xxxv. To Fortune.

Ode xxxvii. To His Companions.

Ode xxxviii. To His Servant.

The Second Book of the Odes of Horace.

Ode i. To Asinius Pollio.

Ode ii. To Crispus Sallustius.

Ode iii. To Quintus Dellius.

Ode iv. To Xanthias Phoceus.

Ode vi. To Septimus.

Ode vii. To Pompeius Varus.

Ode viii. To Barine.

Ode ix. To Titus Valgius.

Ode x. To Licinius Murena.

Ode xi. To Quintius Hirpinus.

Ode xii. To Maecenas.

Ode xiii. To a Tree.

Ode xiv. To Postumus.

Ode xv. Against the Luxury of the Romans.

Ode xvi. To Grosphus.

Ode xvii. To Maecenas.

Ode xviii. Against Avarice and Luxury.

Ode xix. On Bacchus.

A Dithyrambic, or Drinking Song.

Ode xx. To Maecenas.

The Third Book of the Odes of Horace.

Ode i. On Contentment.

Ode ii. Against the Degeneracy of the Roman Youth.

Ode iii. On Steadiness and Integrity.

Ode iv. To Calliope.

Ode v. On the Recovery of the Standards From Phraates.

Ode vi. To the Romans.

Ode vii. To Asterie.

Ode viii. To Maecenas.

Ode ix. To Lydia.

Ode x. To Lyce.

Ode xi. To Mercury.

Ode xii. To Neobule.

Ode xiii. To the Bandusian Fountain.

Ode xiv. To the Romans.

Ode xv. To Chloris.

Ode xvi. To Maecenas.

Ode xvii. To Aelius Lamia.

Ode xviii. To Faunus.

Ode xix. To Telephus.

Ode xx. To Pyrrhus.

Ode xxi. To His Jar.

Ode xxii. To Diana.

Ode xxiii. To Phidyle.

Ode xxiv. To the Covetous.

Ode xxv. To Bacchus.

Ode xxvi. To Venus.

Ode xxvii. To Galatea, Upon Her Going to Sea.

Ode xxviii. To Lyde.

Ode xxix. To Maecenas.

Ode xxx. On His Own Works.

The Fourth Book of the Odes of Horace.

Ode i. To Venus.

Ode ii. To Antonius Iulus.

Ode iii. To Melpomene.

Ode iv The Praise of Drusus.

Ode v. To Augustus.

Ode vi. Hymn to Apollo.

Ode vii. To Torquatus.

Ode viii. To Marcius Censorinus.

Ode ix. To Marcus Lollius.

Ode x. To Ligurinus.

Ode xi. To Phyllis.

Ode xii. To Virgil.

Ode xiii. To Lyce.

Ode xiv. To Augustus.

Ode xv. To Augustus, on the Restoration of Peace.

The Book of the Epodes of Horace.

Ode i. To Maecenas.

Ode ii. The Praises of a Country Life.

Ode iii. To Maecenas.

Ode iv. To Menas.

Ode v. The Witches Mangling a Boy.

Ode vi. Against Cassius Severus.

Ode vii. To the Roman People.

Ode viii. Upon a Wanton Old Woman.

Ode ix. To Maecenas.

Ode x. Against Maevius.

Ode xi. To Pectius.

Ode xii. To a Woman Whose Charms Were Over.

Ode xiii. To a Friend.

Ode xiv. To Maecenas.

Ode xv. To Neaera.

Ode xvi. To the Roman People.

Dialogue Between Horace and Canidia.

Canidia's Answer.

The Secular Poem of Horace. To Apollo and Diana.

The First Book of the Satires of Horace.

Satire i. That all, but especially the covetous, think their own condition the hardest.

Satire ii. Bad men, when they avoid certain vices, fall into their opposite extremes.

Satire iii. We might to connive at the faults of our friends, and all offences are not to be ranked in the catalogue of crimes.

Satire iv. He apologizes for the liberties taken by satiric poets in general, and particularly by himself.

Satire v. He describes a certain journey of his from Rome to Brundusium with great pleasantry.

Satire vi. Of true nobility.

Satire vii. He humorously describes a squabble betwixt Rupilius and Persius.

Satire viii. Priapus complains that the Esquilian mount is infested with the incantations of sorceresses.

Satire ix. He describes his sufferings from the loquacity of an impertinent fellow.

Satire x. He supports the judgment which he had before given of Lucilius, and intersperses some excellent precepts for the writing of Satire.

The Second Book of the Satires of Horace.

Satire i. He supposes himself to consult with Trebatius, whether he should desist from writing satires, or not.

Satire ii. On Frugality.

Satire iii. Damasippus, in a conversation with Horace, proves this paradox of the Stoic philosophy, that most men are actually mad.

Satire iv. He ridicules the absurdity of one Catius, who placed the summit of human felicity in the culinary art.

Satire v. In a humorous dialogue between Ulysses and Tiresias, he exposes those arts which the fortune hunters make use of, in order to be appointed t

Satire vi. He sets the conveniences of a country retirement in opposition to the troubles of a life in town.

Satire vii. One of Horace's slaves, making use of that freedom which was allowed them at the Saturnalia, rates his master in a droll and severe manner

Satire viii. A smart description of a miser ridiculously acting the extravagant.

The First Book of the Epistles of Horace.

Epistle i. To Maecenas. The poet renounces all verses of a ludicrous turn, and resolves to apply himself wholly to the study of philosophy, which teac

Epistle ii. To Lollius. He prefers Homer to all the philosophers, as a moral writer, and advises an early cultivation of virtue.

Epistle iii. To Julius Florus. After inquiring about Claudius Tiberius Nero, and some of his friends, he exhorts Florus to the study of philosophy.

Epistle iv. To Albius Tibullus. He declares his accomplishments and, after proposing the thought of death, converts it into an occasion of pleasantry

Epistle v. To Torquatus. He invites him to a frugal entertainment, but a cleanly and cheerful one.

Epistle vi. To Numicius. That a wise man is in love with nothing but virtue.

Epistle vii. To Maecenas. He apologizes to Maecenas for his long absence from Rome and acknowledges his favors to him in such a manner as to declare

Epistle viii. To Celsus Albinovanus. That he was neither well in body, nor in mind that Celtics should bear his prosperity with moderation.

Epistle ix. To Claudius Tiberius Nero. He recommends Septimius to him.

Epistle x. To Aristius Fuscus. He praises a country before a city life, as more agreeable to nature, and more friendly to liberty.

Epistle xi. To Bullatius. Endeavoring to recall him back to Rome from Asia, whither he had retreated through his weariness of the civil wars, he advis

Epistle xii. To Iccius. Leader the appearance of praising the man's parsimony, he archly ridicules it introduces Grosphus to him, and concludes with

Epistle xiii. To Vinnius Asina. Horace cautions him to present his poems to Augustus at a proper opportunity, and with due decorum.

Epistle xiv. To His Steward. He upbraids his levity for contemning a country life, which had been his choice, and being eager to return to Rome.

Epistle xv. To C. Neumonius Vala. Preparing to go to the baths either at Velia or Salernum, he inquires after the healthfulness and agreeableness of t

Epistle xvi. To Quinctius. He describes to Quinctius the form, situation, and advantages of his country house: then declares that probity consists in

Epistle xvii. To Scaeva. That a life of business is preferable to a private and inactive one the friendship of great men is a laudable acquisition, y

Epistle xviii. To Lollius. He treats at large upon the cultivation of the favor of great men and concludes with a few words concerning the acquiremen

Epistle xix. To Maecenas. He shows the folly of some persons who would imitate and the envy of others who would censure him.

Epistle xx. To His Book. In vain he endeavors to retain his book, desirous of getting abroad tells it what trouble it is to undergo, and imparts some

The Second Book of the Epistles of Horace.

Epistle i. To Augustus. He honors him with the highest compliments then treats copiously of poetry, its origin, character, and excellence.

Epistle ii. To Julius Florus. In apologizing for not having written to him, he shows that the well-ordering of life is of more importance than the com

Horace's Book Upon the Art of Poetry. To the Pisos.

Ode xxiv.

To the Covetous.

Though, more wealthy than the unrifled treasures of the Arabians and rich India, you should possess yourself by your edifices of the whole Tyrrhenian and Apulian seas; yet, if cruel fate fixes its adamantine grapples upon the topmost roofs, you shall not disengage your mind from dread, nor your life from the snares of death. The Scythians that dwell in the plains, whose carts, according to their custom, draw their vagrant habitations, live in a better manner; and [so do] the rough Getae, whose uncircumscribed acres produce fruits and corn free to all, nor is a longer than annual tillage agreeable, and a successor leaves him who has accomplished his labor by an equal right. There the guiltless wife spares her motherless step-children, nor does the portioned spouse govern her husband, nor put any confidence in a sleek adulterer. Their dower is the high virtue of their parents, and a chastity reserved from any other man by a steadfast security; and it, is forbidden to sin, or the reward is death. O if there be any one willing to remove our impious slaughters, and civil rage; if he be desirous to be written FATHER OF THE STATE, on statues [erected to him], let him dare to curb insuperable licentiousness, and be eminent to posterity; since we (O injustice!) detest virtue while living, but invidiously seek for her after she is taken out of our view. To what purpose are our woeful complaints, if sin is not cut off with punishment? Of what efficacy are empty laws, without morals; if neither that part of the world which is shut in by fervent heats, nor that side which borders upon Boreas, and snows hardened upon the ground, keep off the merchant; [and] the expert sailors get the better of the horrible seas? Poverty, a great reproach, impels us both to do and to suffer any thing, and deserts the path of difficult virtue. Let us, then, cast our gems and precious stones and useless gold, the cause of extreme evil, either into the Capitol, whither the acclamations and crowd of applauding [citizens] call us, or into the adjoining ocean. If we are truly penitent for our enormities, the very elements of depraved lust are to be erased, and the minds of too soft a mold should be formed by severer studies. The noble youth knows not how to keep his seat on horseback and is afraid to go a hunting, more skilled to play (if you choose it) with the Grecian trochus, or dice, prohibited by law; while the father's perjured faith can deceive his partner and friend, and he hastens to get money for an unworthy heir. In a word, iniquitous wealth increases, yet something is ever wanting to the incomplete fortune.