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 xxxvi.

 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 v.

 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.

 A Hymn.

 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.

 A Dithyrambic.

 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.

 Ode xvii.

 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.

Epistle xix.

To Maecenas.

He shows the folly of some persons who would imitate; and the envy of others who would censure him.

O learned Maecenas, if you believe old Gratinus, no verses which are written by water-drinkers can please, or be long-lived. Ever since Bacchus enlisted the brain-sick poets among the Satyrs and the Fauns, the sweet muses have usually smelt of wine in the morning. Homer, by his excessive praises of wine, is convicted as a booser: father Ennius himself never sallied forth to sing of arms, unless in drink. "I will condemn the sober to the bar and the prater's bench, and deprive the abstemious of the power of singing."

As soon as he gave out this edict, the poets did not cease to contend in midnight cups, and to smell of them by day. What! if any savage, by a stern countenance and bare feet, and the texture of a scanty gown, should imitate Cato; will he represent the virtue and morals of Cato? The tongue that imitated Timagenes was the destruction of the Moor, while he affected to be humorous, and attempted to seem eloquent. The example that is imitable in its faults, deceives [the ignorant]. Soh! if I was to grow up pale by accident, [these poetasters] would drink the blood-thinning cumin. O ye imitators, ye servile herd, how often your bustlings have stirred my bile, how often my mirth!

I was the original, who set my free footsteps upon the vacant sod; I trod not in the steps of others. He who depends upon himself, as leader, commands the swarm. I first showed to Italy the Parian iambics: following the numbers and spirit of Archilochus, but not his subject and style, which afflicted Lycambes. You must not, however, crown me with a more sparing wreath, because I was afraid to alter the measure and structure of his verse: for the manly Sappho governs her muse by the measures of Archilochus, so does Alcaeus; but differing from him in the materials and disposition [of his lines], neither does he seek for a father-inlaw whom he may defame with his fatal lampoons, nor does he tie a rope for his betrothed spouse in scandalous verse. Him too, never celebrated by any other tongue, I the Roman lyrist first made known. It delights me, as I bring out new productions, to be perused by the eyes, and held in the hands of the ingenuous.

Would you know why the ungrateful reader extols and is fond of many works at home, unjustly decries them without doors? I hunt not after the applause of the inconstant vulgar, at the expense of entertainments, and for the bribe of a worn-out colt: I am not an auditor of noble writers, nor a vindictive reciter, nor condescend to court the tribes and desks of the grammarians. Hence are these tears. If I say that "I am ashamed to repeat my worthless writings to crowded theatres, and give an air of consequence to trifles:" "You ridicule us," says [one of them], "and you reserve those pieces for the ears of Jove: you are confident that it is you alone that can distill the poetic honey, beautiful in your own eyes." At these words I am afraid to turn up my nose; and lest I should be torn by the acute nails of my adversary, "This place is disagreeable," I cry out, "and I demand a prorogation of the contest." For contest is wont to beget trembling emulation and strife, and strife cruel enmities and funereal war.