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The Odes of Horace are a treasure of Western civilization, and this new English translation is a lively rendition by one of the prominent poet-translators of our own time, David R. Slavitt. Horace was one of the great poets of Rome’s Augustan age, benefiting (as did fellow poet Vergil) from the friendship of the powerful statesman and cultural patron Maecenas. These Odes, which take as their formal models Greek poems of the seventh century BCEespecially the work of Sappho and Alcaeusare the observations of a wry, subtle mind on events and occasions of everyday life. At first reading, they are modest works but build toward a comprehensive attitude that might fairly be called a philosophy. Charming, shrewd, and intimate, the voice of the Odes is that of a sociable wise man talking amusingly but candidly to admiring friends. This edition is also notable for Slavitt’s extensive notes and commentary about the art of translation. He presents the problems he encountered in making the translation, discussing possible solutions and the choices he made among them. The effect of the notes is to bring the reader even closer to the original Latin and to understand better how to gauge the distance between the two languages.
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Odes
Pub�li�ca�tion of this vol�ume has been made pos�sible, in part, �through the gen�er�ous sup�port and en�dur�ing vi�sion of
War�ren G. Moon.
Odes Hor�ace
Trans�lated with com�men�tary by
David R. Sla�vitt
The Uni�ver�sity of Wis�con�sin Press
The UniÂ�verÂ�sity of WisÂ�conÂ�sin Press 1930 MonÂ�roe Â�Street, 3rd Floor MadÂ�iÂ�son, WisÂ�conÂ�sin 53711-2059 uwÂ�press.wisc.edu 3 HenÂ�rietta Â�Street LonÂ�don WC2E 8LU, EnÂ�gland euÂ�rosÂ�panÂ�bookÂ�store.com CopyÂ�right © 2014 The Board of ReÂ�gents of the UniÂ�verÂ�sity of WisÂ�conÂ�sin Â�System All Â�rights reÂ�served. No part of this pubÂ�liÂ�caÂ�tion may be reÂ�proÂ�duced, Â�stored in a reÂ�trieval Â�system, or transÂ�mitÂ�ted, in any forÂ�mat or by any means, digÂ�iÂ�tal, elecÂ�tronic, meÂ�chanÂ�iÂ�cal, photoÂ�copÂ�yÂ�ing, reÂ�cordÂ�ing, or othÂ�erÂ�wise, or conÂ�veyed via the InterÂ�net or a webÂ�site withÂ�out writÂ�ten perÂ�misÂ�sion of the UniÂ�verÂ�sity of WisÂ�conÂ�sin Press, exÂ�cept in the case of brief quoÂ�taÂ�tions emÂ�bedÂ�ded in critÂ�iÂ�cal arÂ�tiÂ�cles and reÂ�views. Â�Printed in the Â�United Â�States of AmerÂ�ica
LiÂ�brary of ConÂ�gress Â�Cataloging-Â�in-Â�Publication Data HorÂ�ace, auÂ�thor. [CarÂ�mina. EnÂ�glish] Odes / HorÂ�ace; transÂ�lated with comÂ�menÂ�tary by David R. SlaÂ�vitt. pages cm—(WisÂ�conÂ�sin studÂ�ies in clasÂ�sics) ISBN 978-0-299-29854-8 (pbk.: alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-299-29853-1 (Â�e-Â�book) 1.╇ HorÂ�ace—TransÂ�laÂ�tions into EnÂ�glish. 2.╇ LauÂ�daÂ�tory Â�poetry, Latin—TransÂ�laÂ�tions into EnÂ�glish. 3.╇ Verse Â�satire, Latin—TransÂ�laÂ�tions into EnÂ�glish. 4.╇ Rome—Â�Poetry.╇╇ 5.╇ HorÂ�ace—CritÂ�iÂ�cism and interÂ�preÂ�taÂ�tion. 6.╇ Odes, Latin—HisÂ�tory and critÂ�iÂ�cism. I.╇ SlaÂ�vitt, David R., 1935–, transÂ�laÂ�tor, Â�writer of added comÂ�menÂ�tary. II.╇ Title.╇╇ III.╇ SeÂ�ries: WisÂ�conÂ�sin studÂ�ies in clasÂ�sics. PA6395.S56 2014 874´.01—dc23 2013038599
For
Janet
Me �dulces dom�i�nae Musa Li�cym�nia can�tus, me vol�uit di�cere lu�cidum ful�gen�tis ocu�los et bene mu�tuis fidum pec�tus ao�ri�bus II, 12
Con�tents Intro�duc�tion xi
Book I 1
Book II 55
Book III 89
Book IV 153
ix
IntroÂ�ducÂ�tion QuinÂ�tus HoÂ�raÂ�tius FlacÂ�cus (65–8 BCE), whom we call simÂ�ply HorÂ�ace, was one of the great poets of the AuÂ�guÂ�stan Age, which was—like the reign of ElizÂ�aÂ�beth I—a peÂ�riod of sudÂ�den litÂ�erÂ�ary efÂ�floÂ�resÂ�cence. VirÂ�gil, HorÂ