A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

HORATIUS. HORATIUS. 523
of the publication of the several books does not gested a former division, made in the year of Horace
differ very materially from that of Franke. On the'31 (30), B. c. 35. But as seven full, and nearer
successive order of publication there is the same eight years (septimus octavo propior jam fugerit
agreement, with few exceptions, in all the writers on annus) had elapsed when that Satire was written,
this prolific subject. Though Bentley's opinion, since his introduction to Maecenas, to which must
that the poems were published collectively in sepa- be added nine months between-the first introducrate books, be unquestionably true, yet his asser- tion and the intimate friendship, the introduction
tion that Horace devoted himself exclusively to one is thrown up before the battle of Philippi, B. c.
kind of poetry at a time, that he first wrote all the 42, and we have besides this to find time for
Satires, then began to write iambics (the Epodes), Horace to acquire his poetic fame, to form his
then took to lyric poetry, is as hardy, groundless, friendships with Virgil and Varius, &c. The only'and improbable, as any of the theories which he way to escape, if we refer the division to that sugrejects with such sovereign contempt. The poet gested by Bentley, is to suppose that it was prohimself declares that he was driven in his sweet raised in B.C. 35, but not fulfilled till several years
yout/h to write iambics(the Bentleian theory assigns later; but this is improbable in any way, and
all the Epodes to his 34th and 35th years). Some hardly reconcileable with the circumstances of that
of the Odes have the freshness and ardour of youth; division in the historians. It is quite impossible to
and it seems certain that when Horace formed the date- the publication of this book earlier than the
friendship of Pollio, Varius, and Virgil, and was latter part of B. c. 32 (aet. Horat. 33), the year beintroduced by the two latter to Maecenas, he must fore Actium; but the probability is strong for the
have shown more than the promise of poetic talent. year after, B. C. 31.
It is hence most probable that, although not col- Still so far there is no very great discrepancy in
lected or published till a later period, and Horace the various schemes; and (with the exception of
appears to have been slow and unwilling to expose M. Vanderbourg and Baron Walckenaer) the
his poems on the shelves of the Sosii (Sat. i. 4. 70), Epodes are generally allowed to be the third book
many of his lyric and iambic pieces had been re- in the order of publication; and Bentley and the
cited before his friends (Sat. i. 4. 73), had been more recent writers likewise nearly concur in the
circulated in private, and formed, no doubt, his re- date of publication, the poet's 35th or 36th year.
commendation to the lovers and patrons of letters. Bentley, however, and his followers authoritatively
Either this must have been the case, or he must confine the period of its composition to the 34th'
have gained his reputation by poems which have and 35th year of his life. There can be no doubt
not survived, or which be himself did not think that when he speaks of himself as a writer of
worthy of publication. iambics, Horace alludes to his Epodes. (Franke,
The first book of Satires (on this all agree) was note, p. 46.) The name of Epodes is of later and
the first publication. Some indeed have asserted very questionable origin. But as he asserts that in
that the two books appeared together; but the first his sweet youth he wrote iambics, either those
line of the second book- iambics must be lost, or must be contained in the'
" Sunt quibus in Satira videar nimis acer," book of Epodes. The single passage in which lihe
is conclusive that Horace had already attained seems to rest his poetical fame up to a certain
public reputation as a writer of satire. The differ- period on his Satires alone, is in itself vague and
ence between the Chronology of Bentley and that general (Sat. i. 4. 41.); and even if literally taken,
of Franke, in his Fasti Horatiani, is this: that is easily explicable, on the supposition that the
Bentley peremptorily confines the composition (na- Epodes were published later than the Satires.
tales) of this book to the 26th, 27th, and 28th The observation of Bentley, which every one
years of the poet's life (and Bentley reckons the would wish to be true, that all the coarser and'
year of the poet's birth, though born in December, more obscene poems of Horace belong to his earlier
as his first year), and leaves him idle for the two period, and that he became in mature years more
following years. Franke more'reasonably enlarges refined, is scarcely just, if the more gross of the
the period of composition from his 24th to his 30th Epodes were written in his 34th and 35th years:
year. In this year (v. c. 71.9, B.c. 35), the pub- the adventures and connections to which they
lication of the first book of Satires took place. In allude are rather those of a young and homeless
the interval between the two books of Satires, Ho- adventurer, cast loose on a vicious capital, than the
race received from Maecenas the gift of the Sabine guest and friend of Maecenas, and the possessor of'
estate. a sufficient estate. Franke dates the publica ion
The second book of Satires is assigned by Bent- late B. C. 30, or early B. C. 29. (Vit. Hoer. 36.)
ley to the 31st, 32d, and 33d (30, 31, 32) of the We are persuaded that their composition extended
poet's life; the publication is placed by Franke over the whole period from his first residence in
in the 35th year of Horace (B. c. 30). This is Rome nearly to the date of their'publication.
perhaps the most difficult point in the Horatian Epodes vii. and xvi.? are more probably referred
chronology, and depends on the interpretation of to the war of Perusia, B.C. 40, than to that with
passages in the sixth Satire. If that Satire were Antony; and to this part of the poet's life belong
written and the book published after the war those Epodes which allude to Canidia.
with Antony and the victory of Actium, it is re- The three first books of Odes follow by almost
mnarkable that neither that Satire, nor the book universal consent in the order of publication, though
itself, in any passage, should contain any allusion the chronologists differ as to their having appeared
to events which so fully occupied, it appears from consecutively or at the same time. According to
other poems, the mind of Horace. If, however, Bentley, they were composed and published inl suethe division of lands to be made to the veterans in cession, between the 34th and 42d, according to
Italy or Sicily (Seruz. i. 6. 56) be that made after Franke, the 35th and 41 st or 42d year of the poet.
the battle of Actium, this must be conclusive for Their successive or simultaneous publication within
the later date. To avoid this objection, Bentley sug- that period might appear unquestionable but for