CONTENTS GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE SATIRES TEXT OF SATIRES-BOOKS I AND II GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLES TEXT OF EPISTLES-BOOK I GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LITERARY EPISTLES TEXT OF EPISTLES-BOOK II GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE ARS POETICA TEXT OF ARS POETICA NOTES ON THE TEXT, pp. 1-382 TABLE OF DATES, p. 383 D = codex olim Argentoratensis in urbis obsidione xxx abhinc annis incendio absumptus T= codex Turicensis C. 154 Cet E g Acr. codex Reginensis P. 2 - codex Parisinus 7975 = = partes duae codicis Monacensis 14685 interpretationes Pseudo-Acronis Porph. interpretationes Porphyrionis = = GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE SATIRES § 1. Division of the two Books. IT may be taken for certain that the division of the two Books of Satires is a real and chronological division, not merely, like that of the first three books of the Odes, the division for artistic purposes of a collection given to the world together. Such a real division is indicated by the very definite epilogue with which the First Book is concluded, and the prologue with which the Second Book opens. No doubt something of this effect is given by the placing of Od. 2. 20 and 3. 1, and in a slighter way still by that of Od. 1. 37, 38 and 2. I; but in the case of the Odes there is no mistake when we come to Od. 3. 30 and compare it with I. I, that we have in them the true prologue and epilogue to the work as a whole. To make the parallel effective, Book II of the Satires should have an epilogue which would mark not only the close of a Book but the achievement of a full purpose. Sat. II is ended in a manner suitable to the more dramatic character of the Book, not by a conscious epilogue, but by a sketch lighter in tone than the two which precede it, and one which gathers up and puts in more dramatic form some of the chief topics of the book and especially of its earlier part. Amongst Horace's collections of poems it is analogous to the conclusion of the Epodes and of the IVth Book of the Odes, not to that of Sat. I, Odes I-III, or Epp. I. He has his two manners, evidently, of ending a Book: but this does not render it more probable that he should have published the two Books of Satires together and ended the first with 'I puer, atque meo citus haec subscribe libello,' and the second with 'velut illis Canidia adflasset peior serpentibus Afris.' But in truth the two Books stand apart from one another widely, both in general form and topics, and also in tone personal and literary, and in the background of circumstance. In Book I Octavianus is mentioned only once, and then incidentally as patron of Tigellius. In Book II he is set in the forefront, as the person to whom compliments are to be paid, and whose protection the poet may look for1. In Book I the friendship of Maecenas occupies a prominent place, but there is no hint of his most valued gift, the Sabine retreat. In Book II the 'villa' is the scene of Sat. 3, and the theme of Sat. 6. The peace of his country home has passed into the poet's blood, and the assured position of which it was the outward sign has modified his views of things. In 2. 1 he professes to take up the cudgels on behalf of outspoken Satire, but he meets his critics more than half-way. He is 'cupidus pacis,' and his weapon is to be one of defence only. Whatever of personality there had been in Book I has been yet further toned down in Book II. Horace's literary enemies Tigellius, Fannius, Demetrius, have had their final dismissal in Sat. 1. 10. Though, as we see from his later writings, his judgment on the general question between the ancients and moderns remains what it was, he is no longer concerned to defend himself against detractors who depreciated him by exalting Lucilius; and accordingly he expresses his debt to his predecessor and his admiration for him without qualification. § 2. Date of Book I. The first Book of the Satires is the first collection of Horace's poems that was given to the world. This would be the natural conclusion from his words in Sat. 1. 10. 46, where, after assigning different kinds of poetry to different contemporary masters, he says of Satire' Hoc erat experto frustra Varrone Atacino Atque quibusdam aliis melius quod scribere possem.' Some of the Epodes may have been as early in composition as the earliest Satires, but the collected Epodes were not published before the battle of Actium (Epod. 9). In endeavouring to fix the date of the publication of Sat. I it is of the first importance to fix the time of Horace's introduction to the friendship of Maecenas. Six, if not seven 2, of the ten Satires 1 Sat. 2. I. II, 19, 84. 2 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10. Possibly we should add 8, which takes occasion in laying the scene of Canidia's witcheries on the Esquiline to compliment Maecenas incidentally on the improvements by which he had converted the old paupers' burial-ground into handsome gardens. contain references to that friendship. The friendship is fresh, and yet has lasted a little while. Horace looks back on its stages (6. 54-62); it has stood some tests (3. 63-65); people are still curious about it, and yet some are already seeking to profit by it (5 and 9). Now if we can date Sat. 2. 6, Horace gives us in it the means of also dating approximately the commencement of his close relations to Maecenas: for in v. 40 he says— 'Septimus octavo propior iam fugerit annus Ex quo Maecenas me coepit habere suorum In numero.' (With the last words cp. Sat. 1. 6. 62.) The expression is not perfectly clear, but this probably means 'It is seven or rather very nearly eight full years since,' &c. There is also the doubt, which always attaches to Roman reckoning, whether this is to be taken exclusively or inclusively, to mean what we should also call 'seven years verging on eight,' or what we should rather call 'six verging on seven.' The date of the Satire itself can be fixed within a few months, but not more closely. Three indications of time are given in it. (1) In v. 38 the words 'Imprimat his, cura, Maecenas signa tabellis' seem to refer to the time of the 'bellum Actiacum' and the following events, during which Maecenas (in conjunction later with Agrippa) had the charge of affairs in Rome and Italy for Octavianus and bore his signet ring1. (2) In v. 53 Horace represents as one of the questions put to him by persons who credited him with knowing state secrets, 'numquid de Dacis audisti?' The Daci are mentioned by Dion as offering their services to Octavianus before the battle of Actium, and, on his declining them, to Antony2: and it is evident that they continued to be a cause of some anxiety at Rome, for he speaks of Crassus being sent against them in B.C. 30. (3) In v. 55 another question asked of him is, 'militibus promissa Triquetra Praedia Caesar, an est Itala tellure daturus?' The allocation referred to is probably that after Actium, and the moment at which this question would be most in men's mouths would be in the winter of B. C. 31, when Dion reports that so serious a mutiny broke out among the disbanded soldiers, who feared they were to be disappointed of their rewards, 1 Dion Cassius, 51. 3. 2 Id. 51. 22. See Od. 3. 6. 13 and introd, to Odes, Books i-iii. 1. § 7. |