HORACE: Odes 1.37: Cleopatra

Question 1

Now’s the time…

Answer 1

Now’s the time for drinking deep

Question 2

And now’s the…

Answer 2

And now’s the time to beat the earth with unfettered feet

Question 3

It would have…

Answer 3

It would have been wrong, before today, to broach the Caecuban wines

Question 4

While a maddened…

Answer 4

While a maddened queen was still plotting the Capitol’s and empire’s ruin

Question 5

with her crowd…

Answer 5

With her crowd of deeply-corrupted creatures

Question 6

Sick with…

Answer 6

Sick with turpitude, she, violent with hope

Question 7

Caesar reduced the…

Answer 7

Caesar reduced the distracted thoughts, bred by Mareotic win, to true fear

Question 8

Out to capture…

Answer 8

Out to capture that deadly monster, bind her

Question 9

As the sparrow…

Answer 9

As the sparrow-hawk follows the gentle dove

Question 10

Or the swift hunter…

Answer 10

Or the swift hunter chases the hare, over the snowy plains of Thessaly

Question 11

But she, intending…

Answer 11

But she, intending to perish more nobly, showed no sign of womanish fear at the sword

Question 12

Nor did she…

Answer 12

Nor did she even attempt to win with her speedy ships to some hidden shore

Question 13

And touch the…

Answer 13

And touch the poisonous asps

Question 14

Now’s the time for drinking deep:

Answer 14

• Could hint at Antony drinking and indulging at the wrong ties

Question 15

To beat the earth with unfettered feet:

Answer 15

• References the Salian Priests- the Priest’s of Mars who used song and dance to worship
• Could suggest at celebration and honouring of gods for their victory
• The Salian Priest’s religious song added Augustus’ name at some point in his life- almost worshipping him as if he were a god

Question 16

It would have been wrong, before today, to broach the Caecuban wines:

Answer 16

• Roman stoicism, knowing the right time to celebrate
• Caecuban wines are traditionally Roman, expensive wines.

Question 17

While a maddened queen was still plotting the Capitol and empire’s ruins:

Answer 17

• Horace doesn’t name Cleopatra, which is indicative of a lack of respect
• Cleopatra described as maddened distances her from the Roman ideal of stoicism
• It also portrays her as the main one in charge, trying to not make it seem like a civil war, more a foreign war fought for the good of Rome
• The war being Cleopatra’s also makes Antony seem like he’s failing in his masculinity, to be following a foreign woman in war- lacking in virtus

Question 18

With her crowd of deeply corrupted creatures:

Answer 18

• Animalistic imagery used for the Egpytian people- deeply corrupted makes it seem like the Romans are doing them a favour through their destruction
• Also idea that monarchy is bad is reinforced here, as they’re ‘corrupted’, presumably by their leader… a monarch

Question 19

Sick with turpitude, she, violent with hope:

Answer 19

• Suggests at Cleopatra being unpatriotic- whilst her people suffer she’s only focusing on further conquest.
• No moral standards in Egypt

Question 20

Scarcely a single ship escaped the flames:

Answer 20

• Reiterates Octavian’s success whilst placing emphasis on Cleopatra’s immense defeat

Question 21

Caesar reduced the distracted thoughts, bred by Mareotic wine, to true fear:

Answer 21

• Distracted by luxuria, further showing monarchy as bad which makes Octavian look good as he’s fighting against it
• Mareotic wine is strong Egyptian wine

Question 22

Out to capture that deadly monster, bind her:

Answer 22

• Presents Cleopatra as a formidable opponent for Rome

Question 23

As the sparrow-hawk follows the gentle dove:

Answer 23

• Reiteration of Octavian’s supreme strength- although she was earlier described as a monster she’s still no challenge or danger to him
• Sparrow-hawk is a strong, predatory animal
• Cleopatra being described as a dove makes her appear weak
• Dove could also link to Venus, suggesting that this war is driven by her lust for Antony
• This comparison to Venus is also relevant, as she is not a very strong fighter, e.g she was wounded by a mortal in the Iliad, which suggests Cleopatra is an easy target
• Venus link also feeds into the idea of her seducing everyone- this is how she holds power over men

Question 24

Or the swift hunter chases the hare, over the snowy plains of Thessaly:

Answer 24

• Connection to Achilles- he’s from Thessaly and was renowned for being swift. This links Octavian to heroes and warriors
• Idea of Octavian being human whilst Cleopatra is an animal- she is lesser than him
• Thessaly is also the site of the battle between the Titans and the Olympians- this location is therefore symbolic of a start of a new age, and of the triumph of order over chaos, as the Titans were seen as chaotic.

Question 25

But she, intending to perish more nobly, showed no sign of womanish fear at the sword:

Answer 25

- Suicide was respected in Egypt, it was seen as stoic to take control of your own fate. - Shows a more masculine side to Cleopatra but this is also reminiscent of Lucretia- odd for her to be behaving like the most virtuous Roman woman - This similarity with Lucretia could lead to a negative portrayal of Octavian- it would make him like the King in this story- suicide of a stoic woman causes big changes in politics- but they're reverting back to monarchy instead of away from it. Basically suggests Octavian is causing political changes. - However, Octavian exerts his power over her, which could be seen to 'civilise' her, which is why she suddenly possesses more Roman characteristics after she's put under his control

Question 26

Nor did she even attempt to win with her speedy ships to some hidden shore:

Answer 26

- Shows the futility of fighting back against Octavian - 'Speedy ships'- acknowledgement of her being a strong opponent

Question 27

She dared to gaze at her fallen kingdom with a calm face, and touch the poisonous asps with courage'

Answer 27

- Reference to Cleopatra's suicide- however Asps are also a symbol of royalty and monarchy, so could be suggesting the idea of 'monarchy' poisoning a country etc. - Calm face, dared to gaze, with courage- highlights the many sides of Cleopatra- at the end she appears noble. Horace presents her as a formidable enemy brought down by the superior force of Octavian and thus he implicitly praises octavian for having defeated such a foe.

Question 28

When was this poem written?

Answer 28

23BC

Question 29

What is this poem about?

Answer 29

- Focuses on Cleopatra's role in and after the Battle of Actium - The majority of the poe is focused on demonising Cleopatra, emphasising the danger that she posed to Rome and her lack of self control