Horace Summaries

Question 1

Summary of 2.3?

Answer 1

• Keep level mind when things hard, and be tempered when good
• Addressed to Dellius
• Will die even if gloomy all the time, or if having fun in meadows and drinking fine wine
• rhetorical questions about trees in shade and rivers twisting
• Bring out wine & fragrant oils and short-lived flowers while age, means, and fates permit
• will leave estates to heir, even if rich or poor, because Orcus will take hold of you
• All go to the underworld – boat of exile

Question 2

Summary of 2.10

Answer 2

• Addressed to Licinius (Maecenas’ brother in law)
• advices not to go to deep into danger, but not too close to safety
• golden mean make you safe– virtue between 2 extremes – and temperature (12 virtues)
• huge pine tossed by winds cruelly, tallest towers fall heavily, lighting strikes highest mountains – hubris
• people with bad things hope for change, and good fear change.
• Jupiter has power over all – winters and removing them
• won’t be bad forever – Apollo does not always string bow, but lyre
• show courage in difficulty and shorten sail when wind is too strong

Question 3

Summary of 2.15.

Answer 3

• artificial Italy – huge palaces, fishpools broader than Lucrine Lake, nice smelling flowers instead of “fertile” olive groves (sterility)
• people become more sensitive to sun – “dense laurel” shuts out “fiery shafts”
• not prescribed by auspices of Romulus – foundation – and “unshaven Cato” – resistance to all things Greek and luxurious.
• goes into past – small private wealth, large public wealth, build temples with “freshly quarried stone”

Question 4

Summary of 2.18

Answer 4

• tells how he isn’t wealthy (no gold ceilings or columns, he isn’t royalty, wealthy girls don’t flock to him)
• but is honest and generous, even though poor rich people seek his company
• doesn’t ask for more from gods or friends
• people thinking about wealth instead of their funeral (greed), and taking neighbours’ land in greed
• reference to Remus jumping over Romulus’ walls and Aeneas running away with fathers’ gods
• palace that awaits rich is Ocrus’
• how wealthy you are doesn’t matter, all go to Orcus – wealth couldn’t make ferryman unbind Promethus, or Tantalus.

Question 5

Summary of 2.20

Answer 5

• half-bard, half-bird – will need a big wing – play on weight
• won’t remain on earth after death, but will be a bird (“too large for envy” (won’t live on after he dies))
• says his parents were poor
• consoles Maecenas (“beloved” “come at your command”) that he will not die and be confined to underworld
• changing into a white bird already (swan?)
• will be more famous than Icarus (jokey hubris) and everyone will know him (mentions lots of places – educated)
• doesn’t want mourning at “corpseless funeral” as he won’t be there.

Question 6

What poems are there?

Answer 6

2.3
2.10
2.15
2.18
2.20