Why Horace?: A Collection of Interpretive Essays

Why Horace?William Anderson in his introduction offers compelling reasons, echoed by the interpretative essays chosen for this volume.

Horace brings a maturity and artistry to his subjects not found elsewhere in Roman poetry. The son of a former slave, Horace brings a new voice to the poetry of his time. In Horace's hands, poetic tropes and standard topics take a new turn: his musings on love and interpretations of the carpe diem theme amuse and amaze readers who thought they'd heard the last word on these subjects. Furthermore, the number of meters Horace used and perfected surpasses those of his poetic predecessors; words in his poems are masterfully placed in mosaic-like, intricate patterns.

Horace is an innovator on the subject of the poet and his lyric vocation. Whether he is being crowned by the Muse, escaping death in battle through the intervention of Mercury, slipping the clutches of an ambitious bore with the help of Apollo, or miraculously turning away a monstrous wolf by singing love poetry, Horace challenges his readers to ponder the place of the poet in our world.

Horace lived during a period of momentous change in Rome. He wrote about Augustus and reflected on the political scene in Rome and the Empire in every book of his poetry. This scene serves not only as the backdrop for the poems. It also informs and expands the poems' meanings even as they reflect an intimate picture of these tumultuous times.

Also available:

Why Vergil? A Collection of Interpretations - ISBN 0865164185
Horace in His Odes - ISBN 0865160627

For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology, Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar. We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books.

Some of the areas we publish in include:

Selections From The Aeneid
Latin Grammar & Pronunciation
Greek Grammar & Pronunciation
Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin
Classical author workbooks: Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero
Vocabulary Cards For AP Selections: Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace
Greek Mythology
Greek Lexicon
Slovak Culture And History