The Odes of Horace
The Odes of Horace

Author: Steele Commager

Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 9780806127293

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In The Odes of Horace, Steele Commager examines the odes with particular attention both to their language and structure and to the effect a poem is intended to, or does, produce. Horace’s conciseness and apparent clarity phrase by phrase tempt us into believing that there is an equally concise and clear meaning to be assigned to a poem, or even to his thought as a whole. Yet Horace has no systematic philosophy to impart; his poems record only an imaginative apprehension of the world. Each ode is a calculated assault on our sensibilities, a deliberate invasion of our consciousness. Only by yielding to each in its entirety can we momentarily share Horace’s vision.

Book II
Book II

Author: R. G. M. Nisbet

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 1991-05-03

Total Pages: 373

ISBN-13: 0192646990

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The first three books of Horace's Odes were issued together, apparently in the latter part of 23 BC. The second book, however, has a coherence of its own in terms of subject matter, tone of voice, and arrangement. In particular there is a predominance of poems concerned with philosophy, with conduct, and with friendship. This commentary provides the reader with the background knowledge of conventional forms and topics needed to appreciate fully every aspect of the poems. In particular word-play, literary parallels, and stylistic nuances are highlighted and discussed. The commentary may be used in conjunction with the Oxford Classical Text of Horace edited by E. C. Wickham.