I'm Getting To Old For This: Horace, Carm. 4.1

I’m Getting Too Old For This

Name:  Horace Date:  65 – 8 BCE Region: Venosa / Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Songs 4.1.29-40

Neither a girlfriend

Or a boyfriend

Can tempt me now,

Nor does the hope of a mutual affection thrill me.

I’m no longer in the mood for partying

I’m too old to put springtime flowers on this old forehead of mine.

But why, Ligurinus, tell me why

I’m crying right now?

Why is my tongue tied suddenly?

At night, 

in my dreams, I hold you next to me.

I follow you through the Campus Martius,

I follow you through the waters,

As you fly from me, you cruel bird.

I’m Getting Too Old For This

Me nec femina nec puer

iam nec spes animi credula mutui               

nec certare iuvat mero

nec vincire novis tempora floribus.

Sed cur heu, Ligurine, cur

manat rara meas lacrima per genas?

Cur facunda parum decoro               

inter verba cadit lingua silentio?

Nocturnis ego somniis

iam captum teneo, iam volucrem sequor

te per gramina Martii

campi, te per aquas, dure, volubilis.         

 

Horace [Quintus Horatius Flaccus; 65 – 8 BCE, modern Italy] is known for his famous line, “Carpe Diem.” He was an Italian-born poet who lived during the rise and reign of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. Although his life began with civil unrest and uncertainty (his father was enslaved and later freed during the civil wars of the 1st century BCE), Horace became friends with the influential entrepreneur Maecenas and earned the position in Augustus’ literary circle.  His poetry provides valuable insight into social changes that occurred during the transition from republic to empire.  

Porphyrio on Sappho, In Hor. Ep. 1.19.28

Sappho is called “manly” because either a) she’s famous for her poetry, something that men are more likely to do, or b) because she is known to be a lesbian (tribas). 

"mascula" autem "Saffo” vel quia in poetico studio est [incluta], in quo saepius viri, vel quia tribas diffamatur fuisse.

--Porphyrio in Hor. Epist. 1.19.28

 

 Little is known about Pomponius Porphyrio, but it is suspected that he lived during the 2^nd century CE. The only work of this author that is still extant is his commentaries on the poetry of the Roman poet Horace.

Horace's New Crush, Epodes 11.1-10, 22-27

Name:  Horace Date:  65 – 8 BCE Region: Venosa / Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Songs 1.1-10,22-27

 In this poem, the narrator describes how their crush on Inachia faded, and now they are attracted to Lyciscus. 

Pettius, I just can’t keep writing poetry

The way I used to, now that I’m lovestruck.

This love impels me to burn (more feverously than others do!)

For a sweet boyfriend or girlfriend.

It’s been three Decembers

Since I stopped burning for Inachia…

Oh no! It’s shameful to admit this,

But I was the talk of the town,

I was no fun at parties,

Always quiet and withdrawn.

…

Now a love for Lyciscus has overtaken me,

A guy who boasts he can surpass a woman in softness.

And now nothing my friends tell me—advice or criticism—

Can help me, only a new crush

For a beautiful girlfriend

Or a long-haired boyfriend.

Petti, nihil me sicut antea iuvat

      scribere versiculos amore percussum gravi,

amore, qui me praeter omnis expetit

      mollibus in pueris aut in puellis urere.

hic tertius December, ex quo destiti

      Inachia furere...

heu me, per Urbem (nam pudet tanti mali)

      fabula quanta fui, conviviorum et paenitet,

in quis amantem languor et silentium

      arguit et latere petitus imo spiritus…

nunc gloriantis quamlibet mulierculam

      vincere mollitia amor Lycisci me tenet;

unde expedire non amicorum queant

      libera consilia nec contumeliae graves,

sed alius ardor aut puellae candidae

      aut teretis pueri longam renodantis comam.

 

  

Horace [Quintus Horatius Flaccus; 65 – 8 BCE, modern Italy] is known for his famous line, “Carpe Diem.” He was an Italian-born poet who lived during the rise and reign of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. Although his life began with civil unrest and uncertainty (his father was enslaved and later freed during the civil wars of the 1st century BCE), Horace became friends with the influential entrepreneur Maecenas and earned the position in Augustus’ literary circle.  His poetry provides valuable insight into social changes that occurred during the transition from republic to empire. 

Love On The Brain: Horace, Epodes 14

Name:  Horace Date:  65 – 8 BCE Region: Venosa / Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Epodes 14

Horace, "burning" for his mistress, equates his love to the same-sex desire that Anacreon had for Bathyllos. 

Delightful Maecenas, you’re killing me

By pestering me, asking me why

Burnout has spread

Such an unproductive mood deep into my consciousness,

As if I my parched throat had consumed

Two hundred glasses of Lethean* sleep.

It’s a god—yup, a god keeps me

From finishing the poem I’d started

And promised to give you.

It’s just like they say Anacreon

Had the hots for Bathyllus—

Again and again, he mourned his love

On his lyre, with a simple meter.

You’re also burning in misery—

Even though the flame [of your love]

Isn’t as pretty as the one that burned down Troy;

You should still be happy for your fate—

For the freedwoman Phryne is killing me,

She’s not content with one man.

* According to Greco-Roman mythology, the Lethe was a river that flowed in the Underworld; souls of the dead would drink from it to forget their past lives

 Horace [Quintus Horatius Flaccus; 65 – 8 BCE, modern Italy] is known for his famous line, “Carpe Diem.” He was an Italian-born poet who lived during the rise and reign of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. Although his life began with civil unrest and uncertainty (his father was enslaved and later freed during the civil wars of the 1st century BCE), Horace became friends with the influential entrepreneur Maecenas and earned the position in Augustus’ literary circle.  His poetry provides valuable insight into social changes that occurred during the transition from republic to empire. 

Love Can Not Save You From Death: Horace, Carm 4.7

Name:  Horace Date:  65 – 8 BCE Region: Venosa / Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Songs 4.7

In this poem, Horace uses two examples from mythology (Diana's asexual love for Hippolytus and Theseus' love for Pirithous) to convince the addressee, Torquatus, to contemplate his own mortality.

The snow has melted, the grass has returned to the fields

And leaves have returned to the trees

The earth has changed seasons again

And the ebbing rivers are bubbling along the riverbanks.

One of the Graces dares to lead the dance naked

And her twin sisters and fellow nymphs join her.

Stop hoping for never-ending things;

The [changing] year and the hour that snatches away each life-giving day shows you otherwise.

The cold softens the west-wind,

The summer wears down the spring,

Which in turn will soon pass away.

Bountiful autumn scatters its fruits

 And then sterile winter comes back.

The swift [cycles of the] moons restore each season’s damage:

 Yet when we drop down [to death]

To where father Aeneas dwells,

Where wealthy Tullus* and Ancus* dwell,

We are only dust and shadow.

Who knows whether the immortal gods will add a tomorrow

To the end of today?

Every hour that you spend with a cheerful outlook

Will not fall into the greedy hands of your heirs.

Torquatus, at some point you will die, and

Minos will make a glorious judgment about your soul**

Your lineage will not save you.

Your eloquence will not save you.

Your character will not save you.

Diana could not save the chaste Hippolytus

From the Underworld,

Nor could Theseus break free Pirithous from

His Stygian chains.

*Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Marcius were legendary kings of early Rome

** According to Greco-Roman mythology, Minos judges the souls of the dead.

 Diffugere nives, redeunt iam gramina campis

     arboribusque comae;

mutat terra vices et decrescentia ripas

     flumina praetereunt;

Gratia cum Nymphis geminisque sororibus audet               5

     ducere nuda choros.

Inmortalia ne speres, monet annus et almum

     quae rapit hora diem.

Frigora mitescunt Zephyris, ver proterit aestas,

     interitura simul               10

pomifer autumnus fruges effuderit, et mox

     bruma recurrit iners.

Damna tamen celeres reparant caelestia lunae:

     nos ubi decidimus

quo pater Aeneas, quo dives Tullus et Ancus,               15

     pulvis et umbra sumus.

Quis scit an adiciant hodiernae crastina summae

     tempora di superi?

Cuncta manus avidas fugient heredis, amico

     quae dederis animo.               20

Cum semel occideris et de te splendida Minos

     fecerit arbitria,

non, Torquate, genus, non te facundia, non te

     restituet pietas;

infernis neque enim tenebris Diana pudicum               25

     liberat Hippolytum,

nec Lethaea valet Theseus abrumpere caro

     vincula Pirithoo.

 

  

Horace [Quintus Horatius Flaccus; 65 – 8 BCE, modern Italy] is known for his famous line, “Carpe Diem.” He was an Italian-born poet who lived during the rise and reign of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. Although his life began with civil unrest and uncertainty (his father was enslaved and later freed during the civil wars of the 1st century BCE), Horace became friends with the influential entrepreneur Maecenas and earned the position in Augustus’ literary circle.  His poetry provides valuable insight into social changes that occurred during the transition from republic to empire.