No More Learning

) [W. B. D. ] Horatius was entrusted by the king, Tullus Hosti-
HORA'TIA GENS, was an ancient patrician lius, with the destruction of Alba. (Dionys. iji.
family at Rome (Lydus, de Mensur. iv. 1), belong-13—22, 31; Liv. i. 24-26; Val. Max. vi. 3.
ing to the third tribe, the Luceres, and one of the $ 6; Flor. i. 3; Cic. pro Mil. 3; Schol. Bob, in
lesser houses. (Dionys. v. 23. ) It traced its origin Milon. p. 277, ed. Orelli; Id. de Invent. ii. 20 ; Vic-
to the hero Horatus, to whom an oak wood was torin. Cic. de Invent. i. 30; Plut. Parall. Min. 16;
dedicated (Id. v. 14); and from its affinity with Aurel. Vict. de Vir. II. 4; Zonar. vii. 6. )
the Curiatii of Alba, seems to have been of Latin
(W. B. D. )
Some writers indeed described the Horatii Q. HORATIUS FLACCUS, was born on the
as Albans, and as the champions of Alba in the 8th of December (vi. idus Decemb. ), in the year
combat with the Curiatii. (Liv. i. 24. ) But the B. C. 65, A. U. 689, during the consulship oi L.
story of the triple combat generally assigned the Aurelius Cotta and L. Manlius Torquatus. The
Horatii to Rome. (Liv. l. c. ; Dionys. iii. 12; poet is his own biographer. The place of his birth,
Plut. Parall. Gr. et Rom. 16 ; Flor. i. 3; Aurel. the station and occupation of his father, the prin-
Vict. de Vir. II. 4; Zonar. vii. 6. ) There are cipal events and the general character of his life,
some indications of rivalry between the Valeria rest upon his own authority. His birthplace was
gens and the Horatia (Dionys. v. 35 ; Liv. ii. 8); on the doubtful confines of Lucania and Apulia
and since the Valerii were of Sabellian extraction in the territory of the military colony Venusia.
race.


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HORATIUS.
319
HORATIUS.
:
He appears to have cherished an attachment to the assures us, not only kept him free from vice, but
foinantic scenes of his infancy; he alludes more even the suspicion of it. Of his father Horace
than once to the shores of the sounding Aufidus, always writes with becoming gratitude, bordering
near which river he was born (Carm. iii. 30. 10, on reverence. (Sat. i. 4. 105. ) One of these
iv. 9. 2), and in a sweet description of an adven- schools was kept by Orbilius, a retired military
ture in his childhood (Carm. iii. 4. 9, 20), he man, whose flogging propensities bave been immor-
introduces a very distinct and graphic view of the talised by his pupil. (Epist. xi. 1. 71. ) He was
whole region, now part of the Basilicata (Comp. instructed in the Greek and Latin languages: the
A. Lombardi, Monumente della Basilicata, in Bullet. poets were the usual school books — Homer in the
della Instit. Archaeol. di Roma, vol. i. Dec. 19, Greek, the old tragic writer, Livius Andronicus
1829. )
(who had likewise translated the Odyssey into
The father of Horace was a libertinus : he had Saturnian verse), in the Latin.
received his manumission before the birth of the But at this time a good Roman education was not
poet, who was of ingenuous birth, but did not alto complete without a residence at Athens, the great
gether escape the taunt, which adhered to persons school of philosophy, perhaps of theoretic oratory.
even of remote servile origin. (Sat. i. 6. 46. ) Of The father of Horace was probably dend before bis
his mother nothing is known: from the silence of son set out for Athens ; if alive, he did not hesitato
the poet, it is probable that she died during his to incur this further expense. In his 18th year the
early youth. It has been the natural and received young Horace proceeded to that seat of learning.
opinion that the father derived his name from Theomnestus the Academic, Cratippus the Peripa-
some one of the great family of the Horatii, which, tetic, and Philodemus the Epicurean, were then at the
However, does not appear to have maintained its head of the different schools of philosophy. Horace
distinction in the later days of the republic. But seems chiefly to have attached himself to the
there seems fair ground for the recent opinion, that opinions which he heard in the groves of Aca-
he may have been a freedman of the colony of demus, though later in life he inclined to those of
Venusia, which was inscribed in the Horatian Epicurus. (Epist. ii. 2. 45. ) Of his companions
tribe. (G. F. Grotefend, in Ersch and Gruber's we know nothing certain ; but Quintus Cicero the
Encyclopädie, and E. L. Grotefend, in the Literary younger was among the youth then studying at
Trunsactions of Darmstadt. ) We know no reason what we may call this university of antiquity. The
for his having the praenomen Quintus, or the more civil wars which followed the death of Julius
remarkable agnomen Flaccus : this name is not Caesar interrupted the young Horace in his peace-
known to have been bome by any of the Horatian ful and studious retirement. Brutus came to
family.
Athens; and in that city it would have been
His father's occupation was that of collector wonderful if most of the Roman youth had not
(coactor), either of the indirect taxes farmed by thrown themselves with headlong ardour into the
the publicans, or at sales by auction (exactionum ranks of republican liberty. Brutus, it is probable,
or exauctionum); the latter no doubt a profitable must have found great difficulty in providing Ro
office, in the great and frequent changes and con- man officers for his new-raised troops. Either
fiscations in property during the civil wars. With from his personal character, or from the strong
the profits of his office he had purchased a small recommendation of his friends, Horace, though by
farm in the neighbourhood of Venusia, where the no means of robust constitution, and altogether
poet was born. The father, either in his parental inexperienced in war, was advanced at once to the
fondness for his only son, or discerning some hope rank of a military tribune, and the command of a
ful promise in the boy (who, if much of the ro- legion: his promotion, as he was of ignoble birth,
mantic adventure alluded to above be not mere made him an object of some jealousy. It is pro-
poetry, had likewise attracted some attention in bable that he followed Brutus into Asia ; some of
the neighbourhood “as not unfavoured by the his allusions to the cities in Asia Minor appear too
gods "), determined to devote his whole time and distinct for borrowed or conventional description ;
fortune to the education of the future poet. Though and the somewhat coarse and dull fun of the story
by no means rich, and with an unproductive farm, which forms the subject of the seventh satire seems
he declined to send the young Horace to the to imply that Horace was present when the adven-
common school, kept in Venusia by one Flavius, ture occurred in Clazomenae. If indeed he has
to which the children of the rural aristocracy, not poetically heightened his hard service in these
chiefly retired military officers (the consequential wars, he was more than once in situations of diffi-
bons of consequential centurions), resorted, with culty and danger. (Curm. ii. 7. 1. ) But the battle
their satchels and tablets, and their monthly pay of Philippi put an end to the military career of
ments. (Sat. i. 71. 5. ) Probably about his twelfth Horace ; and though he cannot be charged with a
year, the father carried the young Horace to Rome, cowardly abandonment of his republican principles,
to receive the usual education of a knight's or he seems, happily for mankind, to have felt that his
senator's son. He took care that the youth should calling was to more peaceful pursuits. The playful
not be depressed with the feeling of inferiority, and allusion of the poet to his flight, his throwing away
provided him with dress and with the attendance his shield, and his acknowledgment of his fears
of slaves, befitting the higher class with which he (Carm. ii. 7. 9, Epist. ii. 2. 46, &c. ) have given
mingled. The honest parent judged that even if rise to much grave censure and as grave defence.
his son should be compelled to follow his own (Lessing, Rettungen des Horaz. Werke, vol. iv. p.
humble calling, he would derive great advantages 5, ed. 1838; Wieland, Notes on Epist. ii. 2. ) It
from a good education. But he did not expose the could be no impeachment of his courage that he
boy unguarded to the dangers and temptations of fled with the rest, after the total discomfiture of
a dissolute capital: the father accompanied him to the army; and that he withdrew at once from what
the different schools of instruction, watched over bis sagacity perceived to be a desperate cause. His
his morals with gentle severity, and, as the poet I poetical piety attributes his escape to Mercury, the
.
LL4


## p. 520 (#536) ############################################

520
HORATIUS.
HORATIUS.
:
god of letters. Horace found his way back to the other the careless, abrupt, and somewhat
italy, and as perhaps he was not sufficiently rich haughtily indifferent manner of the great man, still
or distinguished to dread proscription, or, according betrays no appearance of wounded pride, to be pro-
to the life by Suetonius, having obtained his pardon, pitiated by humble apology. For nearly nine
he ventured at once to return to Rome. He had months Maecenas took no further notice of the poet;
lost all his hopes in life; his paternal estate had but at the end of that period he again sought his
been swept away in the general forfeiture. Ve acquaintance, and mutual esteem grew up with the
nusia is one of the cities named by Appian (B. C. utinost rapidity. Probably the year following this
iv. 3) as confiscated. According to the life by Sue- commencement of friendship (B. C. 37), Horace
tonius, Horace bought a clerkship in the quaestor's accompanied his patron on that journey to Brundu-
office.
But from what sources he was enabled to sium, so agreeably described in the fifth Satire,
obtain the purchase-money in these uncertain book i. This friendship quickly ripened into inti-
times such offices may have been sold at low macy; and between the appearance of the two
prices), whether from the wreck of ris fortunes, books of Satires, his earliest published works, Mae
old debts, or the liberality of friends, we have no cenas bestowed upon the poet a Sabine farm, suffi-
clue. On the profits of that place he managed to cient to maintain him in ease, comfort, and even in
live with the utmost frugality. His ordinary fare content (satis beatus unicis Salinis), during the rest
was but a vegetable diet ; his household stuff of the of his life. The situation of this Sabine farm was
meanest ware, and, unlike poets in general, be had in the valley of Ustica (Carm. i. 17. 11), within
a very delicate taste for pure water. How long he view of the mountain Lucretilis, part of what is
held this place does not appear; but the scribes now called Mount Gennaro, and near the Digentia,
seem to have thought that they had a right to his about fifteen miles from Tibur (Tivoli). The valleys
support of the interests of their corporation, after still bear names clearly resembling those which
he became possessed of his Sabine estate. (Sat. ii. occur in the Horatian poetry: the Digentia is now
7. 36. ) Yet this period of the poet's life is the the Licenza ; Mandela, Bardella ; Ustica Rustica
most obscure, and his own allusions perplex and (Capmartin de Chaupy, Maison d'Horace, vol.
darken the subject. In more than one place he iï. Rome, 1767 ; Sir W. Gell, Rome and its Vici-
asserts that his poverty urged him to become a nity, vol. i. p. 315. )
poet. (Epist
. ii. 2. 51. )
For the description of the villa, its aspect, cli-
But what was this poetry? Did he expect to mate, and scenery, see Epist. i. 10. 11, 23, and
make money or friends by it? or did he write Epist. i. 16. A site exactly answering to the villa
merely to disburthen himself of his resentment and of Horace, and on which were found ruins of
indignation at that period of depression and desti- buildings, was first discovered by the Abbé Cap-
tution, and so to revenge himself upon the world martin de Chaupy, and has since been visited and
by an unsparing exposure of its vices ? Poetry in illustrated by other travellers and antiquarians.
those times could scarcely have been a lucrative (Domenico di Sanctis, Dissertazione sopra la Villa
occupation. If, as is usually supposed, his earliest d'Orazio Flacco, Ravenna, 1784. ) The site and
poetry was bitter satire, either in the Lucilian ruins of the Temple of Vacuna (Epist. i. 10. 49)
hexameter, or the sharp iambics of his Epodes, he seem to be ascertained. (Sebastiani, Viaggio a
could hardly hope to make friends; nor, however Tivoli. )
the force and power of such writings might com- The estate was not extensive ; it produced corn,
mand admiration, were they likely to conciliate the olives, and vines ; it was surrounded by pleasant
ardent esteem of the great poets of the time, of and shady woods, and with abundance of the purest
Varius or of Virgil, and to induce them to recom- water ; it was superintended by a bailiff (villicus),
mend him to the friendship of Maecenas. But cultivated by five families of free coloni (Epist. i.
this assuredly was not bis earliest poetic inspira- | 14. 3); and Horace employed about eight slaves
tion. He had been tempted at Athens to write (Sat. ii. 7. 118). Besides this estate, his admira-
Greek verses: the genius of his country—the God tion of the beautiful scenery in the neighbourhood
Quirinus-bad wisely interfered, and prevented of Tibur inclined him either to hire or to purchase
him from sinking into an indifferent Greek versi- a small cottage in that romantic town ; and all the
fier, instead of becoming the most truly Roman later years of his life were passed between these
poet. (Sat. i. 10. 31, 35. ) It seems most probable two country residences and Rome. (For Tibur, see
that some of the Odes (though collected and pub-Carm. i. 7. 10–14. ii. 6. 5–8, iii. 4. 21—24,
lished, and perhaps having received their last Epod. i. 29–30; Epist. i. 7. 44-45, i. 8. 12, Carm.
finish, at a later period of his life) had been written iv. 2. 27–32, iv. 3. 10–12. ) In Rome, when the
and circulated among his friends. Some of his poet was compelled to reside there, either by busi-
amatory lyrics have the ardour and freshness of Dess, which he hated (invisa negotia), or the so-
youth, while in others he acknowledges the advance ciety which he loved, if he did not take up his
of age. When those friendly poets, Varius and abode, he was constantly welcome in some one of
Virgil
, told Maecenas what Horace was (dixere the various mansions of his patron ; and Maecenas
quid essen), they must have been able to say more occasionally visited the quiet Sabine retreat of the
in his praise than that he had written one or two poet.
coarse satires, and perhaps a few bitter iambics ; From this time his life glided away in enjoyable
more especially if, according to the old scholiast, repose, occasionally threatened but not seriously
Maecenas himself had been the object of his satire. interrupted by those remote dangers which menaced
This interpretation, however, seems quite inconsis- or disturbed the peace of the empire. When Mae
tent with the particular account which the poet cenas was summoned to accompany Octavius in the
gives of his first interview with Maecenas (Sat. i. war against Antony, Horace (Epod. i. ) had offered to
6,54, &c). On his own side there is at first some attend him ; but Maecenas himself either remained
shyness and tinuidity, afterwards a frank and simple at Rome, or returned to it without leaving Italy.
disclosure of his birth and of his circumstances : on From that time Maecenas himself resided constantly
-


## p. 521 (#537) ############################################

HORATIUS.
521
:
DRATIUS
Tess, abrupt, and reservat
manner of the great m2,
e of wounded pride
, to be
apology. For nearly sin
s no further notice of the most
at period he again soagits
Cual esteem grew up with the
bably the year follovag this
endship (& G. 37)
, Haze
on that journey to Brea's
escribed in the fifth sea
ip quickly ripened ind in
the appearance of the ta
sliest published warks Hot
de poet a Sabine faz,
Il ease, comfort, and Free D
acis Satans), during the pas
on of this Sabine fum
(Cara. i 17. 11), vidio
Lucretilis, part of this
aro, and near the Digante
Tibur (Tivoli). The rules
→ resembling those thél
etry: the Diganta is 271
Bardella ; Ustic, Rasta
Maison d'Herr, rad
. Gell, Rope and TS
the villa, its aspect
, di
Epis, i 10. 11, 93, and
tly answering to the na
ch were found this
wered by the Abbe line
15 since been vinted and
eller and antiquarians
.
sertazione sopra la 13
5 1784. ) The site and
acuna (Eps i IQ. 49)
(Sebastiani, Viano
sire; it produced en
surrounded by plas:
abundance of the perest
d by a bailif (ren
f free colai (Eget i
red about eight shares
ais estate, his stair
in the neighbourhard
to hire or to
purchase
ic tout; and all the
passed between the
ome. (Fq Tiber, se
-&, iż 4 21-24
-45, 1& 12, Cars
In Rome, rhan the
jere, either by less
ergatia), a te se
lid not take plis
me in se see
on; and Manna
abine retreat of the
HORATIUS
either in his magnificent palace on the Esquiline, he seems to have inclined to be a valetudinarian.
or in some of his luxurious villas in the neighbour (Epist. i. 7. 3. ) When young he was irascible in
hood of Rome. Horace was one of his chosen temper, but easily placable. (Carm. i. 16. 22, &c. ,
society.
iii. 14. 27, Epist. i. 20. 25. ) In dress he was
This constant transition from the town to the rather careless. (Epist. i. 1. 94. ) His habits,
country life is among the peculiar charms of the even after he became richer, were generally frugal
Horatian poetry, which thus embraces every form and abstemious; though on occasions, both in youth
of Roman society. He describes, with the same and in maturer age, he seems to have indulged in
intimate familiarity, the manners, the follies, and conviviality. He liked choice wine, and in the
vices of the capital ; the parasites, the busy cox society of friends scrupled not to enjoy the luxuries
combs, the legacy-hunters, the luxurious banquets of his time.
of the city; the easy life, the quiet retirement, the Horace was never married; he seems to have
more refined society, the highest aristocratical cir- entertained that aristocratical aversion to legitimate
cles, both in the city, and in the luxurious country wedlock, against which, in the higher orders, Au-
palace of the villa ; and even something of the gustus strove bo vainly, both by the infliction of
simple manners and frugal life of the Sabine pea- civil disabilities and the temptation of civil pri-
santry.
vileges. In his various amours he does not appear
The intimate friendship of Horace introduced him to have had any children. Of these amours the
naturally to the notice of the other great men of his patient ingenuity of some modern writers has en-
period, to Agrippa, and at length to Augustus him- deavoured to trace the regular date and succession,
self. The first advances to friendship appear to if to their own satisfaction, by no means to that of
have been made by the emperor; and though the poet their readers. With the exception of the adven-
took many opportunities of administering courtly ture with Canidia or Gratidia, which belongs to
flattery to Augustus, celebrating his victories over his younger days, and one or two cases in which
Antony, and on the western and eastern frontiers the poet alludes to his more advanced age, all is
of the empire, as well as admiring his acts of peace, arbitrary and conjectural ; and though in some of
yet he seems to have been content with the patron his amatory Odes, and in one or two of the latter
age of Maecenas, and to have declined the offers of Epodes, there is the earnestness and force of real
favour and advancement made by Augustus himself. passion, others seem but the play of a graceful
According to the life by Suetonius, the emperor fancy. Nor is the notion of Buttman, though
desired Maecenas to make over Horace to him as rejected with indignation by those who have
his private secretary ; and instead of taking offence wrought out this minute chronology of the mistresses
at the poet's refusal to accept this office of trust of Horace, by any means improbable, that some
and importance, spoke of him with that familiarity of them are translations or imitations of Greek
(if the text be correct, coarse and unroyal fami- lyrics, or poems altogether ideal, and without any real
liarity) which showed undiminished favour, and groundwork. (Buttman, Essay in German, in the
bestowed on him considerable sums of money. Berlin Transactions, 1804, and in his Mythologus,
He was ambitious also of being celebrated in the translated in the Philological Museum, vol. i.
poetry of Horace. The Carmen Seculare was written p. 439. )
by his desire ; and he was, in part at least, the The political opinions of Horace were at first
cause of Horace adding the fourth book of Odes, republican. Up to the battle of Philippi (as we
by urging him to commemorate the victory of his have seen) he adhered to the cause of Brutus. On
step-sons Drusus and Tiberius over the Vindelici. his return to Rome, he quietly acquiesced in the
With all the other distinguished men of the great change which established the imperial mon-
time, the old aristocracy, like Aelius Lamia, the archy. He had abandoned public life altogether,
statesmen, like Agrippa, the poets Varius, Virgil, and had become a man of letters. His dominant
Pollio, Tibullus, Horace lived on terms of mutual feeling appears to have been a profound horror for
respect and attachment. The “ Personae Hora- the crimes and miseries of the civil wars. The stern-
tianae" would contain almost every famous name est republican might rejoice in the victory of Rome
of the age of Augustus.
and Augustus over Antony and the East. A go-
Horace died on the 17th of November, A. V. C. vemment, under whatever form, which maintained
746, B. c. 8, aged nearly 57. His death was so internal peace, and the glory of the Roman arms
sudden, that he had not time to make his will ; on all the frontiers, in Spain, in Dacia, and in the
but he left the administration of his affairs to East, commanded his grateful homage. He may
Augustus, whom he instituted as his heir. He was have been really, or may have fancied himself, de
buried on the slope of the Esquiline Hill, close ceived by the consummate skill with which Augus-
to his friend and patron Maecenas, who had died tus disguised the growth of his own despotism
before him in the same year. (Clinton, Fasti Hellen. under the old republican forms. Thus, though he
sub ann. )
gradually softened into the friend of the emperor's
Horace bas described his own person. (Epist. favourite, and at length the poetical courtier of the
i. 20. 24. ) He was of short stature, with dark emperor himself, he still maintained a certain in-
eyes and dark hair (Art. Poët. 37), but early dependence of character. He does not suppress
tinged with grey. (Epist. l. c. ; Carm. iii. 14. his old associations of respect for the republican
25). In his youth he was tolerably robust (Epist. leaders, which break out in his admiration of the
i. 7. 26), but suffered from a complaint in his indomitable spirit of Cato ; and he boasts, rather
eyes. (Sat. i. 6. 30. ) In more advanced life than disguises, his services in the army of Brutus,
he grew fat, and Augustus jested about his pro- If, with the rest of the world, he acquiesced in the
tuberant belly. (Aug. Epist. Frag. apud Sue inevitable empire, it is puerile to charge him with
ton. in Vita. ) His health was not always good. apostacy.
He was not only weary of the fatigue of war, but The religion of Horace was that of his age, and
unfit to bear it (Carm. i. 6, 7, Epod. i.