Latin III Mid-Term-Part 2

PART 3 (Translate the following from Ovid Met. 1.1 and Horace 1.11)

In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas

corpora; di, coeptis (nam vos mutastis et illas)

adspirate meis primaque ab origine mundi

ad mea perpetuum deducite tempora carmen!

I wish to speak of bodies being changed into new 

forms; you gods, for you alter those schemes, 

influence my first and draw a continuous  poem

from the birth of the world until my own time!

***

Tu ne quaesieris (scire nefas) quem mihi, quem tibi

finem di dederint, Leuconoe, nec Babylonios

temptaris numeros. Vt melius quicquid erit pati!

Seu pluris hiemes seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam,

quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus mare               5

Tyrrhenum, sapias, uina liques et spatio breui

spem longam reseces. Dum loquimur, fugerit inuida

aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.

You do not be searching (for to know is a sin) what to me, 

what to you goals the gods have given, Leuconoe, and do 

not test the Babylonian numbers. To suffer whatever is noble!

Whether Jupiter assigns the latest winters or many, 

which now weakens against the pumice of the Tyrrhenian 

Sea, may you have sense, strain the wine and trim your boundless

hopes in this small space. While we are speaking, jealous time

flies: Seize the day, with little confidence in the next.

Part 4 (25 points)

Write a complete eight paragraph structural analysis answering the following question (make sure to quote the Latin directly twice per paragraph): As he comes across in the plots, connotations, parallels and interpretations, symbols, allusions, and ways in which he develops and presents his poems, do you think that Horace should be considered a womanizer and/or misogynist with regards to Odes 1.11 and 1.37?

Horace should not be considered a misogynist in regards to his Odes 1.11 and 1.37, but a realist. Horace does not show in Odes 1.11 that he is against women, but is trying to convince Leuconoe to be with him and make him happy. Just because Horace is courting Leuconoe does not mean that he is a player or dislikes women, in fact, it shows that he is a fan of women. In Odes 1.37, Horace is not condemning Cleopatra for being a woman, but for the actions she committed against Rome, and actually shows a better side of Cleopatra at the end, admiring her in a way, as she was bold, fearless in the face of death, and humble in defeat. Horace does not paint Leoconoe in a negative light, and gives both sides of Cleopatra, not because she is a woman, but because Horace is realistic, and states what he knows.

Horace, in both poems, is just stating his beliefs, and is not attacking Leuconoe or Cleopatra because of their womanhood. In 1.11, Horace is showing how much he cares for Leuconoe, telling her to live in the moment, or "seize the day" (Hor. Odes 1.11.8). Horace is trying to help Leuconoe to stop worrying, telling her to stop searching for god-given goals (Hor. Odes 1.11.1-2), but to relax a little, letting his Epicurean side show through a little. In 1.37, Horace write about the Battle of Actium, up till Cleopatra's suicide, speaking first about Cleopatra in a bad light, even calling her a "fatale monstrum" (Hor. Odes 1.37.21). Thereafter, though, the poem speaks of the good qualities of Cleopatra, even praising her for being so bold as to challenge the greatest empire around. 

There are multiple patterns evident in Odes 1.11 and 1.37. In 1.11, there is about 15 syllables in every line. Also, none of the sentences ever start with a verb (Hor. Odes 1.11), showing how Horace just wants Leuconoe to relax. In 1.37, Horace has a pattern of two long lines with 11 syllables each, followed by two short lines with 10 syllables each, and this only really deviates in lines seven and fifteen (Hor. Odes 1.37). Horace also puts commas in the middle of the lines in ten cases (Hor. Odes 1.37.1, 2, 6, 10, 16, 17, 20, 26, 27, 32), and changes this a little bit later in the poem, where his commas land more often at the end of the lines, showing his own change of point of view of Cleopatra.

The connotations Horace uses in the words of his poems also show that he doesn't dislike women. By starting out 1.11 with a verb like "quaesieris" (Hor. Odes 1.11.1), Horace sets up the poem to be about searching, not criticizing in any way. His use of "melius" (Hor. Odes 1.11.3) shows even that he thinks of Leuconoe as noble. In 1.37, Horace starts out using diction like "dulci" (Hor. Odes 1.37.12), speaking of whimsical, nonsensical pleasure, even hedonism, to show the bad side of Cleopatra. He later uses words like "fortis" (Hor. Odes 1.37.26) when he starts speaking of the better qualities of Cleopatra.

Multiple symbols show through in these two Horace poems. In 1.11, Horace speaks of Jupiter (Hor. Odes 1.11.4), showing how he wishes to Leuconoe to live in the present. Just because Horace speaks of men does not mean that he dislikes women. in 1.37, the asp and its bite (Hor. Odes 1.37.26-27) are used as a symbol of death, a death to the bad side of Cleopatra. This also does not necessarily mean that Horace wants all women to suffer similar fates.

Horace alludes to many things in these two poems about women. In 1.11, he alludes to the Tyrrhenian Sea (Hor. 1.11.5-6), wishing for Leuconoe to live her life to the fullest before being eroded away, like pumice in the sea. In 1.37, Horace alludes to sweet Caecuban wine (Hor. Odes 1.37.5). In this part of the poem, he is still talking about the bad side of Cleopatra, so he speaks of how no one can enjoy this wine, or enjoy themselves, until Cleopatra is gone. He speaks like this to show a greater contrast to when he speaks of Cleopatra in a more flattering tone.


In 1.11, Horace keeps the poem short and sweet, like every day he wishes Leuconoe to enjoy. In this way, even the length of the poem models its message. Horace places his words carefully in 1.37, as word placement is very free in Latin, to further make his point. Horace starts the poem off with the word "nunc" (Hor. Odes 1.37.1) showing how his living in the now is enjoyable after Cleopatra's death. He also decides to end the poem with "triumpho" (Hor. Odes 1.37.32), again showing his difference in opinion stated in the last three paragraphs. He speaks of how Cleopatra is humble, even in loss.

In the end, Horace really doesn't seem angry or mean at all towards women. Horace is very nice and helpful to Leuconoe, and even though he may come off as a womanizer with his smooth moves, he really cares for her. Horace also only shows a dislike of Cleopatra at first, not because of her gender, but because of her actions against his homeland, and her desire to put to ruins (Hor. Odes 1.37.7) all that he cares for. He later sees a not-so-evil side of Cleopatra, who acted as she did for her country and her lover, and even shows admirable qualities, speaking of her trying to die nobly (Hor. 1.37.22).

Bonus: Scan the following using OneNote and posting as a jpeg to your blog. (Up to 5% increase in score).

Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris

Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit

litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto

vi superum saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram;

multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem,               5

inferretque deos Latio, genus unde Latinum,

Albanique patres, atque altae moenia Romae.

Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso,

quidve dolens, regina deum tot volvere casus