1. ID and parse each verb (no infinitives).
2. ID and translate each noun.
3. Write a complete 8 paragraph structural analysis: Explain the meaning of Horace's dedication.
Maecenas atauis edite regibus,
o et praesidium et dulce decus meum,
sunt quos curriculo puluerem Olympicum
collegisse iuuat metaque feruidis
euitata rotis palmaque nobilis 5
terrarum dominos euehit ad deos;
hunc, si mobilium turba Quiritium
certat tergeminis tollere honoribus;
illum, si proprio condidit horreo
quicquid de Libycis uerritur areis. 10
Gaudentem patrios findere sarculo
agros Attalicis condicionibus
numquam demoueas, ut trabe Cypria
Myrtoum pauidus nauta secet mare.
Luctantem Icariis fluctibus Africum 15
mercator metuens otium et oppidi
laudat rura sui; mox reficit rates
quassas, indocilis pauperiem pati.
Est qui nec ueteris pocula Massici
nec partem solido demere de die 20
spernit, nunc uiridi membra sub arbuto
stratus, nunc ad aquae lene caput sacrae.
Multos castra iuuant et lituo tubae
permixtus sonitus bellaque matribus
detestata. Manet sub Ioue frigido 25
uenator tenerae coniugis inmemor,
seu uisa est catulis cerua fidelibus,
seu rupit teretis Marsus aper plagas.
Me doctarum hederae praemia frontium
dis miscent superis, me gelidum nemus 30
Nympharumque leues cum Satyris chori
secernunt populo, si neque tibias
Euterpe cohibet nec Polyhymnia
Lesboum refugit tendere barbiton.
Quod si me lyricis uatibus inseres, 35
sublimi feriam sidera uertice.
Edite-2nd person plural present active imperative of "edere" meaning " to eat"
Sunt-3rd person plural present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
Iuuat-3rd person singular present active indicative of "iuuare" meaning "to help"
Euehit-3rd person singular present active indicative of "euehere" meaning "to carry away"
Certat-3rd person singular present active indicative of "certare" meaning "to contest"
Condidit-3rd person singular perfect active indicative of "condere" meaning "to put away"
Uerritur-3rd person singular present active indicative of "uerrere" meaning "to sweep clean"
Secet-3rd person singular present active subjunctive of "secare" meaning "to sever"
Laudat-3rd person singular present active indicative of "laudare" meaning "to praise"
Reficit-3rd person singular present active indicative of "reficere" meaning "to rebuild"
Est-3rd person singular present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
Ueteris-2nd person singular present passive subjunctive of "uetare" meaning "to forbid"
Spernit-3rd person singular present active indicative of "spernere" meaning "to scorn"
Iuuant-3rd person plural present active indicative of "iuuare" meaning "to help"
Manet-3rd person singular present active indicative of "manere" meaning "to remain"
Est-3rd person singular present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
Rupit-3rd person singular perfect active indicative of "rumpere" meaning "to break"
Miscent-3rd person plural present active indicative of "miscere" meaning "to mix"
Secernunt-3rd person plural present active indicative of "secernere" meaning "to separate"
Cohibet-3rd person singular present active indicative of "cohibere" meaning "to hold together"
Refugit-3rd person singular present active indicative of "refugere" meaning "to flee"
Inseres-2nd person singular future active indicative of "inserere" meaning "to plant"
regibus-kings
praesidium-protection
curriculo-track
puluerem-dust
metaque-cone (+ enclitic "and")
palmaque-palm
terrarum-lands (+ enclitic "and")
dominos-owners
deos-gods
horreo-barn
areis-areas
sarculo-hoe
agros-fields
nauta-sailor
mare-sea
fluctibus-waves
mercator-merchant
otium-peace
rura-farms
pocula-cups
partem-part
die-day
membra-members
stratus-cover
aquae-water
caput-head
castra-camp
lituo-curved staff
tubae-trumpets
sonitus-noise
bellaque-war (+enclitic "and")
matribus-mothers
catulis-puppies
cerua-deer
aper-boar
hederae-ivy
frontium-faces
chori-chorus
populo-people
tibias-flutes
barbiton-lyre
uatibus-prophets
feriam-festival
sidera-stars
uertice-whirlpool
Explain the meaning of Horace's dedication.
Horace's dedication is to Maecenas, an important patron to the new generation of Augustan poets. Maecenas is Horace's patron, so Horace writes great things about him. He writes to keep Maecenas happy, to thank him, and to ask to be a poet of the Greek canon. Horace's fondness of Epicureanism also shines through in this poem, in the way he praises Maecenas. Horace does not praise him with average glory, like that won in sporting events but he gives him the glory of moral character, and a simple, peaceful lifestyle.
Horace praises Maecenas and tells about how many others obtain fame and fortune. He speaks about sporting events, like the Olympics (Hor. Odes 1.1.3), including chariot races. He then states that in contrast, Maecenas is a simpler kind of guy, who finds pleasure with the little things in life. Maecenas likes things like farm life, sitting under a strawberry tree (Hor. Odes 1.1.21), and visiting a spring head (Hor. Odes.1.1.22). Horace then asks to be a lyric poet of the Greek canon.
Horace has a pattern of placing proper nouns throughout the poem. He also waits until the very end, after he has stroked Maecenas' ego, before asking to be a lyric poet (Hor. Odes 1.1.35-36).
Horace uses average words to describe others' lifestyle, but words like "laudat" (Hor. Odes 1.1.17) to describe Maecenas' lifestyle, praising him like a god. (1)
In this poem, the farm ("rura" Hor. Odes 1.1.17) stands for an Epicurean lifestyle. Euterpe and Polyhymnia (Hor. Odes 1.1.33) are also used as symbols for culture. Horace is saying the Maecenas is a cultured man. (3)
Horace alludes to the Greek Olympics (Hor. Odes 1.1.3), one of the multiple allusions to Greek culture in this poem. He alludes to the Olympics to show the contrast between glory won by sporting events and glory gained by Epicureanism. He also alludes to the Libyan threshing floor (Hor. Odes 1.1.10), as the Libyans provided wheat for much of the Roman Empire. Horace also alludes to the Greek canon (Hor. Odes 1.1.35), a set of nine famous lyric poets. He wishes to be one of them.
Horace chooses to address Maecenas in the first word of the poem (Hor. Odes 1.1.1), making it clear that the poem will be about him. Horace nears the ends of the paragraph before he pulls in the nymphs, satyrs (Hor. Odes 1.1.31), and muses, suggesting that Maecenas is worthy to be in their presence, as they may exist even in Maecenas' woods (Hor. Odes 1.1.30) on his estate. He also ends with the word "uertice" (Hor. Odes 1.1.36), a word which can mean "top" or "summit" ending the poem on a high note (literally).
Horace's dedication to Maecenas is to praise him, thank him, and yet, ask for more. Through a unique kind of flattery, Horace tries to get on Maecenas' good side, before eventually asking to be a lyric poet of the Greek canon. Even in this poem, Horace's person is seen as one who desires a simple life and likes to find peace.
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