BOOK II

I

TO AUGUSTUS

IN his Life of Horace, Suetonius tells us that the poet composed this Epistle for Augustus after the emperor, on reading certain of his Sermones, had complained because none of them were addressed to him: "Augustus scripta quidem eius usque adeo probavit. . ut . . . post sermones vero quosdam lectos nullam sui mentionem habitam ita sit questus : ' irasci me tibi scito, quod non in plerisque eiusmodi scriptis mecum potissimum loquaris. An vereris ne apud posteros infame tibi sit, quod videaris familiaris nobis esse?' Expressitque eclogam ad se cuius initium est cum tot sustineas," a etc. It is quite improbable that the sermones here referred to are either the Satires, which were published sixteen years earlier, or the First Book of Epistles, published some

a 66

Augustus appreciated his writings so highly that, after reading some of his Sermones and finding no mention therein of himself, he sent him this complaint: 'Know that I am angry with you, because in your several writings of this type you do not address me-me above all. Is it your fear that posterity may deem it to your discredit, that you seem to be intimate with me?' And so he wrung from the poet the selection addressed to him, beginning cum tot sustineas."

six years before. They must be the Epistles addressed to Florus (ii. 1), and to the Pisones (Ars Poetica), the present Epistle, therefore, being the latest of the three in composition.

Burdened as you are, O Caesar, with cares of State, you must not be approached by me in a long discourse (1-4).

Unlike the demigods of story, whose benefits to mankind were recognized only after death, your great services to the world are acknowledged in your lifetime (5-17), but this principle is not elsewhere applied by the Romans to contemporary merit, for they admire only what is ancient, and defend their attitude on the ground that the best works of the Greeks were their earliest (18-33). But how can a line be drawn strictly between ancient and modern (34-49) ?

Take a list of the older poets, and note how secure they are in the reputation assigned them by the critics. Ennius, for example, their" second Homer," cares little whether the promises of his Pythagorean dreams are fulfilled. Naevius is as familiar to us as if he were a recent writer. So with Pacuvius and Accius in tragedy; Afranius, Plautus, Caecilius, and Terence in comedy (50-62).

This admiration should be more discriminating, for these early writers are far from perfect and often call for our indulgence rather than our approval. It is really envy of contemporary merit that accounts for this undue praise of the old writers and a depreciation of the new (63-89).

How different was the attitude of the Greeks toward novelty! Once rid of war, they turned like children from one amusement to another-athletics,

sculpture, painting, m we have been more practical affairs, and turning to the writin myself (90-117).

This craze is not wi

are free from many vice
tion of the young and
(118-138). Let us look
poetry. Beginning with
whose scurrility had to
under the refining influenc
to the almost complete
rusticity (139-160). For ti
a natural aptitude, but they
Comedy is supposed to inve
that very reason failure can n
Plautus, for instance, is carel
more anxious to fill his purs
plays (161-176). The dramati
success upon his audience, and
the stage. The masses call fo
and even the educated care mo
the restless eye than for good dra
were alive to-day, he would laug
on the stage, but at the audience.
actor before he utters a word, sim
fine clothes (177-207)! Yet don :
undervalue an art which I cannot
a great dramatic poet, who car
his airy creations, is a wondrou

But I pray you, O Caesar, your patronage on those who w but for readers (214-218).

S

K II

LE I

ry the weight of so many
Italian state with arms,
and reforming her with
public weal if with long
y your busy hours.
llux and Castor, who,
med into the temples
d care for earth and
rs, assigning lands,
that the goodwill
'eserts. Heb who

LIBER SECUNDUS

I.

Cum tot sustineas et tanta negotia solus, res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, legibus emendes, in publica commoda peccem, si longo sermone morer tua tempora, Caesar. Romulus et Liber pater et cum Castore Pollux, 5 post ingentia facta1 deorum in templa recepti, dum terras hominumque colunt genus, aspera componunt, agros assignant, oppida condunt, ploravere suis non respondere favorem speratum meritis. diram qui contudit hydram notaque2 fatali portenta labore subegit, comperit invidiam supremo fine domari. urit enim fulgore suo, qui praegravat artis infra se positas; exstinctus amabitur idem. praesenti tibi maturos largimur honores, iurandasque tuum per numen3 ponimus aras, nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale fatentes.

Sed tuus hic populus sapiens et iustus in uno, te nostris ducibus, te Grais anteferendo,

1 fata Bentley.

3 numen VE: nomen a M.

bella

a

Augustus initiated many social improve the morals of the people, cf. 5. 22; iv. 15. 9.

2 totaque E.
4 hoc Bentley.

10

15

reforms, in an effort to Odes iii. 24. 35; iv.

Hercules.

1