The New Student's Reference Work/Horace, Quintus Horatius Flaccus

Hor′ace, Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Latin poet, born in southern Italy on Dec. 8, 65 B. C., was the son of a slave freed by his own labors. He received a fine education, proceeded to Athens to finish his studies, and while there joined the forces of Brutus. After the defeat at Philippi he returned to Italy, and was forced by poverty to make verses. He attracted the attention of Vergil, who introduced him to Mæcenas, the minister of Augustus, the Roman emperor, who raised him from poverty to wealth, Horace becoming poet-laureate. He died on Nov. 27, 8 B. C. Among his works are Satires (eighteen in number), Odes and Secular Songs. The Satires were published in 35 B. C. and a second volume in 30 B. C. His greatest works are the Odes, written at the age of forty-six, and the Epistles. The last of the Epistles, the Art of Poetry, was left unfinished. His works have been read by a hundred generations of schoolboys, and have supplied more proverbial phrases than all other Latin literature. He almost was the last of the great Latin poets. See Life of Horace by Milman.