Horace's "monumentum aere perennius"

Discuss how Horace tried to bring Greek poetry forms to the Latin language. Do you agree with his assessment of his accomplishment in Ode 3.30? Cite no less than ten lines / examples from Horace (in Latin ). 8 pages.

         Horace is not worthy of the praise that he gives himself in his poem, Ode 3.30. He was not the first poet to bring Greek poetry forms to Latin poetry, Catullus was. Catullus used the Sapphic verse in two of his poems, 11 and 51. Horace wrote more poems of Greek meter. Eighty- eight to be exact throughout his Odes I-III. Sapphic verse basically looks like this:

 - u -  x  - u u -   u - -

- u - x - u u - u - -

- u - x - u u - u - x - u u - -

Horace’s “great” “monumentum aere perennius” was writing his poetry in the Sapphic meter shown above.

Horace was partially accurate in saying that he has created a monument more lasting than bronze and loftier than the royal structures of the pyramids or “Exegi monumentum aere perennius reglalique situ pyramidum altius” simply because his words have stood the test of time, not because his poems featured Greek forms. They are a testimony to human emotions and how people have had the same emotions since the beginning of time. While it is true that Horace’s poems are studied for using Greek verse, is it not the content of a poem that is most important?

Horace’s poems give people a window into Roman life because he wrote about his everyday life. He wrote about the Roman Empire under the Augustan peace. “Tutus bos etenim rura perambulat / butrit rura Ceres almaque Faustitas”(Ode 4.5) He means that the countryside of the empire is flourishing and Ceres and Prosperity nourish the land. However many of his famous poems are about women that he was infatuated with; women that he wanted to have sex with. It is ironic that the poems by Catullus and Horace that feature those themes are censored or banned in schools, but the very students who are banned from those poems are listening to music that expresses the same sentiment. Horace and Catullus are the predecessors to modern musicians such as Dave Matthews, Lil Wayne, and Bare Naked Ladies (just to name a few). Take Dave Matthews’ “Crash into Me” for example.

“Touch your lips just so I know
In your eyes, love, it glows so
I’m bare boned and crazy for you
When you come crash
Into me”

Compare it to Horace’s lyric poetry from his Ode I.v.

“quis multa gracilis te puer in rosa
perfusus liquidis urget odoribus

grato, Pyrrha, sub antro?”

“Which elegant boy, drenched with liquid
perfumes, is kissing you among many roses,
Pyrrha, in a pleasant grotto?”

Both artists write about love and desire, which are basic human emotions. However, Dave gets the girl and Horace is left alone. “qui nunc te fruitur credulus aurea” (1.5).Horace asks her, “Who now enjoys you, credulous, all-gold?” Horace is dismayed because his love has left him for someone else. That is a feeling that most people go through in their lives, and not just in present times. The pain of heartbreak has afflicted people throughout the ages. Divorce rates have been high since the late 1960s. Students (and people in general) today are constantly having sexuality and other “bad” influences thrown in their face by the pop culture media. Yet most schools continue to ignore that teen pregnancy rates are rising; or instead of ignoring it, they give kids condoms and tell them not to use them (see video below). However, Horace talks about his emotions. He talks about how he misses Pyrrha, which is much more realistic than just saying that he should have never even gotten involved with her because sex is “bad”.

Horace does not deserve the praise that he gives himself in his Ode 3.30 for bring Aeolian verse to Italian poetry; he deserves it for the words that he left the world; words such as “carpe diem” (1.11.8) and “dum loquimur, fugerit invida aetas” (1.11.7-8). Horace himself said the he wanted his words to live forever “Non omnis moriar multaque pars mei vitabit Libitinam”(3.30.6). He says that his body may die, but that his soul will forever live in the pages of his poetry. The sentiment expressed in his Ode 1.11 will certainly live forever. “Carpe diem” is a well-known phrase that has inspired people over the ages to live for the day and not to trust that there will be a tomorrow. In the movie, “The Dead Poets’ Society”, it inspires young men from a strict, private boarding school to be passionate about life and to realize what their own desires are instead becoming the doctors and bankers and lawyers that their fathers want them to be. Those ancient words surround us in different forms; such as, the slogan for the American Eagle brand is “Live your life.”

Horace lived his own words. He said “carpe diem” to a girl that he wanted to sleep with because he did not want her to worry about what other people would think of her for being promiscuous. He wanted her to seize the day and to live the moment that they were presently in. Horace’s words have stood the test of time and they continue to be prevalent today. His words are his “mountain of bronze”, not the type of verse that he used.

discussion

1. How long did Sumerian Civilization exist?
ca.5400- 1940 BC

2. How long did Rome exist?
27 BC – AD 476 / 1453

3. Will America exist to a comparable age? Say it does; what will it look like?
I do think that America will exist to a comparable age. I think that it will have more housing to accommodate the growing population. I picture something similar to the new developments that seem to have sprung up over night all over suburban Maryland where all the houses are almost identical.

lit terms

1. allegory: a prolonged metaphor
2. Simile: a comparison of two things using the words like or as
3. litotes: understatement
4. onomatopoeia: making noises into words ex. whoosh, bam
5. caesura: a break or pause in a sentence or line
6. enjambment: the running over of one line into the next
7. apostrophe: the turning away from the audience to talk to someone who is dead, or not present
8. alliteration: using words that begin with the same sound or letter in a sentence
9. epic simile: a simile in which an action or something that has happened is compared to something in nature
10. epigram: a short letter, it originally meant an engraving on a tombstone
11. personification: giving something inanimate human qualities
12. metaphor: associating two things together
13. chiasmus: A B B A
14. elision: two words that run together
15. ellipsis: omission of words that are understood
16. oxymoron: combining two very different words into one phrase ex. "little giants"
17. irony:
18. rhetorical question: a question that is not meant to be answered
19. amoboen: two parties exchanging dialogue with another
20. catalogue: any list

Translation Test- Catullus 1-10

Catullus 1

Who should i dedicate my delightful thirsty little book that has a manner as polished as a pumice stone?
Cornelius, you: in fact are in the habit of being able to travel with anybody and believe nonsense
you go then with intent is one and all the tribes of Italy time unfold papyrus to teach, Jupiter, and painstakingly!
Therefore, have you whichever that book at any time; what, o virgin patron, greatly one remain continual age.

3- 1.5
Mourn, o Venus and Cupid,
and how many is of the prettiest people:
the dead parrot is my girl's,
the parrot, delight of my girl,
who she loved more than her own eyes

7
How many of my kisses are you seeking, Lesbia, that they may be more than enough.
How great a number is the sand of Libya
The laserpicium lies in the blazing Cyrene
between the oracle of Jupiter and

Battus' ancient sacred tomb.

Or how many stars, when the night is silent,

They see the hidden love of people

So many kisses ito kiss you

is wild, Catullus

Which neither they may be able to count

Up the spies nor evil is able to bewitch the tongue

10

Varus led me leisurely from the

forum to see his new love:

the whore (she is looking at me so unexpectedly)

not sensibly intelligent nor unattractive;

we were coming so, we fell into different conversations

Napkin thief
Have you no better topics to write about?
why does my liking of napkins offend you so?
You truly honor me, Catullus,
with your interest in my doings
For you are such a great and upstanding man
and I, but a lowly napkin thief.
Out of all of the topics of the world
you chose to write about me,
even though you do it out of hate,
it is flattery nonetheless.
forgive me, Catullus, I did not know
that those napkins were so precious to you.
they are mere cloth, but apparently
they are also food for your short temper.
I am humbled by your attention
to my shortcomings and I pray
for the forgiveness of such an morally upstanding man such as yourself.

"an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"

I think that it's horrible that an enforcer of the law would ever shoot a child for a minor offense. That's not to say that the boy who was shot is innocent. It was stupid of him to throw rocks at a police car, especially if the policeman was in the car, but he did not deserve to die. I don't think that the public reacted well. The riots are not fixing any problems, they are only creating more animosity. I believe that "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" as Ghandi once said. Those citizens of Athens have a right to be angry with their government and they have a right to fight for what they want, but no one has the right to take away another person's life. They are also destroying their own city and after the riots are over they still have to live in the mess that they created.

7- sight reading

With in apparent is his occupation, He waged war with the Romans. This is nothing, they went through Africa (his father was called Mago) they consulted with P. Sulpicium and C. Aurelium. His teachers told him told him to go from Carthage to see Rome, the senate and the people were thankful to see him, because with his presence came peace, from the king his spirit gives simultaneously, he assumed Fregellis

How Many Kisses

You ask me how many kisses will satisfy you, Lesbia, may it be more than enough.
How great are the numbers of sand in Libya
The lasarpiciferis lies in the blazing hot Cyprus
between the oracles of Jupiter and the Battius' ancient, sacred tombs;
or how many stars, when the night is quiet,
They see the hidden love of people:
To kiss you and kiss you more
is wild, Catullus, more than satisfying
Which neither they may be able to count

Poem

Wonderful Itunes, you hold my music
it is beautiful to my ears
and it soothes my soul
for many years you have helped guide me
in my room and in my car
I listen to that music that you hold
it takes the broken pieces and makes them hold
you have a playlist for my every mood
I love you almost as much as food
today you gave me some Bob Dylan for my journey to school
you make all other music storage devices look like fools
you also give me music while I run
it makes the trip around Bel Air much more fun
some call it noise
I call it art
Mr. Vitucci may take my music from you
but he can never erase it from my heart
anyways i can always re-download it
that's about as hard as eating a banana split
I listen to Brett Dennen on the beach
his music is as refreshing as a peach
You are truly wonderful, dear iTunes
you do your job well
every time I listen to you it raises my morale
I don't know what I would do without you
..maybe use Rhapsody
but you are much better
and defiantly the music storage device for me

Lit Terms- Horace Ode 1.37

Line 1
"Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero"- anaphora

Line 17
"remis adurgens"- Synedoche

Line 17
"acciptur velut"- simile

Line 20
"daret ut"
postposition

Lines 22-23
"perire quarens nec muliebriturexpavit ensem, nec latentis"-anaphora

Now Only Lasts For One Second

Define Epicureanism and explain how Horace's poetry fits into the general philosophy. You must cite / close read the Latin of no less than five poems by Horace. 8 pages.

Epicureanism was founded around 307 BC and it is a philosophy based on the beliefs of Epicuris. He was a follower of Democritis. Democritis was an atomic materialist, which means that he believed that all things were made from matter. Therefore, he believed there is no God, gods, or spirits. He did not believe in superstition or divine intervention. Atomic materialism is the antithesis of idealism. Epicureans believe that the way to experience true happiness and achieve the greatest food is to seek modest pleasure which would five them peace of mind and to learn about how the world works and the limits of human desires. They believe in living every moment of their lives to the fullest and they believe in deriving as much pleasure as they possibly can out of each of those moments. They did not believe in thinking about consequences or what the future may bring. Epicureanism is often mistaken for hedonism. They are related, both proclaim that pleasure is the only intrinsic good, but Epicureans believe that being without bodily pain is the greatest pleasure and they support a simple lifestyle. Hedonists are the more materialistically indulgent of the two groups.

Horace was an Epicurean. He makes this evident throughout much of his poetry. Horace’s 1.1 illustrates the Epicurean belief that pleasure is the greatest good a person can have. He begins the poem by thanking Maecenas. Maecenas has, in many ways, enabled Horace to be a poet because Maecenas is his patron. Lyric poetry brings Horace much pleasure, so he dedicated his book of lyric poetry to the man who enables him to write it.

The rest of that poem was about other people finding pleasure in what they do. After the dedicated to Maecenas he writes about Charioteers and their spectators. “Sunt, quos curriclo pulverem Olympicum collegisse iuvat metaque fervidus evitata rotis palmaque nobilis terrarium dominos evehit ad deos.” This means “there are some that delight in racing chariots and avoiding burning wheels at the turning point in the Olympian dust and the noble palm lifts up the lords of the earth to the gods.” He is saying that the charioteers enjoy the glory of the racing and the challenge that the race brings. They have to avoid the spikes that are in the other racers’ wheels. The people watching derive pleasure from watching the racers. It makes them feel distinguished and noble, almost as though they are gods.

Later in the poem (Lines 15-18), Horace illustrates the Epicurean belief that people should be free of pain. He writes of a merchant who came home early with broken rafts because fighting the Africans was bringing him too much pain. He came home in order to get as much pleasure out of his life as possible instead of waiting until he beat the Africans to have pleasure in life.

The last thing that Horace writes about in this poem is his own love of writing poetry. He writes “Me doctarum hederare praemia frontium dis miscent superis, me geldum nemus” which menas “the rewards of being a doctor of ivy, mixes my brow with the higher gods.” He is saying that he revels in the rewards he gets from writing poetry. He feels distinguished just by this simple occupation. He feels as though he is one of the gods. The simplicity of his pleasure is a major belief in the Epicurean philosophy.

Ode 1.5 is about how Horace avoided the pain of heartbreak through pursuing a girl, Pyrrha, who was already involved with another man. He writes that he has saved Pyrrha from “shipwrecking” as in her relationship with the other man was a shipwreck and Horace was truly the right choice. This relates to Epicureanism in that Horace avoided pain through winning Pyrrha, therefore bringing himself pleasure.

Horace’s Ode 1.22 is a love poem to Lalage. He tells her that his love for her is invulnerable. This poem also follows the Epicurean belief in simple pleasures. “Integer vitae scelerisque purus non eget Mauris iaculis neque arcu, nec venetatis gravida sagittis, Fusce, pharetra.” He says that he does not need deadly weapons in order to have a full and pleasurable life. He is not afraid of death. He writes of traveling to different place, but only wanting to be with love, Lalage. Horace finds simple pleasures through laying in an empty field, many people would view this as a waste of time because he is not being productive, but were humans really put on the earth to constantly be productive? No one really knows why humans were put on earth, but Horace chooses to spend the time that he has earth lying in fields, thinking about his love and his poetry.

Ode 1.37 addresses another major Epicurean belief. They do not believe in an afterlife, so there is no need to fear death. Cleopatra did not fear death after her troops failed. “ausa et iacentem viscere regiam voltu sereno, fortis et asperas tractare serpents, ut atrum corpore combiberet venenum”. Cleopatra committed suicide, which was considered an honorable death. She was serene and unafraid of the snakes that bit her. The Latin says that her body drank the serpent’s venom. Also in this ode, Horace writes of how Cleopatra became drunk off of cheap wine after she knew that her troops would lose. In a sense it is in keeping with Epicurean beliefs, but it also differs. It brought pleasure to Cleopatra to become drunk, but it was overindulgence on her part which is against Epicurean beliefs of seeking simple pleasures. She had to change her state of mind in order to receive pleasure out of the situation. Epicureans also do not drink cheap wines. They believe in drinking the best because there may not be a tomorrow so there is no point in saving wine for a special occasion; everyday is a special occasion.

Horace’s Ode 1.11 encapsulates the philosophy of Epicureanism with two words, “carpe diem”, meaning “seize the day”. Of course, in the poem he says, “carpe diem”, in order to persuade Leuconae to have sex with him. The entire line is “Carpe diem, quam minimum crodula poster”, meaning “Seize the day, putting as little trust as possible in tomorrow.” He said it to give her a new perspective on the situation. He did not want her to refuse him because for fear of what others may think. He told her to do what she could do today, because there may not be a tomorrow. He teaches to live every day as though it was the last. “Carpe diem” has become one of the most famous quotes in the world and it can be applied to most people. Horace taught people to look at the world in a different way. Instead of worrying about the future or feeling like they have some debt they have to pay today in order to have pleasure tomorrow he teaches that love and pleasure should be found in everyday occurrences. He teaches that human relationships should always take priority over work or business.

The first thing Horace says in the poem is “tu ne quaesieris (scire nefas), quem mihi, quem tibi finem di diderint, Leuconoe, nec Babylonios temptaris numerous”. That means that Leuconae should not worry about the future for that would be sacrilege because only the gods know what the future hold. Horace is saying that what is meant to be will happen, so it is a waste of time to worry about will happen since it is going to happen anyways.

In order to drive that point home, Horace uses two examples. “Seu pluris hiemes, seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam, quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus mare Tyrrhenum,” The first example is Jupiter can allow for many more winters or she can allow for the current one to be the last one, either way humans have no effect on it and it is just up to the god’s whims. He says that to Leuconae because he does not want her to fear the god’s wrath. He is basically telling her that the gods could care less about what she does. The second example is one pumice stone damaging the Tyrrhenian Sea, instead of the sea damaging the stone. The stone obviously cannot damage a sea too much. Horace uses that example to illustrate that Leuconae is just one person and there thousands more people the gods worry about. Her actions cannot damage everyone because she is the pumice stone and the rest of the world (including the gods) is the sea.

He also says earlier, “dum loquimur, fugerit invida aetas”, meaning “while we talk, jealous time flees.” He is saying that she should not hesitate or waste time that she could be spending with Horace hesitating. This philosophy has survived through the ages. Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Time” is an example of this. “Time, you left me standing there; Like a tree growing all alone” says that wasting time doing things that are not truly important, such as nurturing relationships with other people or challenging popular (possibly misguided) beliefs will only lead to loneliness. The next lines in the song are “The wind just stripped me bare, stripped me bare; Time, the past has come and gone; The futures far away; Now only lasts for one second, one second.” That supports Horace’s Epicurean belief of living in the moment. The reason Horace told Leuconae that time is fleeting is because he knew that if she thought about the consequences of her actions she would never have sex with him. Horace challenges Leuconae to think for herself, to do what she thinks is right or what she wants to do regardless of what others think.

Horace has given the world a true gift through his words. The philosophy of “carpe diem” has survived the ages and continues to inspire people today. People embrace those words and apply them to their lives. Without those thoughts there may have never been the works of Picasso, Warhol, and da Vinci. Those artists would have been too busy worrying about what other people think to dare to create something original, they would have wasted their time hesitating.

Translation Test- Horace Ode 1.37

Now is the time to drink, now is the time for free feet to move

Now is the time for the people of Salii to feast and decorate the sacred couch in the temple of the gods, friend.

Previously it was a crime to make Caesubum wine in the ancestral cellar

While the queen went insane from power

And prepared for the death of her government

The queen was foul and shameful

Her servants were sick and weak men

Drunk with the wine from victory

Cleopatra escaped from the fire with only one ship

The cheap wine from Mareotis made the queen

Frenzied and she feared that Caesar was coming from Actium

Pressing hard upon their oars, just like the soft hawk

The fatal monster, which is with dignity

She does not die like a woman

She is frightened by the sword, but does not try to hide

Even the wise king looked a her judged face

The now peaceful face, it is fierce and strong to behold serpents

Her body drinks the poison entirely

Consider carefully her fierce death:

Surely envious are those on the fierce war ships

Her pride led like a humble woman's triumph

Extra Credit

Horace's dedication was heartfelt and sincere, while Catullus' dedication was making fun of his friend, Cornelius. Horace dedicated his poetry to his patron and friend, Maecenas. Horace praises Maecenas for being noble, Catullus sarcastically talks about Cornelius.

Translation Test 1.1 1.5 1.11

Maecenas is descended from royalty
and he has my protection and dear honor
some enjoy meeting at the dust of the Olympic racetracks

wave the noble palm branches
on the sacred land used by the gods.


May you not worry about what the gods give to me, or give to you
nor be intimidated, Leuconoe, of the Babylonians numbers.
over many winters for triburt Jupiter ultimate,
not that the stone has weakened the sea
Tyrrhenum, wisdom,
for jealous time is fleeting
Seize the day, have little trust in the future

1.1 & 1.11 vocab quiz

1. rex, regis: king 

2. praesidium: protection

3. curriculum: plan 

4. pulviis: chariot 

5. dominus: god

6. torrba

7. gaudeo: 

8. pavidus 

9. mercator: market

10. bratus 

11. lituus

12. detestor: detest 

13. plaga 

14. frons, frontis: front 

15. melleror

16. hiems: storm

17. tribuo: triumvirate 

18. pumex

19. spatium: spite

20. resceo: rescue

bonus 

aetas: life

carpe diem: seize the day 

Vote or Die

1. Athens, in the 5th century, had a direct democracy. Which is different from the representative democracies of the modern world. However, there were much less people voting because only men who were of Athenian ancestry and they had to be 18 or older. Also, in this time those men had slaves who would do labor for them which allowed for them to go to debates and be involved in politics.

2. There were two types of legislative assemblies in the Roman Republic. There were "comitia" or committees that were assemblies of all citizens and there were "concilia" or councils that were assemblies of specific groups of citizens. Citizens were organized into tribes and centuries and each would gather into their respective assemblies. The "Comitia Centuriata" or Century Committee was the assembly of the centuries. A consul was usually the president of committee. The centuries would vote one at a time until the measures that they were voting on won the majority. They elected magistrates and censors and they were the only ones who could declare war and ratify the results of a census. The century assembly also serves as the highest court of appeal in certain judicial cases. The "Comitia Tributa" or the Tribune Committee was an assembly of Tribes. The Committee was comprised of 35 tribes and a consul presided over them. The tribes were originally created through geographical regions, but that practice ended with sons taking over their father's tribe spot and living in a different region. The tribes also voted one by one. However, the order that they voted in was determined through a lot. After one person voted they would pick the next name out of the lot. They believed that the gods chose the order through the lot, therefore the first person selected was the most important. The Tribes elected three different magistrates: Quaestors, Curule Aediles, and Military Tribunes. They also had the power to try judicial cases. The Plebian Council or "consilium plebis" was the principal popular assembly of the common citizens of the Roman Empire. Plebians were commoners. The Plebian council could pass laws, elect magistrates, and try judicial cases. Plebians could elect two Plebian Magistrates, the Plebian Tribune, and the Plebian Aediles. Usually the Plebian Tribune presided over the assembly, but sometimes the Plebian Aediles did also. The Council eventually gained control over almost all domestic legislation.

3. During the Roman Empire the practice of voting was lost in a sense. The Emperor now controlled everything and had absolute power. Emperors kept the Senate around though because they had experience with governing the empire and experience with war. The Emperor also sent out men who were in government to govern certain regions of the empire as it continued to grow.

4. The U.S. voting practices are mostly closely related to the voting practices of the Roman Republic. The different councils and committees are similar to our electoral college. However, there are some traces of the Ancient Greek's true democracy in that every citizen has one vote.

5. I think that the Ancient Greek way of voting was the best, even though it was only men of a certain age with an Athenian ancestry that could vote. I feel like those men who did vote were truly educated on the issues. They attended the assemblies during which any one could speak and voice their opinions. I think that those assemblies are still present today in America and there are many outlets to which any citizen could receive information about their candidate and outlets to which citizens can voice their opinions. I think it's great that every citizen over the age of 18 can vote in our country and I wish that we didn't need an electoral college. However, many people choose to not educate themselves, therefore their vote may be misguided. I think that the popular vote normally determines who the electoral college votes for, and there have been mistakes, but until the American people educate themselves on the issues, an electoral college is necessary.


http://www.cedarville.edu/academics/education/resource/schools/chca/othergrades/greecetd/greece1.htm#democracy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_Assemblies_of_the_Roman_Republic#Voting_procedure_2
http://www.unrv.com/government.php
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html#whyelectoralcollege

Epicureanism

Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based on the teachings of the atomic materialist, Epicuris. His philosophy condemned superstition and divine intervention. He believed that his philosophy could free people from the fear of death and bad supernatural forces. He theorized that the soul was made of atoms as well as the body which meant that the body would die with the soul. Which means that no one would go to heaven or hell. He believed that happiness is always achievable and that in order to achieve it one must not desire material possessions.

I think that this view of the world is almost pessimistic, but maybe that's just the Christian in me speaking. I disagree with his view that nothing happens when we die and so does my faith. However, I strongly agree with his belief that people would be happier if they did not value materialistic things so much, even though some materialistic things are necessary.

Introduction

Horace's life was over some very important times in the Roman Empire's history. He lived through the civil war between Caesar and Pompey and 48 BCE Caesar defeated Pompey at the battle of Pharsalus. Caesar went on to rule Rome solely until his assassination in 44 BCE. After his death, there was more fighting led by Brutus and Cassius against Antony and Octavian, who were the heirs to Caesar. Horace was a part of the republican forces that were defeated at the battle of Philippi in 42 BCE by Antony and Octavian. Then Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE. Both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide which cemented Octavian's power. During all of this Horace was writing.

Horace's full name is Quintus Horatius Flaccus and he was born on December 8th, 65 BCE in the town of Venusia in Italy. His father was a freedman or ex slave who worked as an auction agent. Horace was brought to Rome for his early education where he received the usual education for a person of the equastrian or senatorial class in Rome. After his primary education he went on to study philosophy at the university in Athens. During his time in the university there was political turmoil following Caesar's assassination. Six months later Brutus came to Athens recruiting men for his army- Horace was one of those men. He was appointed military tribune, which was considered a very high honor for someone who were not headed for the Senate. That position gave him the title of equestrian. Brutus' republican army lost at the Battle of Actium. Horace's lands were given to Octavian's soldiers and he was left without a job. This opened up the door for him to become a poet. He got a job as a clerk for the trustees of the public treasury. He made a decent salary, but more importantly it gave him time to write. Eventually he began sharing his writings and he became friends with another poet, Vergil. Vergil connected Horace with Maecenas, who became a sponsor of Horace. Maecenas also connected Horace with Augustus. Horace died on November 27, 8 BCE.

Horace wrote his poetry over a period of thirty years. His first publication was Book 1 of the "Satires" in 35 BCE and he published Book 2 five years later. Horace followed in Lucilius' footsteps because he believed him to be the founder of the Latin satire. Then he started writing Epodes. He was inspired by the style of Archiliochus of Paros and he modeled his own writings after him, but used his own subject matter such as political and sexual topics. He then wrote 103 poems of the "Odes" in a collection of 4 books. They were lyrics poetry and they were considered to be written in the meter used by Greek poets. His last piece of writing is the "Epistles". They were letters that raised issues of literary or philosophical matters.

Live the Words

We have a mug at my house that is from a line of products called "Quoteables". On the mug is a quote from Osho that says, "Life should not only be lived, but celebrated!" I was looking on their website and i found a quote that I'm pretty sure is from Seneca. It says, "Thank you for being." I liked that quote so I looked for some other meaningful quotes from Seneca. This is what I found:

"Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body."

"As long as you live, keep learning how to live"

"I shall never be ashamed of citing a bad author if the line is good."

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."

"Let tears flow of their own accord: their flowing is not inconsistent with inward peace and harmony."

"It should be our care not so much to live a long life as a satisfactory one."

take home quiz- scanning

--/--/-uu/-uu/-uu/-x
inter/pellan/di locus /hic erat:/ 'est tibi /mater,
--/--/--/-uu/-uu/-x
cogna/ti, quis/ te sal/vo est opus/ haud mihi/ quisquam.
--/-uu/--/--/-uu/-x
omnis/ composu/i:' fel/ices! /nunc ego /resto.
-uu/--/--/-uu/-uu/-x
confice/! namque in/stat fa/tum mihi /triste, Sa/bella.
-uu/-uu/--/-uu/--/-x
quod puer/o ceci/nit di/vina mo/ta anus /urna:

Horace 1-20 Scanning

-- /-- u/u - - / - -/uu/-x
Ibam /forte vi/a sacra /sicut /meus /est mos.
-uu /- u-/ - uu/- -- / -x
Nescio /quid medit /ans nugarum,/ totus in /illis.
--/- -/- -/- uu /--u /-x
Accurr/it quid/am no/tus mihi /nomine /tantum.
--/--u/u--/--/-uu/-x
Arrept/aque ma/nu: "quid ag/is, dulc/issime/ rerum?"
uu-/--/--/--/--/-u-uu-x
'suavit/er, ut/ nunc est/ inquam,/ et cup/io omnia quae vis.'
- - - - -- -- -
Cum adsectaretur: 'numquid vis?' occupo, at ille
--/ - -/- -/- u-/ - -u/ -x
noris /nos in/quit doct/i sumus. /hic ego:/ pluris
--/-uu/--/--/--/--/-x
hoc in/quam mihi /eris. /Miser/e deis/cere /quaerens
-u /uu -/--/ - - /- - /- -/u -/- x
Ire /modo oc/ius, /inter/dum con/sister/e, in /aurem.
--u /-uu/ - -/-u-/--/--x
Dicere/ nescio /quid pu/ero, cum/ sudor/ ad imos.
--/--/- u u /u--/-x
Mina/ret tal/os. o te,/ Bolane, cer/ebri
--/-u-/--/--/-u-/-x
Feli/cem aiebam /tacit/us cum /quidlibet /ille
--/- u-/ -- /- u- /- x
Garri/ret vi/cos ur/bem laud/aret. ut /filli
- -/ - u- /- -/ u u-/ --/--x
Nil res/pondebam/: ' miser/e cupis/ inquit /abire;
-u u-u------
Iam dudem videro. sed nil agis, usque tenebo
-u-/ - u - /-- /- uu /u- -/- -x
Persequar/ hinc, quo nun /citer /est tibi/. Nio op/us est te
--u/--/- uu /--/-- u/u -x
Circuma/gi: quon/dam volo /viser/e non ti/bi notum.
- u-- -- u- - -
Trans Tiberim longe cubat is prope Caesaris hortis
- u u/ - - ---- - - u u - u u - x
‘nil habe/o, quod ag/am, et non/ sum piger:/ usque se/quar te.’

All You Can Eat

For most people in ancient Rome, grain or corn and oil and wine were staples in their diets. Cereals were also staples and they were made from husked wheat made into porridge. Naked wheat was later made into bread, which was the most often eaten food in ancient Rome. It was sometimes sweetened with honey or cheese and eaten along with sausage, domestic fowl, game, eggs, cheese, fish, or shellfish. Fruits and nuts were also very popular.

Roman Games

Romans played ball games in an field that was previously used as a drill ground for soldiers that was by the Tiber River. It was very popular. Even Caesar and Augustus exercised there, however women were not allowed to participate. They played games such as handball, soccer, field hockey, catch, and dodgeball.

When in Rome

One of my favorite movies is "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy". This blog really doesn't have too much to do with ancient Rome, but I think it's really funny and it has the word Rome in it- so technically this blog is within the terms of our Latin class.

So, I'll set the stage.

Ron Burgandy and Veronica Corningstone are on a "professional date" and Veronica makes an interesting drink order. Ron comments on the complexity of the drink order and Veronica says "When in Rome". Ron has no idea what that means.

Veronica: A Manhattan,and kick the vermouth in the side with a pair of steel-toed boots.

Waiter: Certainly.

Veronica: Thank you, Scott.

Waiter: Thank you.

Ron: Wow.Quite a drink order.

Veronica: Oh, well, when in Rome.

Ron: Yes?Please, go on.

Veronica: Uh, do as the Romans do?It's an old expression.

Ron: Oh! I've never heard of it.

But it gets better...

Later on in the movie Ron and Veronica's relationship becomes more serious, and Veronica wants to remain professional at work.

Veronica: I'm having very strong feelings for you, Mr. Burgundy.

Veronica: But it's very important to me that I be viewed as a professional.

Ron: Right.

Veronica: Hmm.

Ron: When in Rome.

Veronica: Yeah. That, uh, expression doesn't really apply to what I'm talking about.

Ron: Oh, I'm..

Veronica: What I was saying.

Ron: I still don't quite understand what it means.

Veronica: Oh, no.You'll find it.

All Roads Lead to Rome

Every continent on Earth has at least one city named Rome, except Antarctica. This blog features the city of Rome, New York. Rome was established in 1870. It is 72 square miles and located in the geographical center of NYS at the foothills of the Adirondacks. Due to its strategic location it was one of the most important transportation points during the settling and founding of America in the 1700-1800s.

Fun Facts about Rome, New York:

• population: 34,950 (according to 2000 US census)
• Francis Bellamy, Author of the "Pledge of Allegiance" lived, and is buried, in Rome
• Dr. Potter, who lived at the Beeches, invented the first 2-piece handheld telephone.
• Rome was home to the 30th anniversary of Woodstock in 1999

Artemis and Apollo

Of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis, Artemis was the strongest goddess. However, she was the female twin and Apollo was the male twin. Males are generally regarded as being physically stronger than females and in the Roman Empire it was unheard of for a female to be stronger than a male. Apollo was also the god of the sun. The sun is largely regarded as being stronger than the moon, of which Artemis is the goddess of. The sun is thought to be more powerful than the moon because it can light the Earth. Therefore, humans are awake and able to do work. People rest and sleep when the moon is out. People usually do not think of sleeping as stronger or more powerful then accomplishing work. Hence, the sun is seen to be stronger than the moon.
So, with the sun being stronger than the moon and males being stronger than females it only makes sense that the male god would be the god of the sun and the female goddess the goddess of the moon. Artemis was also the goddess of the nymphs. Many myths are of the stories of nymphs that were raped by male gods. Rape itself is an act in which one person (usually a male) asserts his dominance over a weaker, more vulnerable person (usually a female). He takes advantage of the vulnerability of the female. Apollo himself was guilty of this crime. He raped one of Artemis’ nymphs, Daphne. The fact that Apollo and the other male gods were able to overpower the nymphs and rape them shows that they were physically stronger than Artemis and her nymphs.
However, the term “strong” has more than one meaning. It can mean something more than brute, physical strength. One can have strength of character, strength of mind, and strength of perseverance. Artemis may not have been the strongest twin physically, but she had the strongest mind and the strongest character. Apollo and many of his fellow male gods had very weak characters. They were obsessed with sex and would get it from their desired partner by any means necessary. Perhaps the greatest show of the male gods’ lack of character and integrity is in the myth of “Callisto”. Callisto was one of Artemis’ nymphs. The god Jupiter raped her and she conceived their son Arcas. Callisto and her son were shunned and were later turned into the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. All of these bad things happened to Callisto because of Jupiter’s selfish desire.
By Roman standards Apollo was stronger than Artemis because he was a male; but there are more important things in life than physical strength, especially when that strength is misused, like when Apollo raped Daphne. So what if Apollo brings the sun every day with his chariot? Is he really chasing away darkness? He brought darkness to women. He helped to create a world where women only mattered for making dinner and children and bringing pleasure to men. The stories of the male gods served as a model for young Roman men. Thus, it was common for women to be raped in Ancient Rome. The only thing that made the male gods better than humans was their strength. They had no higher code of morals and they were just as susceptible to temptation as humans are. That is why Artemis is the strongest of the twin gods. She may not be as strong as Apollo, but what Apollo has in physical strength he lacks in strength of character.

ig-pay tin-lay

Pig latin really has nothing to do with the language of latin, but one would think so because of its name. The word "latin" in the name is a deliberate misnomer because the language sounds foreign. However, it is quite easy to speak. You simply put the first syllable at the end of the word and move the second syllable to the front. Then you add the "ay" sound to the end of your new word.

see if you can translate this famous latin phrase out of Pig Latin: "pe-caray em-dieay"

Romulus and Remus: The Ultimate Your Mom Joke

Romulus and Remus' real mother (according to myth) was the priestess,Rhea Silva. She was sworn to celebacy. However, the god Mars took a liking to her and visited her one night during which she conceived the twins. Being that they were born to a priestess, they were unwanted. So they were sent down the Tiber River. A she- wolf found them and suppousedly suckled them. Sceptics say that it was Loba, the wife of Faustulus was actually the one who raised them. The name Loba means wolf, which is Lupus in Latin.

Another fun fact: Professor Lupus from Harry Potter transformed into a werewolf every full moon.


Yet another fun fact: the word Lupus is another form of the word luna means moon- which is what makes werewolves transform.

Callisto translation test

Part One
Often poets ask the Muses to tell the story. "Tell, O Muse, the story of the nymph, Callisto and her son, Arcas."
"Look to the stars in the sky," said the Muse. "See the seven stars, Ursa Major, and the other seven stars, Ursa Minor. Ursa Major is Callisto, and Ursa Minor is Arcas, her son. Because of the anger of the queen of the gods, Jupiter transformed the nymph and her son into stars in the sky."
Callisto is a nymph whose form is pretty. She lives in Arcadia. The god Jupiter went to woods and fields in Arcadia, the land of the goddess, he saw the form of the beautiful nymph and loved her instantly. Certainly the form was Callisto. The band that retained her clothes neglected to retain her hair. Callisto was in the woods when Diana and the other nymphs left.
Then Callisto was alone and asleepin the grassland; Jupiter saw her. The nymph was pleasing to the god. "Juno must not see me here," He said, "or if she does see me, I will have an expensive price to pay."Then Jupiter took the form of Diana and the nymph recognized the goddess. Jupiter was the victor; However Callisto, the miserable nymph, in the familiar woods and familiar friends saw that it was not the goddess Diana

Part Two
Juno, the queen of the gods was very angry. The time was appropriate for human punishment.
When the boy Arcas was born to the nymph, Juno said, "No cause is hindered. See my wrong, adulteress!" But Jupiter is away. He will not protect you. I will change your beautiful figure."

She said and held the hair of the nymph and threw her down on the ground. While the miserable Callisto stretched out pleading arms, they arms grew rough, shaggy hair. No words remain in the nymph.; only a hoarse voice. Callisto is now a wild bear, but human sense remained in the bear. A! How often she wandered in fields formerly her own. A! How often had she fled, terrified, men and wild animals, she herself an animal.

Voacb Quiz- Pan et Syringa

1. ager- field
2. bracchium- arm
3. concilium-union
4. fugi fugii- to flee
5. papyrus- papyrus
6. satyrus - satyr
7. Syringa- Syringa (the nymph)
8. vir viri- man
9. divivero- devote
10. fugito fugitaro- fugitive
11. puto putare- to think
12. tenero tenere- to touch
13. benignus- kind
14. densus- dense
15. nullus- no one
16. iternum-
17. autem- however
18. donec
19. eam- her
20. eos- them

bonus
olim- once
quamquam- therefore

Don't forget to brush your teeth

The ancient Romans used urine as toothpaste. It could be used as a mouthwash in its liquid form. Surprisingly urine is sterile. Romans also had tooth powder, which was skilfully prepared and generally used among them. They were made from abrasive materials such as the bones, hooves, and horns of certain animals, crabs, egg-shells, and the shells of oysters and the murex were the basis of the mixture. They were burnt and then sometimes mixed with honey and ground into a fine powder. The intention of the powder was not only to clean the teeth and make them white, but also to fix them when loose, to strengthen the gums and to relieve tooth aches.

Did Ovid deserve to be exiled?

Annie BattistaLatin IIIOvid did not deserve to be exiled because for expressing his creativity through poetry, even if the poetry was encouraging men to commit adultery. However, that is by today’s standard. It says a lot about a society, and its leaders when they exile one of the most influential and famous poets in their city for writing slightly corruptive poetry. It says that the leader, in this case Augustus, feels the need to have complete control over his citizens. Do they even belong to the leader? Should the possessive term “his” be necessary? In this case, yes.The rulers owned their citizens. Ancient Rome is a culture that the present day world owes a lot to, but no one ever looks further into the lives of the Roman citizens. They were told what to worship and what job to have; how to work and how to live; where to live and where they could go. What Ovid did was stupid. He knew that the Roman officials would not approve of his book. The reason he wrote Ars Amatoria could have been just because he wanted to teach men how to seduce married women or it could have been because he was tired of the traditional poetry that he was expected to produce. Maybe he wanted to shake things up through disregarding what was acceptable and expected and write what he wanted to write. That was reason enough for Augustus to exile him.Not only did they exile Ovid, but they also removed all his works from the libraries. Why did they care so much about Ovid’s books? They were afraid that he would influence men to commit adultery, so they did not give them the chance to decide for themselves what their morals were or what they thought of Ovid’s book.Ovid did not deserve to be punished for writing a book about adultery, however immoral it may be by Roman standards. It is a romantic idea, but people should be to express themselves and experience new ideas for themselves as long as it does not hurt anyone else. When society is burdened by having to hold the beliefs that their ruler does; it is a travesty for the human spirit.

Translation Test

Part I

The poet Ovid tells the tale of the goddess Latona and the woman Niobe. Niobe, the queen of Thebes, is arrogant. She is arrogant because she has seven sons and seven daughters. Her children’s friends praise them. “The cause of my arrogance is not the power of my friends and family, but the fame of my children.”

However, the goddess Latona had famous children. Her son is the god Apollo and her daughter is the goddess Diana.

Manto is a wise woman in the town of Thebes. Manto has much wisdom. She walked to into the town and advised the women: “Give gifts to Latona and therefore give gifts to her children, Phoebe and Diana. Latona is the goddess of women.” However the woman of Thebes went to the ornate temple, and gave gifts to the goddess of frankincense and burning incense.

Then Niobe arrogantly went to the women with her children. With proud eyes she turned to them, the women of Thebes and proclaimed: “What does Latona say? No one says me. I am the famous daughter. I am queen of the king Cadmus. Pulchra sum, the dignified goddess. But the greatest of all, I have seven pure sons and seven daughters. Rogate none cause my arrogance. Cur Latona my praestat? Latona only has one son and one daughter. My fortune gave me seven of each. Woman, hear me, not Latona. Give me gifts, not Latona.”

Therefore, the women of Thebes gave the queen arrogance. They didn’t give Latona.

Part II

The goddess Latona was very angry. Her children, Phoebe and Diana told her the long story of the arrogant woman. The mother said to them: “The people are not honoring me in the temple. The people are not of the temple. Oh Phoebe and Diana, free me, iuvate me!”

Then Phoebe said: “Enough!

Blondes Have More Fun

Roman women loved wearing wigs, especially blonde ones. They were made from the hair of Germanic women. The Roman women's husbands would bring back the blonde hair of the dead Germans for their wives' wigs. Black haired wigs from India were also popular. Women also used chalk to make their skin look paler because it was a sign that they were rich enough to not have to work outdoors. They used a mixture of olive oil and soot to make eyeliner. Mirrors were made from glass or polished metals.

Literary Terms Quiz

1. hyperbole- extravagant exaggeration
2. timesis- separation of a compound word
3. ellipsis- the omission of words in a list
4. enjambment- the running over of a sentence, phrase, or clause into the next line
5. strophe- stanza
6. personification- giving inanimate objects the characteristics or qualities of humans
7. irony- the meaning of a phrase or sentence meaning the opposite or something different than what was explicitly stated
8. hiatus- lack of elision
9. caesura- a break in a clause or sentence
10. alliteration- the repetition of a sound, usually the first initial or word

The Misunderstood History of the Caesar Salad

For years I thought the Caesar salad was named for the ancient Roman ruler, Julius Caesar. Well, today i found that I was wrong. In fact, the Caesar salad is named for its creator, Caesar Cardini. According to his daughter, Rosa, the salad was created on July 4th 1924. It was a busy weekend at Caesar's restaurant and he was running low on supplies. He didn't want to dissapoint customers by not serving salad so he created the salad with what was available to him. The salad soon became a hit. I believe that the reason for my misconception is because of Newman's Own Caesar Salad Dressing bottles. They mistakenly placed a photo of Paul Newman portrayed as Caesar on the bottle.