Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. The rhetorician Quintilian regarded his Odes as just about the only Latin lyrics worth reading: "He can be lofty sometimes, yet he is also full of charm and grace, versatile in his figures, and felicitously daring in his choice of words."...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPoet
passion want poet
The poet must put on the passion he wants to represent.
lying talent dormant
Difficulties elicit talents that in more fortunate circumstances would lie dormant.
Much is wanting to those who seek or covet much.
men mad poet
The man is either mad or his is making verses. [Lat., Aut insanit homo, aut versus facit.]
use firsts poet
Poets, the first instructors of mankind, Brought all things to the proper native use.
pain pleasure despise
Despise pleasure; pleasure bought by pain in injurious.
sea hug storm
Better wilt thou live...by neither always pressing out to sea nor too closely hugging the dangerous shore in cautious fear of storms.
ridicule employed severity
Ridicule is often employed with more power and success than severity.
excited hours
His anger is easily excited and appeased, and he changes from hour to hour.
humanity tendencies forbidden
The tendency of humanity is towards the forbidden.
talking no-trust fleeing
While we're talking, envious time is fleeing: pluck the day, put no trust in the future
enjoy present-day
Enjoy the present day, trust the least possible to the future.
delight teach
To teach is to delight.
character excellence littles
Excellence when concealed, differs but little from buried worthlessness. [Lat., Paullum sepultae distat inertiae Celata virtus.]