Horace 1.37 Cleopatra Flashcards
when was it published?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
23 BC
which themes does it cover?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
Imperator and Culture Hero
What is the poem about?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
The poem celebrates Augustus’s recent conquest over Cleopatra. It says it would have been wrong to celebrate before. It then includes some discussion of Cleopatra, and then describes how Augustus pursued Cleopatra and how she died.
What examples of anti-eastern prejudice are there?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
“maddened queen”
“her crowd of deeply-corrupted creatures”
“she violent with hope”
“intoxicated” “her frenzy”
“that deadly monster”
What examples of misogyny and anti-woman prejudice are there?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
“maddened queen”
“intoxicated” “frenzy”
“that deadly monster”
how is Cleopatra presented as a threat?
“a maddened queen was still plotting the Capitol’s and the empire’s ruin”
“that deadly monster”
which similes are used to describe Augustus pursuing Cleopatra?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
“as the sparrowhawk follows the gentle dove”
as “the swift hunter chases the hare”
how does Horace present the battle of Actium and the battle of Alexandria?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
he uses hyperbole:
“scarcely a single ship escaped the flames”
“fallen kingdom”
how is the death of Cleopatra described?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
She kills herself nobly, and there seems to be a grudging admiration of her by Horace.
“no sign of womanish fear”
“she dared… to touch the poisonous asps with courage”
“scorning to be taken… led along in proud triumph”
key inaccuracies in the poem?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
scarcely one ship (Actium)- untrue!
fallen kingdom (Egypt) - bit dramatic
plotting empire’s ruin- not really
pursuing her close- a year after!
asps- this is disputed- might be a lie
why isn’t Antony mentioned? or is he?
(Horace 1.37 Cleopatra)
- he is not mentioned (perhaps!) to distract from the civil aspect of the war
- but he is hinted to through the mentions of drunkenness! (Kellman’s view)
