HORACE: Epode 9: A Toast to Actium Flashcards
(27 cards)
‘As is Jove’s…’
‘As is Jove’s pleasure, shall i delight With you in Caear’s triumph’
‘As is Jove’s pleasure shall I delight With you in Caesar’s triumph’
- Looking forward to Caesar’s triumph as if its already happened, very confident in his ability to win
- Suggesting Octavian is destined to win, if Jupiter is happy with his victory being celebrated, so even though it’s a civil war, this makes it look okay
‘Having threatened the…’
‘Having threatened the city with shackles he’d taken // From those faithless slaves’
‘Having threatened the city with shackles he’d taken // From those faithless slaves’
- Talking about Sextus Pompey
- Pompey had taken runaway slaves into his navy, and he was eventually killed by Octavian, which could suggest that Antony is next.
- Pompey is similar to Antonyas he’s working with foreign people in a way that isn’t accepted by Romans
‘A Roman- you’ll…’
‘A Roman- you’ll not credit it, posterity’
‘A Roman- you’ll not credit it, posterity’
- Talking about Antony
- Reminding us the conflict is Roman Vs. Roman
- ‘You’ll not credit it’- could be implying that his Roman identity could be taken away, and that he’s not longer Roman due to his behaviour (submitting himself to a foreign woman)
‘Ups sticks and..’
‘Ups sticks and arms himself, For a woman’s sake’
‘Ups sticks and arms himself, For a woman’s sake’
- Cleopatra not named, but you immediately know she is the woman being spoken about
- Could also be avoiding making it seem like a civil war by not naming Antony
‘While the sun…’
‘While the sun looks down on her shameful pavilion // Among the warlike standards’
‘While the sun looks down on her shameful pavilion // Among the warlike standards’
- Cleopatra is luxuriating, even during war time
‘At this sight…’
‘At this sight two thousand Gauls, chanting Caesar’
‘At this sight two thousand Gauls, chanting Caesar’
- Amyntas was the Gaul’s King, they switched from Antony to Octavian’s side
- Reversal of what Cleopatra did, who went from Caesar to Antony
- Gaul reminds readers of Julius Caesar’s military victories there
‘Why delay the…’
‘Why delay the golden chariots // And the unblemished steers?’
‘Why delay the golden chariots // And the unblemished steers?’
- Saying the war is basically already won, even though Cleopatra and Antony haven’t officially been defeated yet, preparations are already being made for a Triumph
‘Nor was Africanus…’
‘Nor was Africanus, whose courage made a tomb // For himself of Carthage’
‘Nor was Africanus, whose courage made a tomb // For himself of Carthage’
- Implying that Augustus is even better than the man who defeated Hannibal and was a major player in bringing about the defeat of Carthage, which was Rome’s biggest enemy at the time
- This implies that Cleopatra, Antony and Egypt as a whole are worse than that
‘The enemy, beaten…’
‘The enemy, beaten at sea and on land, Changes his scarlet cloak for black’
‘The enemy, beaten at sea and on land, Changes his scarlet cloak for black’
- Referring to Antony
- A red cloak was work by generals, could be suggesting his death as a Roman due to changing it to the mourning colour of black
- Seems to be discarding his role in Rome for something dark and evil
‘Let’s delight in…’
‘Lets delight in banishing fear and anxiety’
‘Lets delight in banishing fear and anxiety’
- Could be referencing period of war and instability that occurred before Octavian’s reign
- By defeating Antony and Cleopatra, the world will become a better place
Whats the purpose of the poem?
Celebrate the victory at Actium
When was it written?
30BC
Form and structure of the poem?
Iambic poem
Addressed to Maecenas
Unblemished steers?
Spotless oxen, presumably ready for sacrifice
