Essay Questions

Who was Maecenas and why does the narrator addresses many of his odes to him?

Considering the time when Horace lived, we can assume that the name refers to Gaius Maecenas, a political man who lived in Rome in the first century before Christ. He was a close advisor to Octavian, the first Roman emperor. Maecenas is mentioned by many poets of the time because he was extremely interested in art and thus supported many poets and other artistic people in their quest for beauty. He was so well known for his support of poets that his name is nowadays used to suggest the idea of patronage. Horace was one of the poets who received help from Maecenas, being offered money on a regular basis and also an estate where Horace lived and wrote his poems. While some historians argue Maecenas’s actions were political, he still remained appreciated by many poets of the time who chose to dedicate some of their work to him.

Who is Pyrrha mentioned in "Ode V’’?

The name in this ode could be a reference made to a Greek character, a woman who was married to a man named Deucalion. When Zeus decided to punish humanity and kill every person and every living being on the face of the earth, he decided to save two people, namely Pyrrha and her husband who were devoted to the Gods. After the flood was over, the two received instruction to take stones and throw them on the ground, stones which eventually became children. Pyrrha’s devotion is one of the major themes in the ode, the narrator suggesting that Pyrrha would be willing to do everything in her power just to please the Gods.

Why is Goddess Diana associated with virginity in "Ode XIX’’?

Diana is largely considered as being the Goddess of hunting, both in Roman and Greek mythology. Diana was also associated with fertility and childbirth and was often invoked during childbirth to offer her protection. Still, despite this association, according to mythology, Diana was a virgin Goddess who never married and never had children of her own. Another reason why it is possible that the narrator associated virgins with Diana may have something to do with the people who took care of the temples built in her name, who had to be virgins when entering the temple. This however did not last long as sacred prostitution was a common practice when worshiping Diana and it was seen as a way of bringing honor to her and making sure the Goddess will bestow her blessings upon the faithful.