The Works of Horace

Horace writes like a man who has seen everything and still finds traffic jams in the Forum amusing. These odes, crafted in ancient Rome two millennia ago, pulse with the same frustrations and pleasures of modern life: the pursuit of pleasure, the dread of mortality, the absurdity of politics, the sweetness of wine with friends at dusk. He addresses kings and cobblers with equal wit, complaining about noisy neighbors, teenage rebellion, electioneering politicians, and lovers stealing secret meetings at nightfall. Yet beneath the charming surface lies a sophisticated philosopher, wrestling with how to live well in an uncertain world. Charles E. Passage's translation preserves the original meters while capturing Horace's distinctive voice: intimate, self-deprecating, and unexpectedly funny. This is not marble-cold classical poetry but a warm conversation across centuries with a man who knew how to enjoy a good dinner and face death with a shrug. Horace has been influencing Western poets since Shakespeare borrowed from him, and this complete edition includes helpful notes and the ancient biography by Suetonius.