Horace’s Selfhood in Odes 1.1

In the Odes, Horace displays himself as heir to Greek lyric poets. He presents himself as a poet, implying that poetry is the most noble out of all occupations. Hierarchy is significant in Horace’s works, as he uses it between him and Maecenas and all other occupations of human society. By establishing hierarchy, Horace implies Maecenas has the ability to control Horace’s identity as a poet. Only Maecenas can help Horace reach the nine accomplished poets and become immortalized. 

Horace uses hierarchy to position Maecenas as his superior. He begins his ode with the following: “Maecenas, sprung from an ancient line of kings . . .” (Odes 1.1, 1). Maecenas’ name is the first word of the poem, implying that Maecenas is the central figure of Horace’s ode. His position as Octavian’s right-hand man allows Horace to be connected to Octavian, advancing his career as a poet. Horace elevates Maecenas’ status by saying he comes from “an ancient line of kings.” “Ancient” implies that Maecenas’ prestige is timeless, persisting across generations as a model of cultural and social influence. By granting Maecenas’ status an immortal quality, Horace suggests that Maecenas’ legacy aligns with the venerable reputations of kings. Horace elevates Maecenas beyond the status of patron. Maecenas’ influence is regal, sanctioned by tradition and lineage. 

Horace also subverts this hierarchy within the next phrase. He calls Maecenas “my stronghold, my pride, my delight . . .” (Odes 1.1, 2). Horace uses the vocative to address Maecenas. It reinforces the intensity of Horace’s praise, implying his intimate friendship with Maecenas. Horace names Maecenas with epithets (“stronghold,” “pride,” and “delight”) described by the Latin word meum. Through meum, Horace claims Maecenas as his. The order of epithets reflects an emotional crescendo as Horace shifts from words of strength (“stronghold”) to terms of increasing affection (“pride” and “delight”). This represents a shift from the two different social classes of  Horace and Maecenas to a closer friendship. Horace conveys respect while hinting at a deeper connection that transcends traditional human categorizations. 

Horace uses enumeration to imply that poetry is the noblest human profession. Horace mentions nine human occupations: charioteers, politicians, grain dealers, farmers, merchants, shepherds , soldiers, hunters, and poets (Odes 1.1, 4-30). These positions are common jobs in Roman society. Horace creates a hierarchy among the occupations by listing them in this order. He introduces poets last, implying its superiority over the professions. He mentions nine professions. There are nine Muses (Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Erato, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, Urania) and nine revered Greek lyricists (Alcman, Sappho, Alcaeus, Anacreon, Stesichorus, Ibycus, Simonides, Bacchylides, and Pindar). Horace suggests a parallel between poetry and divine inspiration. Poetry uniquely connects humans to the divine, legitimizing poetry’s status over other professions. 

Horace also takes inspiration from previous Greek lyricists, displaying himself as an inheritor of their traditions. For instance, Horace uses enumeration to echo Pindar’s recognition of human endeavors (e.g. the athletes and charioteers). Horace uses this technique to create a distinct hierarchy among the occupations. Similar to Pindar, he ends the poem with self-praise for his talent in poetry. Using Pindar as a bookend, Horace implies that the poetry is associated with the divine. He legitimizes poetry’s superiority for its pursuit of intellectual legacy over material gain, contrasting Roman preferences for oratory and historical writings. 

Horace also introduces a contrast in the middle of his ode. “There is a man who seeks no objection to drinking / old Massic wine or taking time out of the day” (Odes 1.1, 19-20). Wine and water are typical symbols of poetry in Latin and Greek lyric tradition, referring to the Muses. Horace is an inheritor of the Greek lyric tradition by adopting this symbol. During the Archaic period, Homer was rumored to drink water from Mount Helicon–the home of the Muses. Wine is often portrayed as similarly inspiring poetry. Water and wine became symbols of the Muses, who represent the pinnacle of poetic achievement. 

This line occupies the middle of Horace’s ode, establishing the contrast between Horace and Roman society. The lazy man is also a common archetype within Horace works, representing Horace’s self as a high-class Roman citizen. It also describes the majority of upper-class Romans, who can drink wine at their villa in the countryside. By introducing this line, Horace creates tension between his two distinct selves: an upper-class citizen and a poet. While the Roman lifestyle offers status, Horace implies it doesn’t bring the same honor as poetry. Remaining as a Roman citizen won’t allow Horace to transcend to new heights. Only through poetry could he transcend conventional Roman life and align himself with the nine revered poets and the Muses, implying that true immortality lies in intellectual legacy. 

Horace separates himself from the crowd because he is a poet. “As for me, it is ivy, the reward of learned brows, / that puts me among the gods above” (Odes 1.1, 30-31). Horace begins with the phrase “as for me.” Previously, he mentioned the nine occupations of human society. He differentiates himself from the crowd by referring to himself with the pronoun “me.” Winners of poetic competitions receive the ivy crown because it represents intellectual achievements in Roman society. Because Horace presents himself as a poet,  the most noble of all human professions, he has the qualifications to be placed “among the gods above.” Horace refers to hierarchy again by saying the preposition “above”. According to Roman hierarchy, the gods are above the mortals. By being “among the gods,” Horace further expands the gap between himself and everyone else in Roman society. 

Horace has similar intentions in the next line. “As for me, the cold grove and the light-footed choruses of Nymphs / and Satyrs set me apart from the people” (Odes 1.1, 30-32). He repeats “as for me” to emphasize his disconnection from the general crowd. His identity as a poet makes him similar to the gods, able to occupy the same space as Nymphs and Satyrs. Then, Horace introduces an interesting contrast. In the previous sentence, he says “among the gods above.” On lines 30 to 32, he contrasts that phrase by saying “set me apart from the people.” This rhetorical choice emphasizes that Horace’s intellectual abilities put him closer to the Muses. The Muses also have authority over Horace’s ability to access poetry. If Horace is associated with the Satyrs and Nymphs, then he collects the lower-level gods’ authority to make him worthy to be with the Muses. 

Horace uses divine figures for a similar purpose. He says, “if Euterpe lets me play her pipes, and Polyhymnia / does not withhold the lyre of Lesbos” (Odes 1.1, 33-34). Euterpe is the Muse of music, and Polyhymnia is the Muse of sacred songs. Musical instruments, especially pipes and lyres, are significant in Greek lyric tradition, typically accompanying the lyrics as lyrics are sung. Though not with music, the sacred songs of Horace would be performed, highlighting the divine quality of his works. Horace sets his identity as a lyric poet inheriting Greek lyric tradition. “The lyre of Lesbos” refers to the lyricists Alcaeus and Sappho, who originated from the island of Lesbos, an association that increases his credibility. Using Sappho as a bookend, Horace adapts Sappho’s rhetorical style when she addresses “What is the most beautiful thing in the world?” Similar to Sappho, Horace uses ring-form. It requires the final thought, that of  Maecenas to return to the opening lines, to create a sense of closure, 

In the last lines, Horace returns to Maecenas’ role in shaping his identity. Horace says, “But if you enrol me among the lyric bards / my soaring head will touch the stars” (Odes 1.1, 35-36). Horace uses the pronoun “you” to refer to Maecenas. By saying “if you enrol me. . .”, Horace holds Maecenas on a pedestal, suggesting that only Maecenas can mold Horace’s identity. The “lyric bards” could include Sappho and Alcaeus, invoked in the previous line by the “lyre of Lesbos”. Horace asks Maecneas to help him inherit the Greek lyric tradition to ascend to new heights. “Soaring head” uses epical language in “soaring”, and “head” is the most significant part of the body in Roman tradition as it could represent the entirety of a person’s soul and identity. Horace implies that he cannot attain this identity without Maecenas’ aid. 

Furthermore, Horace particularly says “stars.” Stars are celestial bodies that exist outside of the Earth, symbolizing the souls of previous great people. If Maecenas chooses to, Horace’s name will live in history forever and among celestial bodies. Because poetry is the most honorable profession, Horace will reach new heights and live in history–due to Maecenas’ patronage of Horace. The poem’s midpoint features a man drinking wine on his farm, symbolizing Maecenas’ support of Horace through the gift of his land. It is only through his friendship and support that the wine and water can transform into poetry. Maecenas is the bridge between Horace and the Muses. Only through Maecenas can Horace be added to the list of nine, the greatest honor of all. Horace also begins this line with “but”, a contrasting adverb. Previously, Horace previously distinguished himself from the general crowd. He also named Polyhymnia and Euterpe to increase his credibility as a poet. Horace positions himself within the divine lineage of poetry, but he knows that the role is incomplete without Maecenas’ endorsement. Maecenas has the power to mold his identity. The “but” implies Horace recognizes his own limitations and the need for Maecenas’ powerful intervention. Horace believes that Maecenas has the means to elevate his earthly achievements, potentially immortalizing him among the revered nine poets. 

Horace also calls himself vates at the end of his ode, which translates to “messenger of the gods.” Poets are traditionally vessels of the Muses. At the end of his ode, Horace puts himself “in the cold grove”—on the top of Mount Helicon,the home of the Muses. The line mentioned how Horace is at the metaphorical peak of human civilization. He uses the Latin word vates to describe himself. Vates translates to “messenger of the gods” – a prophetic poet. Because poets are vessels of the Muses, he gives himself divine status equal to ancient Greek lyricists. In Roman society, vates interpret divine truths for humanity. This framing positions Horace as a divinely inspired figure with philosophical authority. This identification elevates Horace’s poetic role, aligning him with prophetic tradition. 

Horace creates a hierarchy that positions Maecenas as the bridge to poetic immortality, revealing his reliance on his patron’s favor to secure his place among the Greek lyric poets. He ends the poem with a request for Maecenas’ endorsement. Horace’s poetic identity elevates him beyond ordinary human professions, but he requires Maecenas to help him attain a lasting legacy among the stars.