Horace: blog post 8

Book 4 of the odes is a latter add on to Horace's odes, and thus has themes different from the other odes. For example, Horace talks often in the book about aging. This theme is not strongly displayed in any of the other three books. Ode 1 beings the book and introduced the idea of Horace, now as old man, passing on the responsibility of writing love poetry to a younger poet. Poem 2 echoes this theme because Horace passes on the responsibility of praising Caesar to another poet who will be alive long enough to recount his deeds. Then most of the poems that comprise the book, touch on the theme of aging in some way. Ode 3 talks about the fame Horace has achieved in his old age, " The young of Rome, chief of cities, / see fit to place me among the choirs of bards / they love" (14-6). Skipping ahead, Ode 7 is another that talks about aging. Certainly, almost very poem makes a reference to old age and aging, and the good and bad things that accompany aging. Horace cautions not to, "hope for immortality," (7) for the hours and says of one's life cannot be known. Again, Horace is writing on the theme of aging. Presumably, he is older when rewrites book 4 of the odes. Aging is on his mind in a greater way than it was as a young man when he wrote books 1-3.Books 1-3 have themes like morality, wine, poetical prowess that run through them, but they seldom mention aging. Horace ends the book with ode 15. He recounts Caesar's lordship in Rome and all he good things that came from that. Then he calls for the people to remember the good times of the past and look ahead. This echoes Horace's sentiments in the first two poems. He is passing on the torch of poetry and celebration in poem 15, just as he was in poems 1 and 2. Thus book 4 is a farewell letter of sorts, where Horace cites his age as his reason for retiring, and leaves poetry in the hands of his successors.