Thoughts on Horace

Horace is a very different kind of poet. His beliefs are very contrary to what we have been reading so far in respect to Plato. He is very progressive and open to change and discussion. He does not hold himself up on a pedestal, as in, he writes for the common man.

One of the questions that Horace imposes on his listeners is whether poetry should be used to teach, or if it should be used for pleasure. In Horace's time, Rome was a vast metropolis that contained 750,000 people and many of those were poets. Horace wanted to make a distinction between those who he called "mad poets" and poets who added substance to the art form. He believes that poetry should be based on the lessons the poet has learned in terms of form and functions of a poem and less on untutored inspiration.

Another point that I like is what Horace states in Ars Poetica. He says, "When you are writing, choose a subject that matches your powers, and test again and again what weight your shoulders will take and what they won't take." (AP, 38-40)