‘A poem which is just about bravery in battle’ – How far do you agree with this description of
Horace’s Ode 3.2? Make direct reference to the poem in your response.
I mostly disagree with the statement. I think that Horace’s Ode talks about other qualities including
what Roman soldiers learn from being the army prepares you for civilian life later and the soldiers
learn different qualities such as being loyal and discreet.
Firstly, in my opinion the biggest point is definitely about bravery but in comparison I think Horace is
trying to please Augustus so it’s about how these qualities, that appeal to the young men thinking
about going to fight, help promote Augustan ideals. For example, in the first line, ‘military service’
may indicate to a military training program, that Augustus developed for 15-18-year olds for men of
equestrian or senatorial rank, is mentioned in the first stanza. Furthering Augustus’s advertisement
of this new training program, meaning the poem was less about bravery and more of an
advertisement for Augustus. Also Horace himself must have been trying to please Augustus because
previously, Horace fought in the war against Octavian, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus which was
the second triumvirate in the battle of Philippi in 42 BC so this leads me to believe that he was trying
to show that Augustus is going to lead them into this new republican era of the return of stability
and way of life. Also Horace is writing the poem and the fact that he previously fought against
Augustus shows the change in the empire and how it is much more peaceful and creates this sense
of equality and freedom, that the Country fought so hard to keep.
The poem is additionally showing off that Rome beat those who threatened the republic more than
talking about bravery in battle. This point is support by how the poem makes up a story that
describes a man standing outside the walls and is called a ‘tyrant’s wife’ and this word tyrant links a
dictatorship and then this man is killed. Also, the Romans are compared to lion’s in this passage and I
think this is a metaphor to brag about their victory because lions are majestic beats that are the
most powerful. I think that the poem is trying to showcase the fact that they are the best and flaunt
their victories instead of making the poem about bravery.
During this poem there are many lines that do make me think that the poem is about bravery, for
example Horace almost copies Tytaeous and uses the phrase, ‘It is sweet and fitting to dies for one’s
country’. This may be indicating that because Tytaeous is a poet who uses graphic imagery and
descriptions to encourage young Spartan boys to be brave so the poem is surely showing that the
Roman soldiers should be brave. The poem states that Roman soldiers should be brave more than
anything because death in inevitable as it says in the next line, ‘Death also chases after the fleeing
soldier’. This is personifying death as its own character and means that the soldier should stand up
to death by facing it and not showing ‘cowardly backs’ because if you show you back it is seen as
retreating and this is as Horace describes ‘cowardly’. For this reason I think that the influence of
Tytaeous and use of the scare tactic that death will kill you if you don’t fight are contributing factors
to why bravery is one of the main themes of the poem because being a coward is not an option.
Another reason why I do not believe the poem is just about bravery is because towards the end of
the poem there are certain hints about virtue and phrases that talking about being discreet. The
poem talks about how virtue does not associate with politics and the word ‘axes’ is talking about
fasces which were rods on an axe-head to symbolise the jurisdiction of a senior magistrate that has
good virtue’s. However good character ties in with being brave but it is also keeping silent as
described after by the phrase, ‘loyal silence’ and if you have these virtues then you can have a place
among the gods. Which in the eyes of a Roman would be likely because Augustus compares himself
to the gods and so this is why I think that poem is not only talking about bravery but other virtues as
Horace’s Ode 3.2? Make direct reference to the poem in your response.
I mostly disagree with the statement. I think that Horace’s Ode talks about other qualities including
what Roman soldiers learn from being the army prepares you for civilian life later and the soldiers
learn different qualities such as being loyal and discreet.
Firstly, in my opinion the biggest point is definitely about bravery but in comparison I think Horace is
trying to please Augustus so it’s about how these qualities, that appeal to the young men thinking
about going to fight, help promote Augustan ideals. For example, in the first line, ‘military service’
may indicate to a military training program, that Augustus developed for 15-18-year olds for men of
equestrian or senatorial rank, is mentioned in the first stanza. Furthering Augustus’s advertisement
of this new training program, meaning the poem was less about bravery and more of an
advertisement for Augustus. Also Horace himself must have been trying to please Augustus because
previously, Horace fought in the war against Octavian, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus which was
the second triumvirate in the battle of Philippi in 42 BC so this leads me to believe that he was trying
to show that Augustus is going to lead them into this new republican era of the return of stability
and way of life. Also Horace is writing the poem and the fact that he previously fought against
Augustus shows the change in the empire and how it is much more peaceful and creates this sense
of equality and freedom, that the Country fought so hard to keep.
The poem is additionally showing off that Rome beat those who threatened the republic more than
talking about bravery in battle. This point is support by how the poem makes up a story that
describes a man standing outside the walls and is called a ‘tyrant’s wife’ and this word tyrant links a
dictatorship and then this man is killed. Also, the Romans are compared to lion’s in this passage and I
think this is a metaphor to brag about their victory because lions are majestic beats that are the
most powerful. I think that the poem is trying to showcase the fact that they are the best and flaunt
their victories instead of making the poem about bravery.
During this poem there are many lines that do make me think that the poem is about bravery, for
example Horace almost copies Tytaeous and uses the phrase, ‘It is sweet and fitting to dies for one’s
country’. This may be indicating that because Tytaeous is a poet who uses graphic imagery and
descriptions to encourage young Spartan boys to be brave so the poem is surely showing that the
Roman soldiers should be brave. The poem states that Roman soldiers should be brave more than
anything because death in inevitable as it says in the next line, ‘Death also chases after the fleeing
soldier’. This is personifying death as its own character and means that the soldier should stand up
to death by facing it and not showing ‘cowardly backs’ because if you show you back it is seen as
retreating and this is as Horace describes ‘cowardly’. For this reason I think that the influence of
Tytaeous and use of the scare tactic that death will kill you if you don’t fight are contributing factors
to why bravery is one of the main themes of the poem because being a coward is not an option.
Another reason why I do not believe the poem is just about bravery is because towards the end of
the poem there are certain hints about virtue and phrases that talking about being discreet. The
poem talks about how virtue does not associate with politics and the word ‘axes’ is talking about
fasces which were rods on an axe-head to symbolise the jurisdiction of a senior magistrate that has
good virtue’s. However good character ties in with being brave but it is also keeping silent as
described after by the phrase, ‘loyal silence’ and if you have these virtues then you can have a place
among the gods. Which in the eyes of a Roman would be likely because Augustus compares himself
to the gods and so this is why I think that poem is not only talking about bravery but other virtues as
