Description
A biography of Horace, one of the most popular poets from antiquity, revealing the little-known man behind his famous lines
Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-8 BCE) wrote some of ancient Rome's greatest poetry, melding languages and cultures with youthful ideals and a realist's recognition of the dictatorial world around him. Horace is famed for his fine phrases, lyric sex, and guidance on how to live, but he was a poet maddened by war, and many of his most self-revealing poems have rarely been read. He could be sublime and obscene, amusing and abusive, a model of moderation and anything but.
In this book, the first modern retelling of Horace's life, Peter Stothard follows the poet from his birth as the son of a formerly enslaved father through his rise to the highest circles of Roman society. He shines a light on how shattering experiences in the war to save Rome's republic shaped the loyal servant and revolutionary artist he became. With astute scholarship and sympathy, Stothard explores the poet's legacy of dark insecurity, bright pleasure, and troubled service to the politics of his time.
About the Author
Peter Stothard is an author, journalist, and critic. His books include The Last Assassin: The Hunt for the Killers of Julius Caesar; Crassus: The First Tycoon; and Palatine: An Alternative History of the Caesars. He lives in Berkshire, UK.
Reviews
"Peter Stothard is a master of modern writing about ancient Rome, of vividly bringing to life its poetry and its poets."-Mary Beard
"A fascinating biography of an extraordinary life. Sexual abuse and the madness of war beyond the better known moral lectures, wine and rose petals. A brilliant and compelling study that brings Horace to life for a new generation."-Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History of Humanity
"Peter Stothard is a master of modern writing about ancient Rome, of vividly bringing to life its poetry and its poets."-Mary Beard
"A fascinating biography of an extraordinary life. Sexual abuse and the madness of war beyond the better known moral lectures, wine and rose petals. A brilliant and compelling study that brings Horace to life for a new generation."-Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History of Humanity
Book Information
ISBN 9780300256581
Author Peter Stothard
Format Hardback
Page Count 336
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-8 BCE) wrote some of ancient Rome's greatest poetry, melding languages and cultures with youthful ideals and a realist's recognition of the dictatorial world around him. Horace is famed for his fine phrases, lyric sex, and guidance on how to live, but he was a poet maddened by war, and many of his most self-revealing poems have rarely been read. He could be sublime and obscene, amusing and abusive, a model of moderation and anything but.
In this book, the first modern retelling of Horace's life, Peter Stothard follows the poet from his birth as the son of a formerly enslaved father through his rise to the highest circles of Roman society. He shines a light on how shattering experiences in the war to save Rome's republic shaped the loyal servant and revolutionary artist he became. With astute scholarship and sympathy, Stothard explores the poet's legacy of dark insecurity, bright pleasure, and troubled service to the politics of his time.
About the Author
Peter Stothard is an author, journalist, and critic. His books include The Last Assassin: The Hunt for the Killers of Julius Caesar; Crassus: The First Tycoon; and Palatine: An Alternative History of the Caesars. He lives in Berkshire, UK.
Reviews
"Peter Stothard is a master of modern writing about ancient Rome, of vividly bringing to life its poetry and its poets."-Mary Beard
"A fascinating biography of an extraordinary life. Sexual abuse and the madness of war beyond the better known moral lectures, wine and rose petals. A brilliant and compelling study that brings Horace to life for a new generation."-Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History of Humanity
"Peter Stothard is a master of modern writing about ancient Rome, of vividly bringing to life its poetry and its poets."-Mary Beard
"A fascinating biography of an extraordinary life. Sexual abuse and the madness of war beyond the better known moral lectures, wine and rose petals. A brilliant and compelling study that brings Horace to life for a new generation."-Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History of Humanity
Book Information
ISBN 9780300256581
Author Peter Stothard
Format Hardback
Page Count 336
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
