Horace's Satires and Epistles

Rating:
Summary: Didactic Poetry
Review: Horace's collection of Satires and Epistles have always been left in the shadows of his Odes and Epodes due to this very reason--that they are didactic rather than aesthetic. In this work, Horace gives modest moral and social instruction to his correspondents, while in his Odes and Epodes his lust for life and the beautiful give the reader something much more palatable to digest. What one will find here that may be the of most value is his Ars Poetica, which hands the novice some well-gained advice on how to write good poetry. This work also furnishes itself as an excellent historical source into the world of the Augustan Age. Overall, it must be said that these poems are not quite as entertaining as his Odes and Epodes, yet the reader must consider Horace's purpose in writing them before making any rash judgements. The Norton Editions are of course one of the most trustworthy texts to be found and for the price listed this one is incomparable with any others available.