Discuss the basic tenets in Horace’s Satire 1:4.
Answers
Horace’s description of his upbringing in Satires 1.4.103-129 is one of the most important scenes in the entire collection, particularly because it establishes the poet’s ethical credentials and justifies his role as professional critic. It is also one of the most complex and multifaceted passages, for in the process of constructing his persona Horace synthesizes various literary and philosophical influences in a sophisticated and yet often parodic manner. Scholars have repeatedly shown the role of Roman comedy, especially Terence’s portrayal of Demea in the Adelphoe, in Horace’s serio-comic depiction of his father’s training. One of the least explored facets of his pedagogical method, however, is the role of Epicureanism, which offers much to a satiric poet concerned both with practical ethics and moral correction through the observation of vicious individuals’ defects. This paper provides a new interpretation of this scene by considering the role of Epicurean philosophy vis-à-vis Horace’s father’s emphasis on sense perception as the foundation for a useful education, the use of conventional language for the sake of clarity, the application of the pleasure calculus within the context of moral deliberation, and the employment of frank criticism as a preventative, pedagogical technique.