PREFACE.

FROM Some friendly admonitions that have come to me it appears that what is expected of a would-be 'literary' edition of Horace is commentary of the kind so admirably described by Mr. Sarcey:1

'Ecce autem a Tenedo gemini tranquilla per alta. Ecce autem! Les voilà, ce sont eux! A Tenedo; c'est de Ténédos qu'ils arrivent; on les aperçoit de loin; gemini; ils sont deux; ils forment un couple! Ambo serait faible: mais gemini! Tranquilla per alta; c'est la haute mer; elle est tranquille, et les deux monstres s'avancent. Quel tableau!'

The present edition is less ambitious in its scope. It aims to stimulate the student's appreciation of the Odes as literature by a somewhat fuller illustration than is generally given of Horace's thought, sentiment, and poetic imagery. In order to find space for the parallel passages quoted it has been necessary to abbreviate somewhat the expression of the traditional exegesis and to state by implication some of the more obvious things which the student has already met in Vergil. But it is believed that the introductory paraphrases in connection with the more explicit notes provide as much aid for the young student as is desirable; and it is hoped that the

1 Souvenirs de Jeunesse, p. 180.

V

surplusage, as some may deem it, of references, citations, and illustrations will prove of value not only to teachers and students of literature, but to the beginner when he returns to the most interesting and important part of his task-the review. For the Odes are to be assimilated, not merely read through.

The young student in haste to construe will of course not look up references to other authors. But they will not harm him any more than the critical and grammatical discussions found in all school editions which he always skips. Crossreferences to Horace have been designedly multiplied. No intelligent study of an author is possible without them. It would not have been difficult to add indefinitely to the quotations from English poetry, and the task of selection was not easy. Some commonplace quotations have been admitted merely for the information they contain; others as illustrations of the taste of the age that produced them. I should be sorry to be thought to recommend 'parallel passages' as a short cut to 'culture.' But Horace especially invites this treatment, and in no other way can the right atmosphere for the enjoyment of the Odes be so easily created. No judicious teacher will impose such work as a task, and when it is voluntarily undertaken the student should be taught to distinguish carefully conscious imitation, interesting coincidences, and the mere commonplaces of poetical rhetoric and imagery.

The text of the Odes is for practical purposes settled. This edition was set up from the Teubner text of Müller with marginal corrections. I fear that I have not attained perfect consistency in some minor matters. All various readings or disputed interpretations that concern the undergraduate or the

literary student are briefly discussed in the notes. I have been more careful to indicate the reasons for each of two differing views than to insist strenuously on my own preference. Those who wish to consult critical editions or use the Odes for exercises in text criticism will be put on the track of a sufficient preliminary bibliography by the article Horatius, in Harper's Classical Dictionary.

In the preparation of the notes I have freely used Hirschfelder-Orelli, Kiessling, and Nauck, and have consulted Wickham, Smith, Page, and others.

Lex. =

Spenser's Fairy Queen is cited as F. Q.; Herrick, by the numbers of Saintsbury's (Aldine Poets) edition. Harper's Latin Lexicon. Otto = Römer.

Otto's Sprichwörter der

In conclusion I wish to thank Professor Pease, and Professor Arthur T. Walker of the University of Kansas, who have read a large part of the proof and made helpful suggestions.

Mr. George Norlin, Mr. T. C. Burgess, and Mr. H. M. Burchard, fellows in Greek in the University of Chicago, kindly offered to verify in the proof the references to Greek and Latin authors. To them is mainly due such accuracy as I may have attained in this matter.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO,

August, 1898.

PAUL SHOREY.

NOTE. — A. G. = Allen and Greenough's Latin Grammar; B. = Bennett; G. L. = Gildersleeve-Lodge; H. = Harkness.