Horace: Odes and Poetry Irony

Horace: Odes and Poetry Irony

It is not good but I will continue to produce it

An ironical idea appears in "Ode XVI’’ in which the narrator described he negative ways in which anger can affect society and individual people. The reason why the narrator chose this subject is because some of his writings produced this uncontrollable anger. Despite presenting it in a negative way, the narrator claims he will continue to write, even if this means invoking anger in the hearts of the people around him.

Diana and her virgins

An ironical idea appears in "Ode XXI’’ when the narrator links hordes of virgins with Diana, the Goddess of fertility and also of hunting. The association between Diana and virgins is ironic because in the times when the ode was written, virgins were required to serve at Diana’s temple as sacred prostitutes. History proves that this was an extremely common practice, most women serving as prostitutes just before they got married and started a family of their own.

Drinking and quarrelling

In "Ode XXVII’’ the narrator claims that it is unsafe for a person to have political ideas and that it is better for a person to just follow blindly what their rulers push them believe. As a way to calm themselves, the narrator tries to convince the people to turn to drinking. This is ironic mainly because in other odes, the narrator claims drinking can produce anger which then can produce other problems for the society as a whole. Thus, by urging the people to become drunks, the narrator is basically trying to convince them to become enraged.

The only one who can defeat them

In "Ode XXIX’’ the narrator talks about the war between the narrator’s nation and the Arabs, the most powerful nation of the time, that, according to the narrator, is undefeatable. The narrator then goes to describe the horrible ways in which the population would be affected by the war and the ways in which the children and the old, the most innocent and the most vulnerable people. Despite this, ironically, the narrator claims that these people will be the ones to defeat the most powerful nation on earth.

We are worthier of protection

"Ode XXX’’ is addressed to another Goddess named Venus. The narrator addresses the Goddess in an attempt to make her come to the temple built in the city where the narrator lives. The narrator believes the Goddess is at another temple, protecting the city in which the temple was built. By asking the Goddess to move to another temple, the narrator damns the city which the Goddess leaves to destruction.

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