3.2) Horace Epistle 1.5: Intro
1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 In this invitation letter, Horace asks Torquatus to take a “holiday” and visit his home for dinner. Such invitation poems are not uncommon, and it is useful to compare this epistle to Catullus 13. Horace paints a humble picture of his dining room, his food, the wine, and the accoutrements. Horace tailors the language of the letter to Torquatus, and it features numerous legal terms as well as allusions to the famous case of Moscus he was arguing (10). The central section of the poem features a praise of wine and ebrietas, which acts as part of his own “case” to Torquatus, endeavoring to persuade his friend to dine with him. This seems to be much of the humor and charm of the poem, as Horace pleads, like a fellow lawyer, to Torquatus of the benefits of dining with him and taking a day off. When Horace writes to those of higher status (such as Maecenas or Tiberius in 1.9), he often has to adjust his language accordingly. Here, he wittingly gives the orders (imperium, 6) to the patrician Torquatus, and makes the case for his own humble party, replete with old friends (26-28), as a fitting venue for a holiday dinner. This picture also fits with the larger message of the Epistles, in which friendship, simple pleasures, mediocritas, and ethical behavior are stressed.