8.3) Horace Epistle 1.17: Intro
1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 To Scaeva, this letter hits upon some of the common themes we have been exploring in the previous Epistles. The relationship between the philosopher and those in power is raised with the exemplum of Aristippus, whom some scholars have seen as the key to Horace’s philosophical outlook in the Epistles (esp. Moles). While some have found Horace to be satiric in his advice (Damon), others believe he is still working in a similar vein as previous works that stress moderation and adaptability. In this epistle and the following one, Horace seems a little more willing to illuminate some of the dark corners and possible contradictions of patronage and friendship with the rich. You may not get to be “yourself” 100% of the time, but you should be able to go with the flow and maintain your ideals. There is a sense that everyone wants something; if you have “skin in the game” you will have to act a certain way (and you shouldn’t complain or ask for too much). He ends by focusing on negative exempla – some just pretend to be beggars or have little to offer. In general, the poem deals with questions of propriety, the complaints made by the indecorous, and the distance between wants and needs.