Select epodes and Ars poetica Author:Horace Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: NOTES. EPODON LIBER. Epode I. Hoeace is announcing his determination to accompany Maecenas on a service of danger. The poem probably belongs to B.c. 31,... more » when Octavian assembled all his partizans at Brundusium for the final expedition against Antonius and Cleopatra. Maecenas did not, however, go with the expedition, but was sent back to take charge of affairs at Rome, and Horace was thus relieved from carrying out his intention. It has been supposed by some that the Epode was written B. c. 36, wheu Maecenas actually joined the expedition against Sextus Pompeius, and Horace may have accompanied him. But the tone of his allusions to his military experience at Philippi (Od. ii. 7, 8-16 ; Epp. ii. 2, 46-52) seems to imply that it was his last; he may, indeed, in writing this Epode, have had a shrewd hope that he could protest his affection, without being called upon to carry his promise into effect. Horace had been introduced to Maecenas in B.c. 39, and nine months later had been ' reckoned among his friends' (Sat. i. 6, 61 ; ii. 6, 40). There had thus been ample time for a close intimacy to grow up between them. ' You are going into danger, Maecenas, and I will go with you. I would follow you anywhere ; not that I can help you, but I feel safer with you than at home without you. Your thanks are enough ; I do not want your bounty ; you have enriched me enough already.' Line 1. Liburnis. Ziburnae, or Liburnicae, were light galleys used by the Liburni, a piratical tribe in the north of Illyria,and adopted from them by the Romans. They proved veiy useful in Octavian's fleet at Actium, moving easily among the huge vessels of Antonius. Hence, of the same battle, Od. i. 37, 30—' Saevis Liburnis.' 2. propugnacula, the towers placed upon the ships of Antonius (not of O...« less