Horace, orig. Quintus Horatius Flaccus, (born December 65 bce, Venusia—died Nov. 27, 8 bce, Rome), Latin lyric poet and satirist. The son of a former slave, he was educated in Rome. He fought in Brutus’s army in the upheaval after Julius Caesar’s murder but gained the favour of Octavian (later Augustus) and achieved virtually the status of poet laureate. His early works include books of Satires and Epodes, but his fame rests chiefly on his books of lyrical Odes and verse Epistles, including the treatise Ars poetica, which sets down rules for the composition of poetry. The Odes and Epistles, frequently on themes of love, friendship, and philosophy, significantly influenced Western poetry from the Renaissance through the 19th century.
Discover