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The Epicureanism of Horace Odes 1,24 Revisited: Mourning and Friendship

McOsker, Michael; (2024) The Epicureanism of Horace Odes 1,24 Revisited: Mourning and Friendship. Rheinisches Museum für Philologie , 167 (3-4)

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Abstract

Odes 1,24 is Horace’s consolation to Vergil for the death of their friend Quintilius. In it, beyond the usual tropes of consolatory literature, Horace deploys a variety of Epicurean references that would have special point for Vergil, who had studied Epicureanism with Quintilius. Ph. Thibodeau, in a 2003 article, identified several of these. I identify several more in light of recent research on friendship and mourning in Epicurean philosophy, especially in Philodemus’ On the Gods. Most importantly, Epicurean attitudes towards grief were gentler than commonly assumed, and friendship with dead people could continue to provide pleasure. Even though the poem works as a consolation without taking the Epicurean elements into account, they provide additional meaning and point for an Epicurean dedicatee. In good Epicurean fashion, Vergil’s memories of Quintilian provide pleasure which drives out the pain of his loss.

Type: Article
Title: The Epicureanism of Horace Odes 1,24 Revisited: Mourning and Friendship
Publisher version: https://www.sauerlaender-verlag.com/rheinisches-mu...
Language: English
Keywords: Horace, Odes 1,24, Vergil, Quintilius, Epicureanism, Philodemus, Consolation, Friendship
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of Arts and Humanities
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Dept of Greek and Latin
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10206198
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