Horace’s philosophy is, I think, best described by this line, from the poem Gather Ye Rosebuds to Leuconoe. Horace believes in living a good life by enjoying the moment. He says that wars and worries are not enjoyable, but life is only worthwhile if one can live it to the fullest.
Horace first reveals this philosophy in the poem Gather Ye Rosebuds. Leuconoe hears Horace tell Leuconoe to just enjoy life, no matter what the astrologers might predict. As we argue about politics and future uncertainty, you lose valuable time. This is the best example of Horace’s life philosophy.
Horace tells us to not be strict with money and save. The poem, “Enjoy the possessions you own” is about death and the inevitable. It also compares the beauty of living to the loss of them. He describes an expensive villa along the Tiber that your heirs will steal, before they waste all the gold you saved. Horace wants people to spend their money now instead of worrying about what they will do with it after you die. In “We will all die”, Horace says the same thing, saying that you won’t be around to see your money squandered by others.
In “A Quiet Life”, Horace discusses his desire to escape ‘all of this’. He talks about how humans fight, struggle and live in order to have a quiet, calm life. Soldiers are willing to endure the cold, hunger and marches if it means returning home in peace. Power and money don’t bring peace to the mind. Horace teaches that a person can be happy with a few things, but not constantly seek more. The only thing the happy man desires is peace. You can’t run away from your destiny, and there are no bodyguards who will allow you to do so. Instead of focusing on the negative, it is better to focus on being merry and happy to drown them out.
Horace demonstrates his philosophy to live life fully in “Enjoy this Present Hour”. He mentions a depressingly freezing mountainside but is happy to be inside, with his wine and some light chatter. He says to “lay hold of the present” and to live in the moment. He says one day death will come for all of us. Old age will also ravage our bodies. However, we must cherish youth to lead a full life. The time to live is right now. Tomorrow’s worries are for the gods.
Horace embraces himself in Rustic Happiness, where he speaks about his freedom from the stress of city living, including debts, work and creditors. Horace talks about his love for nature and the quiet pleasures of living in the country. Horace is impressed by the skilled work of this man, as well as his beauty. The simple life would be enough to remove any worries, like a lost love. He romanticizes the peacefulness of a country life, saying that it is free from worries and preoccupations.
Author
