Horace Odes and Epodes: A Study in Poetic Word-Order

Not a new commentary, but a study in poetic word-order, with illustrations from the odes and epodes of Horace, intended to be used side by side with any edition of the poet. The author is a Hughes Professor of Classics in the University of Adelaide. -BPL News Bulletin - Vol. 1 [1922] * * * * * From the Introductory. THIS book is not a new commentary on part of Horace. After the work done by Gow, Page, and Wickham (to mention English commentators only) the gleanings are scarcely worth publication except in fugitive articles. What has been written hereafter is, as the title intimates, a study in poetic order with illustrations from the Odes, C. S., and Epodes of Horace. Unless the order seemed to suggest that accepted versions might be reconsidered, I have, with very rare exceptions, forborne to comment at length. Thus this book is intended to be used side by side with any edition of our poet; it is neither a réchauffé of previous editions nor, I hope, a collection of notes spoilt in the borrowing. Those who hold that almost any order may pass in poetry will read my notes with impatience or something worse. I ask them to suspend judgment and to await the cumulative effect of the evidence. The rules of the game are simple enough. I make no apologies for repeating some of them. They were first clearly stated by Professor J. P. Postgate. Attention to them, or rather to the breach of them, enhances in a surprising measure the effectiveness of Latin as a vehicle for the expression of ideas. Here are the five most important rules of normal order: (1) Adjectives, except those of number and quantity, immediately follow the noun, or, to use a brief terminology, are postpositive; (2) Genitives are postpositive; (3) Demonstrative pronouns are prepositive; (4) Adverbs immediately precede the verb i.e. are prepositive; (5) 'Subject...object...verb' is the normal order. As everyone knows, departure from these normal positions gives interest to the word abnormally placed. It may be asked why the Romance languages do not show survivals of this system. They do show survivals, but not many. One must remember that the introduction of Christianity caused neglect of the classical models at a very early date. During the Dark Ages such niceties as word-order were forgotten. But, as I have said, there are a few survivals. In Spanish, for instance, an adjective may precede the noun for emphasis; thus 'a magnificent day!' is 'un magnifico dia!' Then there is what may be called the emphasis of emotion. This can be seen in Spanish, French, and Italian. Contrast the cold classification of un escritor pobre (i.e. poor, not rich) with un pobre escritor (i.e. wretched, unfortunate, miserable). Parallels in French and Italian will be found quoted at §§ 34 and 36 of my Prolegomena and elsewhere in the notes. Those who know the Romance languages better than I do will, I doubt not, supply many more examples.