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{
    "pk": 54861,
    "title": "Epode 5\n as a Response to \nEclogue 4\n: The Anti-Augustan in Horace",
    "subtitle": null,
    "abstract": "This paper offers a new reading of Horace’s Fifth Epode as a response to Vergil’s Fourth Eclogue. Vergil’s poem heralds a savior-child that will restore the Roman state, while Horace’s poem narrates the tale of a child captured and killed by witches. I argue that by pairing these two poems the reader uncovers a latent Horatian commentary on civil war and Roman leadership from the seemingly innocuous witch fable of Epode 5.\n \nTo my knowledge, a sound linking of these two contemporary poems has never been published. I draw a concrete link between Eclogue 4 and Epode 5 first through textual and then thematic comparison.  Vergil says that his messiah will destroy poisonous plants and snakes (24-25) and these are the very two things that Horace’s child cannot overcome in the witch tale. Thematically, Eclogue 4 is centered in the ideas of birth and growth, the amicable integration of Eastern and Western cultures, and the natural peacefulness of the countryside. Epode 5 is concerned with the exact opposite themes: death and devolution, clashing of Roman and foreign cultures, and the murderous and unnatural filth of the city. I argue that these oppositions are intentional and highlight the tension between Vergil’s hope for a savior-child that will rebuild Rome and Horace’s pessimism that this abducted child will perish and take the city down with him. I then argue that contextual clues identify the savior-child as Octavian.\n \nAlthough Horace is known for his patriotic poetry, the uncovering of this biting political commentary in superficially non-political Epode 5 begs reconsideration of other seemingly non-political Horatian poetry. Perhaps the poet safely conceals his honest opinions in these poems lest he compromise his political allegiances.",
    "language": "en",
    "license": {
        "name": "",
        "short_name": "",
        "text": null,
        "url": ""
    },
    "keywords": [],
    "section": "Articles",
    "is_remote": true,
    "remote_url": "https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5fm452s2",
    "frozenauthors": [
        {
            "first_name": "Margarita",
            "middle_name": "",
            "last_name": "Montgomery",
            "name_suffix": "",
            "institution": "",
            "department": ""
        }
    ],
    "date_submitted": "2013-03-17T04:28:00+08:00",
    "date_accepted": "2013-03-17T04:28:00+08:00",
    "date_published": "2013-01-01T08:00:00+08:00",
    "render_galley": null,
    "galleys": [
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            "type": "pdf",
            "path": "https://journalpub.escholarship.org/ucbclassics_bujc/article/54861/galley/41394/download/"
        }
    ]
}