THAT NO MAN LIVES FOREVER": HORACE ON THE DEATH OF QUINTILIUS (1.24)

Abstract

On a fIrst reading of Horace's Ode on the death of Quintilius (1.24) it seems that Horace has written a rather traditional poem of mourning: a poem which praises the dead man, which attempts to console mutual friends and which even seems to chide excessive mourning.! This reading is perhaps to be expected since Horace's ode on the death of Quintilius has never been considered particularly obscure. The poet's primary aim in the composition of this ode seems to me, however, to express neither an appreciation of Quintilius (Nisbet & Hubbard 1970), nor an admonition to Vergil for excessive mourning (Akbar Khan 1967). Furthermore, it does not even function as a consolation proper for all who mourned Quintilius' death (Esteve- Fornol 1962).2 If the poem is read as it stands, it conveys a different primary aim altogether even though appreciation for Quintilius is expressed, even though there are hints that Vergil could channel his mourning more constructively and finally that some consolation can be gleaned from creative activity.