SATIRE II. by Horace: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
Horace employs a range of vivid examples to emphasize a straightforward idea: those who attempt to steer clear of one negative behavior often find themselves diving into the opposite extreme.
The poem
_Bad men, when they avoid certain vices, fall into their opposite extremes._ The tribes of female flute-players, quacks, vagrants, mimics, blackguards; all this set is sorrowful and dejected on account of the death of the singer Tigellius; for he was liberal [toward them]. On the other hand, this man, dreading to be called a spendthrift, will not give a poor friend wherewithal to keep off cold and pinching hunger. If you ask him why he wickedly consumes the noble estate of his grandfather and father in tasteless gluttony, buying with borrowed money all sorts of dainties; he answers, because he is unwilling to be reckoned sordid, or of a mean spirit: he is praised by some, condemned by others. Fufidius, wealthy in lands, wealthy in money put out at interest, is afraid of having the character of a rake and spendthrift. This fellow deducts 5 per cent. Interest from the principal [at the time of lending]; and, the more desperate in his circumstances any one is, the more severely be pinches him: he hunts out the names of young fellows that have just put on the toga virilis under rigid fathers. Who does not cry out, O sovereign Jupiter! when he has heard [of such knavery]? But [you will say, perhaps,] this man expends upon himself in proportion to his gain. You can hardly believe how little a friend he is to himself: insomuch that the father, whom Terence's comedy introduces as living miserable after he had caused his son to run away from him, did not torment himself worse than he. Now if any one should ask, "To what does this matter tend?" To this: while fools shun [one sort of] vices, they fall upon their opposite extremes. Malthinus walks with his garments trailing upon the ground; there is another droll fellow who [goes] with them tucked up even to his middle; Rufillus smells like perfume itself, Gorgonius like a he-goat. There is no mean. There are some who would not keep company with a lady, unless her modest garment perfectly conceal her feet. Another, again, will only have such as take their station in a filthy brothel. When a certain noted spark came out of a stew, the divine Cato [greeted] him with this sentence: "Proceed (says he) in your virtuous course. For, when once foul lust has inflamed the veins, it is right for young fellows to come hither, in comparison of their meddling with other men's wives." I should not be willing to be commended on such terms, says Cupiennius, an admirer of the silken vail. Ye, that do not wish well to the proceedings of adulterers, it is worth your while to hear how they are hampered on all sides; and that their pleasure, which happens to them but seldom, is interrupted with a great deal of pain, and often in the midst of very great dangers. One has thrown himself headlong from the top of a house; another has been whipped almost to death: a third, in his flight, has fallen into a merciless gang of thieves: another has paid a fine, [to avoid] corporal [punishment]: the lowest servants have treated another with the vilest indignities. Moreover, this misfortune happened to a certain person, he entirely lost his manhood. Every body said, it was with justice: Galba denied it. But how much safer is the traffic among [women] of the second rate! I mean the freed-women: after which Sallustius is not less mad, than he who commits adultery. But if he had a mind to be good and generous, as far as his estate and reason would direct him, and as far as a man might be liberal with moderation; he would give a sufficiency, not what would bring upon himself ruin and infamy. However, he hugs himself in this one [consideration]; this he delights in, this he extols: "I meddle with no matron." Just as Marsaeus, the lover of Origo, he who gives his paternal estate and seat to an actress, says, "I never meddle with other men's wives." But you have with actresses, you have with common strumpets: whence your reputation derives a greater perdition, than your estate. What, is it abundantly sufficient to avoid the person, and not the [vice] which is universally noxious? To lose one's good name, to squander a father's effects, is in all cases an evil. What is the difference [then, with regard to yourself,] whether you sin with the person of a matron, a maiden, or a prostitute? Villius, the son-in-law of Sylla (by this title alone he was misled), suffered [for his commerce] with Fausta, an adequate and more than adequate punishment, by being drubbed and stabbed, while he was shut out, that Longarenus might enjoy her within. Suppose this [young man's] mind had addressed him in the words of his appetite, perceiving such evil consequences: "What would you have? Did I ever, when my ardor was at the highest, demand a woman descended from a great consul, and covered with robes of quality?" What could he answer? Why, "the girl was sprung from an illustrious father." But how much better things, and how different from this, does nature, abounding in stores of her own, recommend; if you would only make a proper use of them, and not confound what is to be avoided with that which is desirable! Do you think it is of no consequence, whether your distresses arise from your own fault or from [a real deficiency] of things? Wherefore, that you may not repent [when it is too late], put a stop to your pursuit after matrons; whence more trouble is derived, than you can obtain of enjoyment from success. Nor has [this particular matron], amid her pearls and emeralds, a softer thigh, or-limbs mere delicate than yours, Cerinthus; nay, the prostitutes are frequently preferable. Add to this, that [the prostitute] bears about her merchandize without any varnish, and openly shows what she has to dispose of; nor, if she has aught more comely than ordinary, does she boast and make an ostentation of it, while she is industrious to conceal that which is offensive. This is the custom with men of fortune: when they buy horses, they inspect them covered: that, if a beautiful forehand (as often) be supported by a tender hoof, it may not take in the buyer, eager for the bargain, because the back is handsome, the head little, and the neck stately. This they do judiciously. Do not you, [therefore, in the same manner] contemplate the perfections of each [fair one's] person with the eyes of Lynceus; but be blinder than Hypsaea, when you survey such parts as are deformed. [You may cry out,] "O what a leg! O, what delicate arms!" But [you suppress] that she is low-hipped, short-waisted, with a long nose, and a splay foot. A man can see nothing but the face of a matron, who carefully conceals her other charms, unless it be a Catia. But if you will seek after forbidden charms (for the [circumstance of their being forbidden] makes you mad after them), surrounded as they are with a fortification, many obstacles will then be in your way: such as guardians, the sedan, dressers, parasites, the long robe hanging down to the ankles, and covered with an upper garment; a multiplicity of circumstances, which will hinder you from having a fair view. The other throws no obstacle in your way; through the silken vest you may discern her, almost as well as if she was naked; that she has neither a bad leg, nor a disagreeable foot, you may survey her form perfectly with your eye. Or would you choose to have a trick put upon you, and your money extorted, before the goods are shown you? [But perhaps you will sing to me these verses out of Callimachus.] As the huntsman pursues the hare in the deep snow, but disdains to touch it when it is placed before him: thus sings the rake, and applies it to himself; my love is like to this, for it passes over an easy prey, and pursues what flies from it. Do you hope that grief, and uneasiness, and bitter anxieties, will be expelled from your breast by such verses as these? Would It not be more profitable to inquire what boundary nature has affixed to the appetites, what she can patiently do without, and what she would lament the deprivation of, and to separate what is solid from what is vain? What! when thirst parches your jaws, are you solicitous for golden cups to drink out of? What! when you are hungry, do you despise everything but peacock and turbot? When your passions are inflamed, and a common gratification is at hand, would you rather be consumed with desire than possess it? I would not: for I love such pleasures as are of easiest attainment. But she whose language is, "By and by," "But for a small matter more," "If my husband should be out of the way." [is only] for petit-maitres: and for himself, Philodemus says, he chooses her, who neither stands for a great price, nor delays to come when she is ordered. Let her be fair, and straight, and so far decent as not to appear desirous of seeming fairer than nature has made her. When I am in the company of such an one, she is my Ilia and Aegeria; I give her any name. Nor am I apprehensive, while I am in her company, lest her husband should return from the country: the door should be broken open; the dog should bark; the house, shaken, should resound on all sides with a great noise; the woman, pale [with fear], should bound away from me; lest the maid, conscious [of guilt], should cry out, she is undone; lest she should be in apprehension for her limbs, the detected wife for her portion, I for myself: lest I must run away with my clothes all loose, and bare-footed, for fear my money, or my person, or, finally my character should be demolished. It is a dreadful thing to be caught; I could prove this, even if Fabius were the judge. * * * * *
Horace employs a range of vivid examples to emphasize a straightforward idea: those who attempt to steer clear of one negative behavior often find themselves diving into the opposite extreme. Most of the poem focuses on men pursuing married women when easier, more accessible joys are right before them. In the end, Horace is essentially advising: quit complicating life — nature has already provided everything you require.
Line-by-line
The tribes of female flute-players, quacks, vagrants, mimics, blackguards...
If you ask him why he wickedly consumes the noble estate of his grandfather...
To this: while fools shun [one sort of] vices, they fall upon their opposite extremes...
Ye, that do not wish well to the proceedings of adulterers, it is worth your while to hear...
But how much safer is the traffic among [women] of the second rate!
Villius, the son-in-law of Sylla (by this title alone he was misled)...
Nor has [this particular matron], amid her pearls and emeralds, a softer thigh...
But if you will seek after forbidden charms (for the [circumstance of their being forbidden] makes you mad after them)...
Tone & mood
Dry, sardonic, and conversational — Horace comes across as a guy who's seen his friends make fools of themselves and can’t help but find it amusing. His wit is sharp, but it’s not cruel for the sake of being mean; instead, there’s a pragmatic and somewhat weary vibe to his words, reflecting a belief that common sense is the most radical stance one can take.
Symbols & metaphors
- The trailing and tucked-up garments — Malthinus dragging his robes and the unnamed man pulling his up to his waist symbolize the poem's main argument: people escape from one extreme only to end up in another, without anyone seeking a balance. In this context, clothing represents character.
- The horse inspection — Buyers highlight a horse's best attributes to keep attention away from its flaws. Horace uses this as a metaphor for the logical scrutiny men apply to business, which they completely disregard when desire comes into play. The horse represents common sense itself.
- Pearls and emeralds — The jewels on the matron symbolize an illusion of higher worth — the social facade that convinces men that a forbidden woman is more desirable than one who is available. They are like the 'golden cup' you crave when you're thirsty, rather than simply quenching your thirst.
- The huntsman and the hare — This image, inspired by Callimachus, highlights the allure of wanting what we can't have: the pursuit often overshadows the actual attainment. Horace references it only to criticize it — he views it as a flimsy justification for self-destructive actions rather than a deep insight into love.
- The locked door — The door that gets broken open — or that keeps the adulterer locked outside — repeatedly symbolizes the chaos and humiliation that accompany the pursuit of forbidden desires. It represents the physical boundary between safety and disaster.
Historical context
Horace published his first book of *Satires* around 35 BCE, when he was in his late twenties and had just joined the circle of Maecenas, a prominent literary patron in Augustan Rome. The *Satires* are composed in hexameters and consciously align themselves with the tradition of Lucilius, the Roman creator of the genre, though Horace's style is more refined and less harsh. Satire II of Book I is part of a series of poems that examine how Romans mismanage their desires—money, food, sex—by swinging between excess and deprivation instead of seeking the balanced approach that Horace often advocates, rooted in Stoic and Epicurean philosophy. The social context of the poem is very specific: the *toga virilis* signified a boy’s transition to legal adulthood; committing adultery with a *matrona* (a freeborn married woman) faced severe legal repercussions under Roman law, including physical punishment and financial ruin, which grounds Horace's list of calamities in genuine risk rather than simple moral lessons. The Epicurean philosopher Philodemus, mentioned at the poem's end, was a real contemporary whose ideas on pleasure Horace was familiar with.
FAQ
The main point comes through clearly about halfway in: those who attempt to escape one vice often plunge right into its opposite extreme. Horace uses examples like misers, spendthrifts, men pursuing married women when single partners are readily available, and those who bankrupt themselves for the excitement of the forbidden. The practical takeaway is that nature offers plenty of true enjoyment without the self-created chaos that results from chasing status and longing for what’s out of reach.
It's a shocking move on purpose. Cato the Elder, known as the embodiment of moral strictness in Rome, having a brothel endorsement attributed to him is both a joke and a serious statement. Horace uses Cato to make the case that a lesser vice is truly better than a greater one. Visiting a prostitute is preferable to seducing a married woman, as the latter comes with disastrous social, legal, and physical repercussions. This anecdote shows that even the strictest moralist would acknowledge that common sense trumps reckless passion.
By today's standards, absolutely. The women in the poem are largely depicted as objects of male desire, categorized legally as matron, freedwoman, or prostitute, rather than being recognized as individuals. Horace speaks directly to men, focusing on their reputation and safety, without considering women's experiences or autonomy. An honest reading requires us to acknowledge both aspects: it's a clever and humorous critique of society, but it operates within a framework that many modern readers will find quite troubling.
Philodemus was a genuine Greek Epicurean philosopher who lived in Italy during the first century BCE and gained recognition in Roman literary circles. Horace references him as an authority to support the poem's practical takeaway: opt for pleasures that are accessible, affordable, and straightforward. Philodemus authored philosophical texts on pleasure and desire, making the mention both a playful jab (citing a philosopher to rationalize sleeping with a willing partner) and a sincere acknowledgment of Epicurean ethics.
Horse buyers in Rome would examine a horse with its best features hidden, ensuring that they wouldn’t be distracted by an impressive neck and overlook a lame hoof. Horace uses this scenario to suggest that men exercise strict practical judgment in financial dealings but throw it out the window when desire comes into play. A man will fixate on a matron he can hardly see, wrapped in robes and flanked by attendants, while disregarding a woman whose qualities he can genuinely evaluate. This analogy showcases Horace at his most sardonic: you're more discerning about horses than about your own happiness.
Under Roman law, adultery involving a *matrona*—a freeborn married woman—was taken very seriously. A husband who discovered another man with his wife had the legal right to beat or even kill him under certain conditions, and there were also financial consequences. Horace's depiction of disasters like beatings, stabbings, fines, and humiliation by slaves reveals genuine legal and social dangers, rather than mere poetic exaggeration. Augustus would later solidify these penalties in the *Lex Iulia de adulteriis* in 18 BCE, shortly after this poem was composed.
Callimachus was a famous Greek poet from the third century BCE, and Horace references a familiar image from his poetry: the hunter who pursues a hare through the snow but loses interest once he catches it. This serves as a typical poetic way to express the longing for what’s out of reach. Horace cites it to dismiss the notion — he views it as a romantic excuse for harmful behavior. His point is straightforward: when you're thirsty, you don't demand a golden cup. Desire is a basic physical need, and you don't need a philosophy of the forbidden to fulfill it.
Horace consistently champions a middle path — the *aurea mediocritas*, or golden mean — throughout his *Satires*, *Odes*, and *Epistles*. This poem presents an early, more raw expression of that idea. While it specifically critiques the lack of moderation in sexual and financial matters, the core message remains consistent with Horace's broader themes: extremes are not just morally questionable; they are also foolish. Nature has equipped us with enough; seeking excess or status only leads to unnecessary self-punishment.