Odes 1.37, the Cleopatra ode by Horace
"Odes 1.37," commonly referred to as the Cleopatra ode by Horace, is a multifaceted poem that intertwines themes of celebration, political commentary, and a reflection on power dynamics. Written in the aftermath of Cleopatra VII's defeat by Octavian and Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in 31 B.C.E., the ode begins with a festive invitation to drink in honor of the Roman victory. However, as the poem unfolds, the tone shifts to a more somber and serious reflection on Cleopatra's character and fate. Horace portrays her as a formidable figure, initially depicting her as a queen whose ambitions threaten Rome, and later as a tragic hero who chooses death over dishonor.
Despite her position as an enemy of Rome, there exists a nuanced respect for Cleopatra’s resilience, as she is characterized as anything but a submissive figure. The poem also subtly acknowledges Marc Antony's defeat, though he is never directly mentioned, highlighting Horace's reluctance to revel in the downfall of a Roman citizen. The structure of the ode incorporates elements of a drinking song, drawing from themes of wine and intoxication that serve as a reminder of Antony’s reputation. Through vivid imagery and symbolism, particularly the hunter-hunted dynamic between Octavian and Cleopatra, the ode captures a complex interplay of triumph and tragedy, making "Odes 1.37" a rich study of its historical and cultural context.
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Odes 1.37, the Cleopatra ode by Horace
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 23 b.c.e. (collected in Odes, 23 b.c.e.; English translation, 1621)
Type of work: Poem
The Work
A combination of drinking song, victory ode, and political manifesto, Odes 1.37, the Cleopatra ode, is a celebration of Cleopatra VII’s defeat by the forces of Octavian and Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in 31 b.c.e. It is also another example of Horace’s ability to combine diverse themes and poetic genres in an interesting way. While the poem begins with a simple invitation to drink in celebration of the Roman victory, the tone of the work gradually becomes more serious as the work progresses. Cleopatra is first presented as a queen plotting mad destruction for the Capitoline Hill (line 37), then as an accursed monster (fatale monstrum, line 21), then as “no submissive woman” (non humilis mulier, line 32) but a queen who preferred death to humiliation. There is, in the end, a grudging admiration by Horace for Cleopatra’s heroism, even though she had been an enemy to the Roman people.
Marc Antony, who had been defeated along with Cleopatra, is not mentioned. (He had been similarly ignored in Octavian’s declaration of war against Cleopatra.) Horace does not think it suitable to revel in the defeat of Antony, a fellow Roman citizen. Nevertheless, Antony’s presence is felt throughout the poem in the frequent references to wine and drunkenness. Before the battle, Octavian, Cicero, and others had attempted to depict Antony as a drunk. The poem’s structure as a drinking song, its references to Caecuban and Maeotic wine, and its (historically inaccurate) image of Cleopatra as inebriated at the battle are all attempts to remind the reader indirectly of Antony.
The meter of the work is borrowed from the Greek lyric poet Alcaeus, who also wrote drinking songs and victory odes. The repetition of the word “now” (nunc) three times in the opening line established an immediacy as though a great threat, long impending, has only now been removed. In addition to the imagery of drunkenness and wine, symbolism of the hunter (Octavian) and hunted (Cleopatra) appears throughout the work. Cleopatra fled, Horace suggests, from the pursuit of Octavian; but when death proved inescapable, she met it nobly as befits a queen.
Bibliography
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