THE CANINES OF HORACE'S EPODES

Abstract

A wide variety of animal imagery occurs in the Epodes (i.e. canines, reptiles and amphibians, birds, farm animals, marine animals, wild animals and mythical animals); however for the purposes of this article I will focus on the most common imagery, namely canine imagery. The article attempts to identify different functions associated with canine imagery which in turn clarifies Horace’s intended purpose with the Epodes — a notoriously difficult proposition.