Odes 1.1
poem by Horace
Odes 1.1, also known by its incipit, Maecenas atavis edite regibus, is the first of the Odes of Horace. This ode forms the prologue to the three books of lyrics published by Horace in 23 BC and is a dedication to the poet's friend and patron, Maecenas. The metre of the poem, like the final poem of book 3, is a stichic version of the Asclepiad, known as the "1st Asclepiad".
Summary
After the first two lines addressed to Maecenas, which virtually dedicate the whole collection to him, Horace rehearses the various interests of men, that at the end he may present his own ambition. Some men seek fame in athletic games or in politics (3–8), others have lower aims—riches, agriculture, commerce, epicurean ease, war, or hunting (9–28); but as for me, I have the loftiest aim of all, Maecenas—to wear the ivy wreath and be the Muse's dear companion. Rank me with the lyrists of Greece, and I shall indeed "knock at a star with my exalted head" (29–34).
Date
This is a dedication of the first three books of the Odes to Maecenas. The first Epode, the first Satire, and the first Epistle are addressed to the same patron and friend. Being the dedication, it was probably among the last of the odes of the first three books to be written. The collection was published in 23 BC.
Notes
References
Bibliography
Bennett, Charles E. (1901).
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The subject matters to the arts & letters register because the source frames it as poem by Horace. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 5, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q19081990. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1901.
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