Augustus’s contribution to establishing and strengthening the Roman Empire through his military efforts was extensive, but his influence best speaks to us through the literature. The literature composed during the era reflects the values and culture that Augustus tried to impose through his reforms. During this era, several authors would contribute to Latin literature. An enduring legacy of Ancient Rome, Latin literature survives as our closest contact to Ancient Roman civilization.
Only few civilizations have adopted the name of their ruler to mark an era for a true representation rather than convenient labeling. In Odes 4.15, Horace praises Augustus by saying “tua aetas, Caesar”, and many wanted to honor him immediately after his death. …show more content…
Epic poetry bridged an important connection between the poetic and the political spheres. Another epic poem in the Augustan age was Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Ovid was fully immersed in the Augustan regime and did not experience life during the Roman Republic. He began his career as a poet during Augustus’ reign, unlike Vergil who established his career as a poet during the Second Triumvirate. Launching his poetic career using elegiac meter with erotic themes, Ovid’s early years was a distant voice from the Augustan propaganda literary works of Vergil. Although written in the epic meter, Ovid does not use it to show how Rome came into being. Rather, the Metamorphoses is a collection of myths interweaved into a continuous story in 15 books and uses it to describe how Rome came to be a great empire while ignoring Augustus’ …show more content…
Augustan poetry drew on republican traditions and took them to new directions. The Latin language adopted Greek poetic meters and styles that were changed over time. Such is the case of love elegiac poetry, a uniquely Augustan genre. Designed as a personal and private genre, elegiac poetry stands opposite to epic poetry. Ovid mastered this genre and through his innovative approach, he combined playful anecdotes with political exploration distancing himself from the Augustan regime rather than showing how his writing is implicated in Roman imperialism.
Throughout Ovid’s Amores images of war, conquest, slavery, and imperialism show as characteristics of the Augustan regime. In Book 1 Elegy II of the Amores, Ovid presents himself as Cupid’s victim and shows Love’s triumph, in which the poet becomes the spoils on display in the triumphal procession. (Amores 1.2.19) Love’s triumph may be paralleled to the historical triumph present in the Augustan era. The threat of further violence and the admission of defeat, and the appeal for clemency serves as examples of Augustus’ rule and ideology of Augustan
Only few civilizations have adopted the name of their ruler to mark an era for a true representation rather than convenient labeling. In Odes 4.15, Horace praises Augustus by saying “tua aetas, Caesar”, and many wanted to honor him immediately after his death. …show more content…
Epic poetry bridged an important connection between the poetic and the political spheres. Another epic poem in the Augustan age was Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Ovid was fully immersed in the Augustan regime and did not experience life during the Roman Republic. He began his career as a poet during Augustus’ reign, unlike Vergil who established his career as a poet during the Second Triumvirate. Launching his poetic career using elegiac meter with erotic themes, Ovid’s early years was a distant voice from the Augustan propaganda literary works of Vergil. Although written in the epic meter, Ovid does not use it to show how Rome came into being. Rather, the Metamorphoses is a collection of myths interweaved into a continuous story in 15 books and uses it to describe how Rome came to be a great empire while ignoring Augustus’ …show more content…
Augustan poetry drew on republican traditions and took them to new directions. The Latin language adopted Greek poetic meters and styles that were changed over time. Such is the case of love elegiac poetry, a uniquely Augustan genre. Designed as a personal and private genre, elegiac poetry stands opposite to epic poetry. Ovid mastered this genre and through his innovative approach, he combined playful anecdotes with political exploration distancing himself from the Augustan regime rather than showing how his writing is implicated in Roman imperialism.
Throughout Ovid’s Amores images of war, conquest, slavery, and imperialism show as characteristics of the Augustan regime. In Book 1 Elegy II of the Amores, Ovid presents himself as Cupid’s victim and shows Love’s triumph, in which the poet becomes the spoils on display in the triumphal procession. (Amores 1.2.19) Love’s triumph may be paralleled to the historical triumph present in the Augustan era. The threat of further violence and the admission of defeat, and the appeal for clemency serves as examples of Augustus’ rule and ideology of Augustan