Why did Horace address many of his Odes to male friends?

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Horace Horace, bronze medal, 4th century; in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris

Horace addressed many of his Odes to male friends because these individuals were affectionate and loyal companions who served as the principal mainstay of his life. While Horace often wrote about women in his poetry, he typically depicted them within the framework of literary tradition as figures of easy virtue rather than as personal subjects. In contrast, his relationships with his male friends were central to his personal world, and his Odes frequently explore themes of friendship, love, and philosophy within the context of these meaningful bonds.123