Epodes

The Epodes are a collection of 17 poems by the Roman poet Horace, written in iambic verse. These poems, composed in the 30s BCE, are characterized by their strong, often fierce, tone and their use of meter traditionally associated with personal attacks and ridicule. While Horace's models, like the Greek poet Archilochus, used iambic verse for personal invective, Horace primarily directed his Epodes toward social abuses rather than specific individuals.

The themes in the Epodes reflect Horace's anxious mood following the Battle of Philippi and the political uncertainty of his time. He adapted themes from Archaic Greek lyric poetry, blending them with the Hellenistic atmosphere, a process that would be further developed in his later Odes. The collection includes poems of devotion to his patron Maecenas, as well as biting social commentary and erotic themes.12