Horace and Satire
Horace presents his personal feelings on the value of social rank through his own story in Satire VI. In this Satire social rank held different levels of importance in Roman Society as is shown by the intricacies in Horace’s own rank, along with the privileges and respect allocated by a higher status versus Horace’s content with his lower standing. ... Social rank and social class were two different establishments in Horace’s day. ... Horace was nothing more than the son of a freedman, but he enjoyed a much higher social rank. ... Horace associated several different symbols with opposing levels of social class. ... To represent the other side of society, Horace mentions a lower class man who instead of using expensive olive oil, borrows oil from his lamps to anoint himself. It seems that Horace can disapprove of the behavior of members that belong to a social class above or below his own. This would give the impression that Horace concludes that he has the social ladder figured out and believes he is in a favorable situation. Horace was by no means a normal product of Roman society. ... Here is where Maecenas made a crucial difference in Horace’s life. Their relationship is brought into focus in the first line of the satire, “Maecenas, you do not turn up you nose as do most other men at humble folk like me born of a father who was a freed slave” (222). Friendship with this great man offered Horace membership in social circles unavailable to him beforehand. ... He simply recognized Horace’s talents and worth and desired his friendship. Horace applauds Maecenas’ views that men born of a less than noble line often lived honestly and performed important roles in society.