Questions For Juvenal Satire Six

Analysis (i.e. outline) and Questions for Horace Satire 2.6

Analysis of Satire 2.6 1-19 Contentment in humble circumstances 20-39 Hustle and Bustle of City Life 40-64 Associations with Maecenas, and longing for the countryside 65-76 Meal in the countryside 77-117 Neighbor Cervius’ tale of the country and city mouse

1. What oppositions are made in Satire 2.6, and can you think of other texts or poems that make similar contrasts? 2. What elements of city life does the poem describe? 3. Satire 2.6 abounds in internal parallels. What are they, and how do they function in this poem? 4. What aspects of food depicted in Satire 2.6? What other Roman works also emphasize food as a means of cultural analysis or criticism (other Satires of Horace, of Juvenal?). 5. In line 93 the city mouse urges the country mouse to join him. Our English translation (i.e. Rudd’s reads: “Come on back with me now: I mean it”. The Latin makes use of a particularly colorful phrase: “Carpe viam,” something like “Sieze the road” or “Take [to] the road”. Does this remind you of any other well-known phrases by Horace? What about lines 94-97? 6. In the end, the country mouse rejects city life. What do you think this says about Horace’s stance on the city mouse’s ‘philosophy’ in lines 94-97? 7. How ‘satirical’ is this satire? How does it compare to Juvenal’s Satires?