important roman poets

livius andronicus

father of LATIN LITERATURE

livius andronicus (1)

greek slave/freedman, brought greek literary forms to life

livius andronicus (2)

translated odyssey into latin in saturnian verse

livius andronicus (3)

wrote first comedies and tragedies in latin

q. ennius

father of LATIN POETRY

q. ennius (1)

introduced dactylic hexameter to latin

q. ennius (2)

wrote annales, an epic history of rome

t. lucretius carus

epicurean philosopher-poet

t. lucretius carus (1)

wrote de rerum natura

t. lucretius carus (2)

materalist, anti-religion

c. valerius catullus

lyric poet, intensely personal

c. valerius catullus (1)

wrote about love, friendship, and political satire

c. valerius catullus (2)

witty and productive

p. vergillius maro

rome’s greatest epic poet, aeneid

p. vergillius maro (1)

also wrote pastoral eclogues and georgics

p. vergillius maro (2)

maecenas and augustus

q. horatius flaccus

son of a freedman

q. horatius flaccus (1)

fought under brutus at philippi in 42 bce against octavian and antony

q. horatius flaccus (2)

greatest lyrics poet

q. horatius flaccus (3)

maecenas and augustus (turned down being emperor’s personal secretary)

s. propertius

love poet

p. ovidius naso

wrote mythological epic metamorphoses

p. ovidius naso (1)

poems about love but not really love poetry

p. ovidius naso (2)

exiled by augustus to the black sea

m. valerius martialis

master of epigram

m. valerius martialis (1)

harsh, crude, satire

m. annaeus lucanus

wrote pharsalia

m. annaeus lucanus (1)

critic of nero’s tyranny

m. annaeus lucanus (2)

forced to commit suicide after implication is pisonian conspiracy