Horace to His Lute by Eugene Field
The poem is a lamentation of the loss of childhood innocence and joy. The speaker mourns the passing of time and how it has taken away the carefree nature of youth. He addresses his lute, an instrument often associated with music and poetry, as if it were a person that could understand his sorrow.
By Eugene Field · First published 1896 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Classical Literature · 161 words
First lines
If ever in the sylvan shade / A song immortal we have made, / Come now, O lute, I pri' thee come -- / Inspire a song of Latium.
A Lesbian first thy glories proved -- / In arms and in repose he loved / To sweep thy dulcet strings and raise / His voice in Love's and Liber's praise; / The Muses, too, and him who clings / To Mother Venus' apron-strings, / And Lycus beautiful, he sung / In those old days when you were young.
O shell, that art the ornament / Of Phoebus, bringing sweet content / To Jove, and soothing troubles all -- / Come and requite me, when I call!
Similar titles
- Horace Ii 3 by Eugene Field
- Horace Iii 13 by Eugene Field
- Horace I 34 by Eugene Field
- Horace I 23 by Eugene Field
- Horace I 31 by Eugene Field
- Lydia Dick by Eugene Field
Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The poem's focus on personal emotion and musicality aligns it closely with the characteristics of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — Themes of nature, love, and nostalgia reflect the ideals of Romanticism.
- Classical Literature — References to classical figures and themes indicate a connection to classical literature.
- Elegy — The reflective tone and invocation of the lute suggest elements of an elegy.
Tags
Poetry · Musical Instrument · Lute · Classical Reference · Roman Inspiration · Whimsical · Light Verse · Humorous · Playful · Witty · Satirical · Irony
What this Textopian page supports
Horace to His Lute is listed on Textopian as a poem by Eugene Field, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Eugene Field
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Classical Literature, Elegy, Pastoral
- Length: 161 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Horace to His Lute by Eugene Field
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph