Horace

Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus, 65 - 8 BCE) was one of the foremost Latin poets of the age of Augustus. The son of a freed slave, he rose to enjoy the patronage of Maecenas and the emperor's circle, and wrote in a range of forms - satires, verse epistles, and especially the "Odes," lyric poems on love, friendship, wine, and the passing of time. His polished craftsmanship and memorable phrases (such as "seize the day") made him a model for poets for many centuries afterward.