Keywords
iambic poetry
anger
rage
embodiment
Archilochus
Hipponax
metaphors
body
animals
Canidia
How to Cite
Abstract
In this paper, I examine how Horace’s iambic Epodes employ body images to illustrate their speakers’ emotional states. While the body of the adversary often constitutes the target of invective in the iambic tradition, I demonstrate that the corporeal imagery throughout Horace’s collection implicitly also expresses the speakers’ emotions. My analysis of selected case studies (Epodes 5, 6, and 17) underscores the role of embodied metaphors in portraying the iambic anger topos, making the characters’ inner rage, triumph, desperation, and fear immediately palpable for readers. At the same time, I argue that these images highlight the inferior position of the iambic attackers who can only resort to words instead of actions to harm their opponents.
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