Epistles (Horace) meditative life, and had become fonder of the country and of study, and that while owing allegiance to no school or sect of philosophy, he was framing for himself a scheme of life, was endeavoring to conform to it, and was bent on inculcating it in others." "In both his "Satires" and "Epistles", Horace shows himself a genuine moralist, a subtle observer and true painter of life, and an admirable writer." But in spirit the "Epistles" are more philosophic, more ethical and meditative. Like the "Odes" they exhibit the twofold aspects of Horace's philosophy, that of temperate Epicureanism and that
Horace themes throughout his poetic career, including politics, love, philosophy and ethics, his own social role, as well as poetry itself. His "Epodes" and "Satires" are forms of 'blame poetry' and both have a natural affinity with the moralising and diatribes of Cynicism. This often takes the form of allusions to the work and philosophy of Bion of Borysthenes but it is as much a literary game as a philosophical alignment. By the time he composed his "Epistles", he was a critic of Cynicism along with all impractical and "high-falutin" philosophy in general. The "Satires" also include a strong element of