Latin obscenity for anything to do with sex in the most obscene category. These words are strictly avoided in most types of Latin literature; however, they are common in graffiti, and also in certain genres of poetry, such as the short poems known as epigrams, such as those written by Catullus and Martial. The poet Horace also used obscenities in his early poems, that is the Epodes and the first book of Satires, but later writers of satire such as Juvenal and Persius avoided the coarser words even when discussing obscene topics. There were, however, some occasions in public life, such as
Alexander Geddes on as far as the Book of Second Chronicles and the Prayer of Manasseh which was published in 2 volumes (1792–1797). A translation of "Psalms" was published in 1807. This was followed by "Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures" (1800), in which he largely anticipated the German school of Higher Criticism. The result of this publication was Geddes's suspension from all ecclesiastical functions. Geddes was also a poet, and wrote "Linton: a Tweedside Pastoral", "Carmen Seculare pro Gallica Gente" (1790), in praise of the French Revolution. He died without recanting, but received absolution at the hands of a French priest,