It is no great art to say something briefly when, like Tacitus, one has something to say; when one has nothing to say, however, and none the less writes a whole book and makes truth into a liar - that I call an achievement.

Some of his iambic poetry has seemed repulsive to modern audiences. Life
Most of what we know about Horace comes from a short biography probably written by Suetonius (Vita Horati) and from Horace's own poetry. In that case young Horace could have felt himself to be a Roman though there are also indications that he regarded himself as a Samnite or Sabellus by birth.

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Horace also crafted elegant hexameter verses (Sermones and Epistles) and caustic iambic poetry (Epodes). His poetry became "the common currency of civilization" and he still retains a devoted following despite some loss of popularity after World War I (perhaps due to mistrust of old-fashioned patriotism and imperial glory with which he had become associated). Some of his iambic poetry has seemed repulsive to modern audiences.