Question

The original Augustan Age was a brilliant literary period of:

• A. Horace, Virgil, Ovid
• B. Homer, Sappho, Pindar
• C. Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
• D. Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Horace, Virgil, Ovid

The Original Augustan Age: A Literary Golden Era in Rome

• The term 'Augustan Age' originally refers to a period in Roman history (circa 43 BC – AD 18), corresponding to the reign of Emperor Augustus (formerly Octavian).
• This era is considered the Golden Age of Latin Literature due to the exceptional flourishing of poetry and prose, marked by peace, stability (known as Pax Romana), and imperial patronage.
• Gaius Maecenas, a wealthy Roman diplomat and advisor to Augustus, was a crucial patron of the arts, supporting many prominent writers of the time. His name is synonymous with a generous patron of the arts today.

Key Literary Figures of the Original Augustan Age:

• Virgil (70–19 BC): He is renowned for his epic poem 'Aeneid', which recounts the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy and became the ancestor of the Romans. His other significant works include the pastoral 'Eclogues' and the didactic 'Georgics', which deal with agricultural themes.
• Horace (65–8 BC): A master of lyric poetry and satire. His famous works include 'Odes', which explore themes of love, friendship, and philosophy, and 'Satires' and 'Epistles', which offer commentary on Roman society and ethics. He famously advised the 'golden mean' (aurea mediocritas).
• Ovid (43 BC – AD 17/18): Known for his narrative poetry and elegiac verse. His magnum opus is 'Metamorphoses', a vast mythological poem that chronicles the history of the world from its creation to the deification of Julius Caesar, through a series of transformations. Other notable works include 'Ars Amatoria' (The Art of Love) and 'Fasti'.

The Augustan Age in English Literature: A Period of Imitation

• The term 'Augustan Age' was later adopted in English literary history to describe a period in the 18th century (roughly 1700-1760), particularly during the reigns of Queen Anne, King George I, and King George II.
• English writers of this era consciously sought to emulate the order, balance, clarity, and classical forms of their Roman predecessors. This period is also known as the Neoclassical Age or the Age of Reason.
• Key English Augustan writers include Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Joseph Addison, and Richard Steele.
• Characteristics of English Augustan literature include a focus on reason and logic, satire, wit, public morality, and an emphasis on formal perfection and adherence to classical rules.
• Competitive exam note: While the English 'Augustan Age' is significant, the original question specifically points to the brilliant literary period of Horace, Virgil, Ovid, which unequivocally refers to the Roman Augustan Age.