The Art of Poetry: an Epistle to the Pisos Q. Horatii Flacci Epistola Ad Pisones, De Arte Poetica.

In this listening experience you are invited into a centuries‑old conversation about the craft of poetry. The core of the program is Horace’s celebrated Epistle to the Pisos, an intimate letter in which the Roman poet assumes the role of a kindly instructor, laying out the virtues of order, taste and the proper use of language. The translation follows a careful 18th‑century edition that seeks to render Horace’s lively Latin into clear, flowing English while preserving the witty, epistolary tone that makes the original feel like a private lesson.

Accompanying the translation are thoughtful notes from a learned editor who wrestles with long‑standing scholarly disputes over whether the piece truly constitutes a systematic “art of poetry” or a collection of polished thoughts. He explains the historical arguments of figures such as Scaliger and offers the listener a roadmap to Horace’s advice on imagination, decorum and the balance between invention and discipline. The result is a rich, accessible guide that lets both seasoned students of literature and curious newcomers hear the timeless principles that have shaped Western poetics.