Horatian

Sitting in Cismigiu listening to a violinist this morning after a long walk felt Horatian and that put a question into my head. 

Wikipedia answered it.

Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. Born: 8 December 65 BC, Venosa, ItalyDied: 27 November 8 BC, Rome, Italy

When I studied and was bored by Horace in the Sixth Form I knew that one read him at school but only understood and enjoyed him at forty. I haven't read poetry alas alas since I reached that milestone but I just looked up his dates on Wikipedia and find the greatest poet to sing of middle age was months younger than I am now when he died. This was bad. 

I long ago accepted that I had outlived Byron and recently realised I was older than Hitler, whose CV was much more interesting than mine, ever was

I also recollected Sellars and Yeatman's question: 

"Has it occurred to you that the Romans counted backwards? Be honest."