AUTOIRONIJA I FIGURA PJESNIKA U HORACIJEVIM SATIRAMA / SELF-IRONY AND THE FIGURE OF THE POET IN HORACE’S SATIRES

Abstract

This paper examines self-irony as a central rhetorical and poetic strategy in Satires  by Quintus Horatius Flaccus, emphasizing its role in shaping the poet’s literary  persona within the context of late Roman republic. Unlike Lucilius’ polemical and  confrontational satire, Horace develops a more intimate and self-reflective dis course, using irony to expose his own weaknesses, social status, and poetic limitations. Through paradox, self-deprecation, and humour, Horace creates a sense  of closeness with his audience while avoiding the stance of a moral absolutist. His  poetic persona fluctuates between that of a philosophical teacher and a modest  observer, allowing for social critique without pedantry. Engaging intertextually  with Roman comedy, Greek diatribe, and Lucilian satire, Horace constructs a poetics of “modest satire” grounded in measure, humility, and authentic self-reflection. Self-irony also functions as a social strategy, enabling the poet to navigate between loyalty to Maecenas and Augustus and the preservation of his literary autonomy. Through ironic self-presentation, Horace redefines poetic authority – not as a dogmatic judge but as a human figure who teaches by acknowledging his own limitations. This complex and ambivalent poetic identity contributes significantly to the lasting influence of Horace’s Satires within the Western satirical tradition.