An Examination of the Moral Criticisms of "The Slave" Davus in Horace's Sermones from Stoic Philosophical Perspective
Horace’s satire, Sermones II.7, deals with the moral criticisms that the slave Davus directs at his master Horace within the context of the temporary freedom offered by the Saturnalia festival. While the work’s dialogue form, humorous structure, and the reminiscent of Davus's character—a clever and cunning slave (servus callidus) who attempts to outsmart his master—are connected to the Roman comedy tradition, Horace places the satire within a philosophical context using the principles of Stoic philosophy. Davus accuses his master Horace of insincerity, inconsistency, self-deception, and inability to find inner peace; using the Stoic paradox that “only the wise man is free,” he accuses him of being enslaved by love, luxury, social status, and passions, characterizing him as “a puppet manipulated by the strings of others.” Horace's ambivalence between city and countryside, his fondness for luxury, and his moral contradictions clash with the Stoic ideals of “steadfastness,” “self-sufficiency,” and “inner peace.” By having Davus use these arguments, Horace both takes Stoic philosophy seriously and mocks it by allowing Davus to misinterpret some of its principles (for example, the claim of a “bad but consistent life”). Through self-criticism, he exposes his own moral inconsistencies and flaws, highlighting how difficult it is to apply Stoic ideals in daily life; instead of Stoic rigidity, he promotes a more humane understanding of wisdom—the principle of “aurea mediocritas” that acknowledges the complexity of human nature and suggests moderation rather than completely eliminating passions.
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