Horace
The Art of Poetry: an Epistle to the Pisos
Q. Horatii Flacci Epistola Ad Pisones, De Arte Poetica.
"The Art of Poetry: an Epistle to the Pisos" by Horace is a poem written around 19 BC. Addressed to a Roman senator and his sons, this influential work offers practical advice on writing poetry and drama. Horace covers unity, style, character development, and meter, treating poetry as a craft rather than theory. His timeless maxims include warnings against flowery language and contrived plot devices, plus famous phrases like "in medias res" that remain cornerstones of literary discussion today.