At the beginning of The Art of Poetry, Horace tells a story that, he promises, will make anyone laugh: ‘If a painter wanted to put a horse’s head on a human neck, would you be able to keep your laughter in?’ Would you? I certainly would.
That’s the thing about Roman jokes: they’re not really very funny now.
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Available from the Spectator Bookshop, £18.95. Tel: 08430 600033. Harry Mount is the author of Amo, Amas, Amat and All That.
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