The is a collection of Latin
occasional poetry in
hexameters,
hendecasyllables, and
lyric meters by
Publius Papinius Statius
Publius Papinius Statius ( Greek: Πόπλιος Παπίνιος Στάτιος; , ; ) was a Latin poet of the 1st century CE. His surviving poetry includes an epic in twelve books, the ''Thebaid''; a collection of occasional poetry, the '' ...
(c. 45 – c. 96 CE). There are 32 poems in the collection, divided into five books. Each book contains a prose preface which introduces and dedicates the book. The subjects of the poetry are varied and provide scholars with a wealth of information on
Domitian
Domitian ( ; ; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was Roman emperor from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavian dynasty. Described as "a r ...
's Rome and Statius' life.
The were rediscovered by
Poggio Bracciolini in the Library of
Reichenau Abbey around 1417, along with the ''
Punica'' of
Silius Italicus.
Composition
The were probably composed by Statius between 89-96 CE. The first three books seem to have been published together after 93 CE (a year after the publication of the ''
Thebaid
The Thebaid or Thebais (, ''Thēbaïs'') was a region in ancient Egypt, comprising the 13 southernmost nome (Egypt), nomes of Upper Egypt, from Abydos, Egypt, Abydos to Aswan.
Pharaonic history
The Thebaid acquired its name from its proximit ...
''), and Book 4 was probably released in 95 CE. Book 5 is thought to have been released posthumously c. 96. Each book is datable by a comparison of the careers of the individual poems' addressees and references in other authors such as
Martial
Marcus Valerius Martialis (known in English as Martial ; March, between 38 and 41 AD – between 102 and 104 AD) was a Roman and Celtiberian poet born in Bilbilis, Hispania (modern Spain) best known for his twelve books of '' Epigrams'', pu ...
. The title of the collection has caused some debate on the part of scholars, though it is assumed that it was taken from the lost of
Lucan. In Latin, which in the nominative plural is , can mean both 'forest' and 'material.' was used to describe the draft of a poet's work which was composed impromptu in a moment of strong inspiration and which was then revised into a polished, metrical poem. This suggests that the are revised, impromptu pieces of occasional poetry which were composed in the space of a few days' time; Statius describes his method of composition in the preface to Book 1, saying ('
heystreamed from my pen in the heat of the moment, a sort of pleasurable haste, emerging from my bosom one by one'). He goes on to say in the preface that none of them took more than two days to compose. Almost all the poems are dedicated individually to a patron and are accompanied by titles which are considered a later addition by editors.
Poetic models
As remarked above, the similarity in title suggests that Statius may have modeled his on a collection of Lucan's poetry, however the loss of that work makes comparisons difficult. There was a strong tradition of Latin panegyric poetry and prose which is mostly lost today, but can still be seen in works such as the ''
Laus Pisonis'' and the .
Catullus
Gaius Valerius Catullus (; ), known as Catullus (), was a Latin neoteric poet of the late Roman Republic. His surviving works remain widely read due to their popularity as teaching tools and because of their personal or sexual themes.
Life
...
and his collection of polymetric poetry seems to be an important inspiration for Statius. Several of his poems employ Catullus' favorite meter, hendecasyllables and cover a diverse range of themes similar to the variety in Catullus' work, although Statius avoids the invective tone of Catullus except in jest at 4.9.
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus (; 8 December 65 BC – 27 November 8 BC), Suetonius, Life of Horace commonly known in the English-speaking world as Horace (), was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus (also known as Octavian). Th ...
is also an important model, whose influence is particularly felt in Statius' lyric compositions (4.5,7) and in his epistle (4.4). The narrative style of
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso (; 20 March 43 BC – AD 17/18), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a younger contemporary of Virgil and Horace, with whom he i ...
can be detected in the story of Pan in 2.3. Virgilian references abound; many of Statius' ''exempla'' in the poems derive from characters in the ''Aeneid'' and most poems reference Virgil in some way. Finally,
Lucan's poetry serves as an inspiration for 2.7. On the Greek side, we learn from the lament for his father 5.3 that Statius was familiar with the canonical
nine lyric poets, Callimachus, and the
Alexandrian Pleiad.
Pindar
Pindar (; ; ; ) was an Greek lyric, Ancient Greek lyric poet from Thebes, Greece, Thebes. Of the Western canon, canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian wrote, "Of the nine lyric poets, Pindar i ...
is perhaps one of the most important influences for Statius; the panegyric nature of his poetry, his mythological examples, and his invocations all reference Pindaric convention (see also 4.7).
Contents
Book 1
The preface to the first book dedicates the work to L. Arruntius Stella, a fellow poet. The poet anxiously describes his impromptu style of composition, hopes his poetry is polished enough and gives a brief outline of the poems to come along with context about their composition.
1.1 ''.'' ("The Great Equestrian Statue of Domitian") Praise for and elaborate description of the colossal equestrian statue of Domitian erected in the forum in 91 CE. Discussion of the situation in the forum, comparison with mythological ''exempla'', the imagined reactions of Roman historical personages to the statue.
1.2 ("Wedding Song for Stella and Violentilla") One of the longer ''.'' The poem begins with a monumentalizing of the day and describes a conversation between Venus and Cupid, in which the gods praise Stella and Violentilla and describe their love for each other. Venus travels to Rome and admires Domitian's palace before giving advice to Roman maidens and Violentilla to seek marriage. The poet describes the wedding at which gods and humans mix and finishes by encouraging the poet to sing elegy.
1.3 ("The Tiburtine Villa of Manilius Vopiscus") A description of the villa, praise of the landscape at
Tivoli, description of Vopiscus' art collection, and praise of ''
otium''.
1.4 ("To Rutilius Gallicus on his Recovery") Statius describes the concern of the Senate for Gallicus when he was ill, and Apollo praises Gallicus' military career and seeks a cure. The poem ends with a sacrifice of thanksgiving for his recovery.
1.5 ("The Baths of Claudius Etruscus") The poet invokes the muses and water nymphs as patrons of the building and describes the baths.
1.6 ("The
Kalends of December") In hendecasyllables, this poem describes Statius' attendance at a
Saturnalia
Saturnalia is an Roman festivals, ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the List of Roman deities, god Saturn (mythology), Saturn, held on 17 December in the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities until 19 December. By t ...
banquet given by Domitian; he describes the meal, the guests, the female entertainment, and the emperor's largesse.
Book 2
The preface dedicates the book to Atedius Melior and summarizes the poems in it which focus on loss, object descriptions, and end with a
genethliakon.
2.1 ("Glaucias, Melior's Boy Favorite") This is a long poem of consolation for the loss of Melior's lover, Glaucias. The weeping poet describes the funeral and explains the difficulty of the theme; Glaucias' birth, rearing, and death at the hands of the
Parcae are recounted. Melior's dead friend, Blaesus, leads the boy to
Elysium
Elysium (), otherwise known as the Elysian Fields (, ''Ēlýsion pedíon''), Elysian Plains or Elysian Realm, is a conception of the afterlife that developed over time and was maintained by some Greek religious and philosophical sects and cult ...
.
2.2 ("The Surrentine Villa of Pollius Felix") A description of a villa at Surrentum, composed after a festival. Description of the landscape, terraces, and earthworks, Pollius' art collection, and praise of the villa as a retreat from city life, Pollius' political career, and his wife.
2.3 ("The Tree of Atedius Melior") An aetiology for a tree on Melior's estate written as a birthday present; the poet recounts Pan's pursuit of a nymph and dedication of the tree as a memorial of his desire.
2.4 ("The Parrot of the Same (Melior)") Praise of the parrot and a description of its death and funeral.
2.5 ("The Tame Lion") Address to a tame lion who has been killed in the arena.
2.6 ("A Consolation to Flavius Ursus on the Death of his Favorite Slave") Praise of the boy's independent spirit and appearance, and description of the lavish funeral with the assurance of his place in Elysium.
2.7 ("To Polla, an Ode in Honor of
Lucan's Birthday") In hendecasyllables, the poet invokes the gods in his song and describes
Calliope
In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; ) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses".
Mythology
Calliope had two famous sons, OrpheusH ...
's inspiration of Lucan's poetry and prophecy of his works. Lucan's death is recounted,
Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...
is criticized, and Lucan is imagined in the afterlife.
Book 3
The third book is dedicated to Pollius Felix of 2.2. Statius stresses the confidence he now has in his and Pollius' help in their composition. The poems deal with consolation, description, and end with an exhortation to Statius' wife to move with him to Naples.
3.1 ("The
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
of Pollius Felix at
Surrentum") This long poem describes a shrine constructed by Pollius for
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
. The poet describes a picnic he attended with Pollius and the downpour that forced them to shelter in a dilapidated shrine to Hercules. Hercules appears to Pollius and commissions him to build him a temple which is dutifully planned and built. The final section includes a prayer in the context of a festival at the shrine.
3.2 ("Send off to Maecius Celer") This
propempticon is designed to send off Celer to administer one of the provinces. It begins with a prayer to the sea gods to protect the ship, then describes the voyage of the ship to the province. The poet ends with a wish for Celer's return.
3.3 ("Consolation for Claudius Etruscus") The poem is a consolation on the death of Etruscus' father. The poet invokes
Pietas and describes Etruscus' grief, the father's career, his service to earlier emperors as accountant, his wife Etrusca, and his prosperity. He ends with a promise of ritual offerings to the shade of the father and encourages Etruscus.
3.4 ("The Hair of Flavius Earinus") This piece describes the dedication of the hair and a mirror of Domitian's eunuch favorite Earinus to the shrine of
Aesculapius at
Pergamum. As a boy, Venus prophesied Earinus' service to Domitian and carried him to Rome after his operation to make him a eunuch. The poem ends with the dedication of the objects and a prayer for Domitian.
3.5 ("To his Wife, Claudia") In this poem, Statius exhorts his wife to move with him back to his home at
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
. The poet praises her faithfulness to him so far and discusses marriage prospects for their daughter in southern Italy. The poem ends with the praise of Naples and the poet's reassurance that his wife will accompany him.
Book 4
This book is dedicated in the preface to
Marcus Vitorius Marcellus. The addressees and the meters of the poems in Book 4 vary far more than in the other books. Statius includes a response to critics of his earlier books, saying that the fourth book includes more poems than the others so that they do not think their criticism has weakened Statius' resolve to publish.
4.1 ("The 17th Consulship of Augustus Germanicus") The opening poem commemorates Domitian's 17th consulship in 95 CE; Domitian is hailed as the restorer of the golden age, as bringer of joy to the senate, and triumphator. It ends with a prayer for long life.
4.2 ("Thanksgiving to the Emperor Domitian") This poem thanks Domitian for an invitation to a banquet at his palace. Statius compares himself to Homer and Virgil, describes the palace, and prays for long life for the emperor.
4.3 ("The Highway of Domitian") In hendecasyllables, Statius praises Domitian's way, constructed in 95 CE. Domitian's laws and character are praised. The poet describes the miseries of travel in the past and then the method of road construction. The River
Vulturnus says that he only suffers to be bridged because it is at Domitian's command and the poet describes the bridge and arch. The
Cumaean Sibyl inspecting the road prophesies Domitian's deification. The poet ends with a prayer for long life for Domitian.
4.4 ("Letter to Vitorius Marcellus") The poet commands his letter to go to Marcellus to ask him how he is doing and where he is vacationing from city business. Marcellus' military skills, administration, and achievements are praised, and the poet closes by announcing his new project, the ''
Achilleid''.
4.5 ("Lyric Ode to Septimius Severus") This poem in the
Alcaic meter is one of Statius' two lyric compositions. The poet praises spring and his rustic Italian life while he praises a friend named Septimius Severus (not the later Roman emperor of the same name), his city of
Lepcis Magna and his eloquence.
4.6 ("The Hercules Statuette of Novius Vindex") The scene is a dinner given by Vindex, an avid art connoisseur, at which he shows the poet his antique statue of Hercules by
Lysippus. The history of the statue is given, owned by
Alexander
Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here ar ...
,
Hannibal
Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Punic people, Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Ancient Carthage, Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.
Hannibal's fat ...
, and
Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (, ; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman of the late Roman Republic. A great commander and ruthless politician, Sulla used violence to advance his career and his co ...
, and the poem closes with the praise of Vindex' peaceful lifestyle.
4.7 ("Lyric Ode to Vibius Maximus") The second lyric composition in
Sapphics begins with a comparison of the poet to
Pindar
Pindar (; ; ; ) was an Greek lyric, Ancient Greek lyric poet from Thebes, Greece, Thebes. Of the Western canon, canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian wrote, "Of the nine lyric poets, Pindar i ...
. He requests
Gaius Vibius Maximus to return from
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
because his son is ill and expresses the hope that the son will live to learn from his father to write histories like
Livy
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...
and
Sallust.
4.8 ("Poem of Congratulation to Julius Menecrates") This poem congratulates Menecrates on the birth of his third son, earning him the ''
ius trium liberorum'', but the poet criticizes Menecrates for not writing to him sooner of the news and ends with a prayer for good fortune.
4.9 ("Jesting Hendecasyllables to Plotius Grypus") Taking on a joking Catullan attitude, the poet expresses disdain for the poor quality of the book of speeches sent by Grypus to him for the Saturnalia and asks him if he could not find a more suitable gift.
Book 5
This final book of Statius' is dedicated to Flavius Abascantus who is praised for his love of his wife Priscilla.
5.1 ("Consolation on the Death of Priscilla") This long poem consoles Abascantius on the death of his wife. The poem begins by praising Abascantius for his devotion to her and stressing the inevitability of death and goes on to praise Priscilla for her birth, devotion to her husband, and her reaction to her husband's promotion. Statius goes on to criticize
Fortuna
Fortuna (, equivalent to the Greek mythology, Greek goddess Tyche) is the goddess of fortune and the personification of luck in Religion in ancient Rome, Roman religion who, largely thanks to the Late Antique author Boethius, remained popular thr ...
and
Invidia for leading to her death. Her final words are related in which she asks her husband to stay loyal to Domitian and not grieve for her. The poem ends with a description of the tomb, funeral feast, and Priscilla's entrance into Elysium.
5.2 ("Praises of Crispinus, Son of Vettius Bolanus") This poem praises the virtues of Crispinus and his summons to foreign service, beginning with praise for his senatorial career and upbringing. The poet asks him to forgive his mother who was accused of trying to poison him and praises his devotion to his friend in political trouble. Statius wonders what province Domitian will pick for Crispinus and thanks him for attending his recitations. At the end of the poem, Crispinus is finally summoned to service.
5.3 ("Lament for his father") This long personal poem is a lament by Statius of his father written three months after his death. Statius' father is imagined as looking at the world from heaven and rejoicing in Elysium while Statius' grief intensifies. The poet decides not to sacrifice birds but hopes that Pietas will tend his father's memory and compares his father to Homer. Statius gives an account of his father's poetic learning and describes his religious poetry. He thanks his father for teaching him, helping his career along, finding him a wife, and inspiring him to write. Statius prays that the chthonic gods will receive his father kindly and that his shade will continue to inspire him.
5.4 ("Sleep") This brief prayer hymns Sleep and asks for relief from insomnia.
5.5 ("Lament for his Boy") This final poem is a lament for Statius' slave boy whom he nurtured. The poet says that he cannot keep writing his ''Achilleid'' and he angrily blames the gods for the death.
Rediscovery
Modern texts of the ''Silvae'' all descend from the ''M'' manuscript, now in the
Biblioteca Nacional de España in Madrid. This is a copy commissioned by
Poggio Bracciolini in 1418, while he was in Germany for the
Council of Constance. The manuscript contains the ''Silvae'' together with the poetry of
Silius Italicus and
Marcus Manilius
Marcus Manilius () originally hailing from Syria, was a Roman poet, astrologer, and author of a poem in five books called '' Astronomica''.
The ''Astronomica''
The author of ''Astronomica'' is neither quoted nor mentioned by any ancient wr ...
. It was likely copied from an ancestor manuscript, now lost, discovered by Bracciolini at
Reichenau Abbey. An inventory from a library in the Constance area, made in the second quarter of the 9th or 10th centuries, lists one work as "Ovidii Metamorfoseon Sili et Stacii volumen I". This may have been the ancestor manuscript which Bracciolini had access to. After his return to Italy in 1453, multiple copies of the ''M'' manuscript were made, and the ''
editio princeps
In Textual scholarship, textual and classical scholarship, the ''editio princeps'' (plural: ''editiones principes'') of a work is the first printed edition of the work, that previously had existed only in manuscripts. These had to be copied by han ...
'' of the ''Silvae'' was based on one of these copies (a bad one). The ''M'' manuscript was subsequently lost, not to be rediscovered until 1879, in Madrid.
Another manuscript in the
Laurentian Library
The Laurentian Library (Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana or BML) is a historic library in Florence, Italy, containing more than 11,000 manuscripts and 4,500 early printed books. Built in a cloister of the Medicean Basilica di San Lorenzo di Firenze u ...
in Florence contains a single excerpt from the ''Silvae'', the ode to
Lucan (II.7). This is part of a
florilegium (a collection of miscellaneous writings) made in Western Germany in the 10th century. It is possible that this excerpt came from the same ancestor as Bracciolini's ''M''.
Influence
Panegyrical and occasional poetry after Statius was strongly influenced by his work. Statian influence can be particularly seen in the works of
Claudian and
Nemesianus. In the Renaissance, the received modern commentaries, first by
Domizio Calderini (1469) and more importantly by
Angelo Poliziano (1480) who is credited with popularizing the collection to western literature and writing an extensive commentary. Poliziano first connected with Quintilian's remarks and appreciated Statius' learned style; many of his poems even used the as models, and he published his own collection of . Poliziano's poetry inspired others and founded the convention of naming any collection of occasional poetry . To this genre,
Julius Caesar Scaliger added the ancient convention of formalizing subgenres, such as
epithalamia and propemptica. In the Netherlands in 1600, the became a major influence at the
University of Leiden
Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; ) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange as a Protestant institution, it holds the distinction of being the oldest university in the Neth ...
. The literary scholar
Hugo Grotius in the early 17th century composed laudatory which engage strongly with Statius' poetry and produced his own edition with commentary. In 1685,
John Dryden
John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate.
He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration (En ...
composed a collection of poetical miscellanies called the .
Critical responses to the
Like scholarship on the ''Thebaid'', critical attitudes to the were decidedly negative in the late 19th and early 20th century when Statius' relationship to Domitian and his court caused him to fall out of favor with critics and readers, but in recent times, Statius has been reevaluated and his have been involved in his rehabilitation.
The and their context
Domitian and patronage are critical to an understanding of the and have caused the most difficulty for his critics and readers. Domitian's presence fills the collection, and Statius commemorates his construction projects, administration, and circle of courtiers. The content of the is primarily dictated by the needs of Statius' patrons, and many of the addressees come from the wealthy, privileged class of landowners and politicians. Statius' flattery of these elites has been interpreted in two ways by scholars; some, such as
Carole Newlands, maintain that the collection is highly subversive and subtly expresses Statius' concerns about the autocratic tendencies of the Roman upper class. Others have argued that we cannot judge the standards of Roman panegyric by modern taste and urge a reading of the as individual pieces that respond to specific circumstances with their own unique viewpoints.
Style
Statius' style has been described as extremely elaborate ("mannerist") and has been connected with a specific bi-lingual, Greek cultural circle in Naples. Mythological examples, standard features (
topoi), and elaborate description all enhance his praise of his patrons' lives and possessions. He also uses some standard types of rhetorical composition as noted by
Menander Rhetor such as epithalamium, propempticon, and genethliacon. His use of mythological speakers at times has been interpreted subversively, as a device to both flatter clients and absolve the author of responsibility for the extreme praise the characters give. Many scholars have noted the tension between Statius' hasty mode of composition and the polished style of the pieces and have remarked on the poet's use of book arrangement and metrical choice to convey subtle meanings.
[Coleman in Bailey, pg.15]
Notes
Bibliography
;Texts and Commentaries
*Coleman, K. ''Statius Silvae IV'' (Oxford, 1988)
*Gibson, B. ''Statius, Silvae 5'' (Oxford, 2006)
*van Dam, H. ''Silvae, Book II: A commentary'' (Leiden, 1984)
;Translations
*Nagle, Betty ''The Silvae of Statius'' (Bloomington, 2004)
*Shackleton-Bailey, D. R. ''Statius' Silvae'' (Cambridge, 2003)
;Studies
*Hardie, A. ''Statius and the Silvae: Poets, Patrons and Epideixis in the Graeco-Roman World'' (Liverpool, 1983)
*Newlands, C. ''Statius' Silvae and the Poetics of Empire'' (Cambridge, 2002)
*Newmyer, S. T. ''The Silvae of Statius: Structure and Theme'' (Leiden, 1979)
*
External links
Text from the Latin Library{{Authority control
1st-century books in Latin
Poetry by Statius
Occasional poetry