Curritur ad vocem iucundam et carmen amicae
Thebaidos, laetam cum fecit Statius urbem
promisitque diem (i.e. for a public recitation of his poem).
‘Its smooth versification, copious diction, and sustained elegance made it a sort of canon of poetical technique. Among much tedious rhetoric and cumbrous mythology there is enough imagination and pathos to make the poem interesting and even charming.’—Mackail.
(2) The Silvae, in five Books, are occasional poems, descriptive and lyrical, on miscellaneous subjects. These may well be considered his masterpiece. ‘Genuine poetry,’ says Niebuhr, ‘imprinted with the character of the true poet, and constituting some of the most graceful productions of Roman literature.’
Among the best known are the touching poem to his wife Claudia (iii. 5), the marriage song to his brother-poet Arruntius Stella (i. 2), the Propempticon Maecio Celeri (iii. 2), the Epicedion (funeral song) on the death of his adopted son (v. 5), and the short poem (v. 4) on Sleep.
The greatest poet of the Decline.
GAIUS SUETONIUS TRANQUILLUS, circ. 75-160 A.D.
1. Life.
SUETONIUS.