Statius won two prizes for poetry, at the Augustalia in Naples and at Alba; but was unsuccessful at the Capitoline competition, probably in A.D. 94 (ibid. 225-232). In that year he seems to have removed from Rome to Naples, and spent there the remainder of his days: Silv. iii. 5, 12,
‘Anne quod Euboicos fessus remeare penates
auguror et patria senium componere terra?’
The date of his death is unknown. The latest event mentioned in his poems is the seventeenth consulship of Domitian, A.D. 95 (Silv. iv. 1).
Statius was married to a widow named Claudia (Silv. iii. 5, 51 sqq.), but had no children (v. 5, 79).
He enjoyed the favour of Domitian (‘indulgentissimus imperator,’ Silv. i. praef.) who granted him a supply of water for his country house at Alba, and occasionally invited him to his table: Silv. iii. 1, 61,
‘Ast ego, Dardaniae quamvis sub collibus Albae
rus proprium magnique ducis mihi munere currens
unda domi curas mulcere aestusque levare
sufficerent.’
Silv. iv. praef., ‘Sacratissimis eius epulis honoratus.’
He more than once promises to write an epic on Domitian’s career (e.g. Theb. i. 32). The emperor’s freedman Earinus (Silv. iii. 4) was one of Statius’ patrons.
His regard for the poet Lucan produced Silv. ii. 7, which is a poem on Lucan’s birthday, addressed to his widow (see [p. 267]). But his chief admiration was reserved for the memory of Virgil: Naples and Alba were endeared to him by their associations with the ‘great master’ and the story of Aeneas: Silv. iv. 4, 53,
‘Tenues ignavo pollice chordas
pulso, Maroneique sedens in margine templi
sumo animum et magni tumulis adcanto magistri.’