Publii Papinii Statii Sylvarum lib. V. ; Thebaidos lib. XII. ; Achilleidos lib. II.
by P. Papinius Statius
Publius Papinius Statius was a Roman poet born in Naples who lived from c. 45 to c. 96CE.[1] His father was a poet before him as well as a schoolmaster and teacher of literature. Statius was held in high regard by the Roman populous who attended his poetry readings in vast numbers.[2] Working with one of the emperor Domitian’s favorite poets, Statius had generous exposure in the city, even winning Domitian’s poetry competition at the Alban Games, though losing at the more prestigious Capitoline Games later that year.[3] He married Claudia, another poet’s widow, and had no children of his own, though Claudia had one daughter. Her love for him was immortalized in a poem Statius wrote to persuade her to leave Rome and nurse him during illness in Naples.[4] In truth, Statius retired to Naples after his devastatingly disappointing loss at the Capitoline Games, c. 90CE.[5]
Statius’s Thebaid, published c. 91CE, is the only Roman epic certainly published as a complete work by its author.[6] It contains twelve books and took the poet twelve years to complete.[7] In his account of the war between Oedipus’ sons over Thebes, Statius critically examined his own style and writing, and drew on many other works to inspire his framework and problematically deep themes of civil war, absolutism, human violence and madness, succession, authority, and familial discord.[8]
The Silvae was a collection of five books, the first four published between 91 and 95CE, and the fifth most likely published after Statius’ death in 96CE.[9] The collection contains thirty-two poems, twenty-six of them in the standard post-classical Greek meter of hexameter.[10] Statius wrote these poems for his patrons, including Domitian, to immortalize specific events in their lives as well as his own. As a simpler and more spontaneous, less polished work than the Thebaid, the Silvae has greater appeal to many casual readers, though the former epic is attractive for its depth and exploration.[11]
The Achilleid is the last book of poems by Statius, written after his retirement to Naples, but unfinished due to his death.[12] It was meant to tell the story of Achilles, though the completion of only the first book and part of the second means that all that is written is Thetis’ anxiety for her son’s future through Achilles’ departure for Troy.[13]
This edition was published in 1671 in the original Latin and contains Book Five of the Silvae, Book Twelve of the Thebaid, and the fragmented Book Two of the Achilleid.
| Publii Papinii Statii Sylvarum lib. V. ; Thebaidos lib. XII. ; Achilleidos lib. II | |
 Title page from Publii Papinii Statii Sylvarum lib. V. ; Thebaidos lib. XII. ; Achilleidos lib. II, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary. | |
| Author | P. Papinius Statius |
| Published | Lugd. Batav.: Ex officina Hackiana, Ao |
| Date | 1671 |
| Language | Latin |
| Volumes | 1 volume set |
Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library
Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy
Octavo, bound in burgundy goatskin with attractive gilt-outlined paneling floral cornerpieces on the boards. Has gilt decoration on edges with matching inner gilt rolls and five raised bands on spine with gilt decorations on the bands. All edges gilt over marbling. Contains marbled endpapers with pencil annotations and ownership inscription of Edmund Lamb on the first blank. Purchased from Collectable Books ABA.
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External Links
References
- ↑ "Stā'tius” in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature, ed. by M.C. Howatson (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ "Statius, Publius Papinius" in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World, ed. by John Roberts (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007).
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ "Stā'tius”
- ↑ "Statius, Publius Papinius"
- ↑ "Stā'tius”
- ↑ "Statius, Publius Papinius"
- ↑ "Stā'tius”
- ↑ "Statius, Publius Papinius"
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ "Stā'tius”
- ↑ Ibid.
