ns (ll. 209-214).

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.'

For Alba cf. _Silv._ v. 3, 37. The _Thebais_ must recognize its
inferiority to the _Aeneid_: _Theb._ xii. 816,

'Vive, precor; nec tu divinam Aeneida tempta,
sed longe sequere et vestigia semper adora.'

(2) WORKS.

1. The _Thebais_, an epic poem in twelve Books, occupied Statius for
twelve years: xii. 811,

'O mihi bis senos multum vigilata per annos
Thebai.'

Cf. _Silv._ iv. 7, 26,

'Thebais multa cruciata lima.'

The twelve years were probably 79-91 or 80-92 A.D. _Silv._ i. praef.
(written 91 or 92), 'Adhuc pro Thebaide mea, quamvis me reliquerit,
timeo.' The publication apparently did not take place till A.D. 95
(cf. _Silv._ iv. 4, 87 _sqq._ written in that year).

The subject of the poem is the strife between