1807. ] 
as well as possessing greater beauties, is 
here placed next in succession to Lucan, 
Seldom, indeed, has the eye of criticism, 
in its general survey of the ancient clas- 
sics, condescended particularly to notice 
either . This, of itself, has been sutticient 
to induce the student to neglect them as 
unworthy his perusal, and they have heen 
rarely read, but of those whose literary 
ardour. and ambition have stimulated to 
become masters of all that antiquity has 
left us. That they evince a marked de- 
cline from the purity of the Augustan 
age, cannot be denied; but as they are 
poems founded on oreat events, and in 
general composed according to epic rules 
they must be allowed to take a second. 
aryrank in the Latin epopawa. Nor upon 
au attentive study, can it be pronounced 
that they are wholly destitute of poetical 
merit. In the Thebais, particularly, will 
be found some few ‘passages, which, for 
energy or pathos, have uot been often — 
excelled. Without adopting the extra- 
vagant pratses of Scaliger, who has ce- 
lebrated the Thebais iu a style of eulogy, 
more consistent perliaps with the capri- 
cious versatility of his own temper, than 
with the sober truth of criticism, it may 
be asserted that it is far from a contemp- 
tible performance, and by many not in- 
competent judges has been esteemed in 
some pea superior to the Pharsalia. 
It has experienced the peculiarly happy 
fate of descending entire to posterity. 
Time, which has destroyed so many va- 
luable writings of Livy, of Tacitus, of 
Sophocles and Euripides, has respected 
the Thebais of Statius. In the long 
course of ages which clapsed between 
the Augustan Mta, and the revival of 
learning in Italy and the more north- 
ern parts of Europe, chance has often 
drawn many obscure and trifling com po- 
sitions from their neglected repositories ; 
whilst the dust yet covers, and perhaps 
may eternally cover, so many :nestimabie 
works in poetry, history, and phitosophy. 
But the wise antiquary, however he may 
repine at the loss or concealment of 
so much licerary treasure, will yet be 
thankful even fox the more inferior pro- 
ductions of antiquity, and will consider 
nothing unworthy bis perusal or study 
that occupied the attention, or exercised 
the criticism of former ages. 
Publius Papinius Statius was a citizen 
of Naples, and born there about the be- 
ginning of the reign of the Emperor Clan- 
dius. His father was of a good family at 
Sell, a town in Epirus, whvse ancestors 
had been famous for their learning and 
4 
Lyceum of Ancient Literature.—Statius. 353 
civil accomplishments. He received his 
education under his father, who opened 
a school of rhetoric and oratory 11 Na- 
ples. He removed afterwards to Rome, 
and engaged in the same profession with 
equal success. He married Claudia, the 
daughter of a musician, and a woman 
of considerable attainments in lear nipg. 
To her, he inscribed many of his verses, 
and always mentions her with tenderness 
and honour, His happy talent in writing 
occasional poems, soon recommended 
him to persons of the first rank and the 
highest merit, to several of whom he ad- 
dressed some of those little pieces which 
compose his five books of Si/ve, or Mis- 
cellamies. It is very penne toatles says 
Vossius, that Martial, a great admirer of 
Stella, the poct, should never mention 
Statius, who was so intimate with Stella, 
that He dedicated to him the first book 
of his Silve. The excellence of Statius 
in epigrams, which Martial considered 
as his peculiar province, was welne 
one cause; and the intimacy of Statius 
with P aris, the favourite of the Ea aperor 
Douitian,was probably another. Through 
the recommendation of Paris, he ingra- 
tiated himself so far with ian, as 
to be adinitted to sit at table with hie 
at a public entertainment, which the 
Iimperor gave to some of t abe most Col- 
siderable persons in Rome. Domitian 
also presented hnn with a golden crown, 
when lie obtained the prize on the 
Alban Moant, at the Quinguatria, 
eames celebrated in honour of Minerva, 
This he -himself acknowledges, (Sily, 
lib. iv. 2.) and adds that it was adj udged 
him because he had composed some 
pieces on the Emperor's triumph over 
the Germans and the Dace. But the 
affluence of Statius did not keep pace 
with his honours; for Jjuvenal, who de- 
scribed the Ingh re ae utation which he eu- 
joy ved, and the crowds who resorted to 
hear him recite i verses, insinuates 
that he was compelled to seil his tragedy 
of Agave tor Hvaads 
Curritur ad vocem jucundam et carmen amices 
Thebaidos, lztam fecit cum Statius uryvem, 
Promisit que diem, tanta dulcedine captos 
Afficit ille animos, tanta que libidine vul gi 
Auditur: sed cum fregit subsellia versu, 
Msurit, Intactam Pa 5 n VAVEN. 
Esurit, intactam Paridi nisi vendit A 
Sat. ae 
His next attempt was aie Thebais, in 
which he was assisted by Maximus Jue 
mius, a patrician of sp neular Jearning, 
Dis poem cost him tw elven years labour; 
and he was far advanced in years beture 
he finished it. He professedly took Vir 
pik 
