Böcker av Statius

This is the first part of a two-volume edition of Statius's epics "Thebaid" and "Achilleid", with a freshly edited Latin text facing an English translation.

Introduction and commentary designed for advanced students. Written for the most part after the success of the Thebaid, the Silvae present a dialogue between the life of court politics and that of cultured withdrawal, delicately and allusively exploring the competing values of courtly service and private life.

Statius's Silvae, thirty-two occasional poems, were written probably between 89 and 96 CE. The verse is light in touch, with a distinct pictorial quality. D. R. Shackleton Bailey's edition, which replaced the earlier Loeb Classical Library edition by J. H. Mozley, is now reissued with corrections by Christopher A. Parrott.

Counted by many as one of Rome's finest achievements in poetry, the "Thebaid" tells the story of the war between the sons of Oedipus for the throne of Thebes. This edition includes a summary of the poem and notes on the text.

Statius' epic poem the "Thebaid", which was written in 12 books in about AD 80-92, concerns the expedition of the seven kings against Thebes. This edition of book IX includes a translation, a commentary and an introduction on Statius' life and works and his influence on European literature.

The clarity of Joyce's translation highlights the poem's superb versification, sophisticated use of intertextuality, and bold formal experimentation and innovation. A substantial introduction and annotations make this epic accessible to students.