Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/113

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SILVAE, II.

demanded by the Tame Lion, for had I not presented him to His Most Sacred Majesty while still lying in the amphitheatre, all the effect would have been missed. Then there is the consolatory piece I wrote on the loss of his slave-boy for our friend Ursus, a youth of blameless life and an accomplished poet, who wastes no time in idleness; I was glad to include it in this book, quite apart from the debt I owe to him, for he will credit you with the honour he derives therefrom. The volume is concluded by the Birthday Ode to Lucan, for which Polla Argentaria, rarest of wives, desired to be held accountable, when we happened to be considering the celebration of the day. I could not show a deeper reverence for so great a poet than by distrusting my own hexameters when about to sing his praises. These pieces, my excellent Melior, such as they are, if you like them, give them to the world: if not, let them return to me.

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