Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/157

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

SILVAE, II. v. 21—vi. 10

threatens even while the weapon falls from his grasp; so he with laboured step and reft of his wonted pride steadies his eyes as with open mouth he pants for breath and for the foe.

Great solace, nevertheless, shall be thine, poor victim, for thy sudden fate, that people and Senate mourned in sorrow to see thee die, as though thou wert some favourite gladiator fallen on the deadly sand; that amid so many beasts of Scythia and Libya, from the banks of Rhine and the tribes of Egypt, beasts so cheaply slain, the loss of one lion alone drew a tear from mighty Caesar’s eye.

VI. A POEM OF CONSOLATION TO FLAVIUS URSUS ON THE DEATH OF A FAVOURITE SLAVE


This Epicedion follows the same lines as ii. 1, except that the opening is different. Flavius Ursus, we may gather from the Preface and this poem, was young and rich, and practised at the bar.


Too cruel thou, whoever thou art, who makest distinctions in mourning, and settest bounds to grief! Piteous it is for a parent to burn—ah! fearful thought!—an infant darling or growing son; hard too is it when a consort is snatched away to call the name of the partner of the deserted couch; sad are a sister’s tears and a brother’s groans: yet deeply also, ay deeper far does a stroke less deadly probe the feelings, surpassing mightier blows. ’Tis a slave—for thus doth Fortune confound with undiscerning hand the names of things, nor sees into the heart—a slave whom thou dost mourn, but one that was

119

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.