Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/243

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SILVAE, IV.

of poetry in general and of myself in particular. I bore ample testimony to my affection for Vibius Maximus on the score both of high character and of poetic gift in the letter which I published about the bringing-out of my Thebaid; but on this occasion I beg him to return from Dalmatia with all speed. Next comes a poem to my fellow-townsman Julius Menecrates, a brilliant youth, noble knight, and the son-in-law of my friend Pollius: I congratulate him on having done honour to our city of Naples by the number of his children.^[1] Pletius Grypus, a youth of senatorial rank, shall have a poem more worthy of him, but in the mean time I have included in this volume some hendecasyllables that we laughed over together at the Saturnalia.

Why then, you will ask, are there more pieces in the fourth book of my Occasional Verses than in the former? Why, that they who, as I hear, have criticized me for publishing this kind of verse may feel that they have accomplished nothing. In the first place, the thing is done, and it is useless to grumble; in the second, I had already presented many of them to our Imperial Master, compared with which publication is a trivial affair. Besides, surely one may write in sportive vein? “Only privately,” say they. But we go to see games of ball, and are admitted to fencing-matches. Finally: whoever of my friends reads anything unwillingly, then and there declares himself an enemy;^[2] very well, why should I take his advice? After all, surely it is I who am being abused; let him hold his peace and

↑ i.e., from the honour of the “ius trium liberorum” which had been bestowed upon him.
↑ I read “profitetur” with Vahlen and the Aldine, also Vollmer, as with “profiteatur” the following sentence lacks point, while “taceat” gives a directly contradictory sense. “ex meis” might perhaps be taken with “aliquid:” “anything of mine.” Markland reads “invidus” for “invitus”: “with disapproval.”

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[1] i.e., from the honour of the “ius trium liberorum” which had been bestowed upon him.

[2] I read “profitetur” with Vahlen and the Aldine, also Vollmer, as with “profiteatur” the following sentence lacks point, while “taceat” gives a directly contradictory sense. “ex meis” might perhaps be taken with “aliquid:” “anything of mine.” Markland reads “invidus” for “invitus”: “with disapproval.”

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[2]