Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/245

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SILVAE, IV. i. 1–13

be glad. But you, Marcellus, will champion this book; if you agree, well, so far so good! otherwise, I must submit to criticism. Farewell!

I. THE SEVENTEENTH CONSULSHIP OF THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS GERMANICUS

This poem belongs to the class of Panegyric or laudation of the Emperor or other distinguished personage, which becomes common in later times, e.g. Claudian, Sidonius, etc.

With happy augury the Imperial consulship^[1] adds yet another to its twice eight terms, and Germanicus^[2] opens a year of glory; he rises with the rising sun and the mighty constellations, himself more brilliant than they and outshining the early Morning Star. Exult, ye laws of Latium, rejoice, ye curule chairs, and let Rome more proudly strike the sky with her sevenfold summit, and Evander’s hill^[3] make louder boast than other heights! Once more the rods and axes have entered the Palace, the twelvefold honour^[4] rejoices to rest idle no more, and the Senate that its prayers are heard and Caesar’s modesty is overcome. Janus himself, great renewer of eternal Time, near whom thou hast set Peace^[5]

↑ The purple is that of the consulship, not of the principate. The date is 95 A.D.
↑ The title was given him for his campaigns in Germany, for which he triumphed in 83. It was probably a favourite title of his. See note on 43.
↑ The Palatine.
↑ Lit. “the twelvefold honour (the consulship, from the twelve lictors of the Consul) rejoices to have overcome repose,” i.e. to have obtained Caesar as consul; others take “requiem” as “Caesar’s repose.” The former interpretation implies that only when Caesar was consul was the office really alive, a characteristic bit of flattery, as Domitian rarely held it for long, never beyond May 1st, and often only till January 13th, according to Suetonius, Dom. 13.
↑ Vespasian built a temple of Pax “near the Forum” (Romanum), Suet. Vesp. 9, see iv. 3. 17 n. Whether the old Janus-arch of the Forum or the new Janus Quadrifrons of the Forum Transitorium, between the Roman and Julian Fora, is meant, is uncertain, though “utroque” suggests the former. The “new forum” is probably the F. Transitorium.

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[1] The purple is that of the consulship, not of the principate. The date is 95 A.D.

[2] The title was given him for his campaigns in Germany, for which he triumphed in 83. It was probably a favourite title of his. See note on 43.

[3] The Palatine.

[4] Lit. “the twelvefold honour (the consulship, from the twelve lictors of the Consul) rejoices to have overcome repose,” i.e. to have obtained Caesar as consul; others take “requiem” as “Caesar’s repose.” The former interpretation implies that only when Caesar was consul was the office really alive, a characteristic bit of flattery, as Domitian rarely held it for long, never beyond May 1st, and often only till January 13th, according to Suetonius, Dom. 13.

[5] Vespasian built a temple of Pax “near the Forum” (Romanum), Suet. Vesp. 9, see iv. 3. 17 n. Whether the old Janus-arch of the Forum or the new Janus Quadrifrons of the Forum Transitorium, between the Roman and Julian Fora, is meant, is uncertain, though “utroque” suggests the former. The “new forum” is probably the F. Transitorium.

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