Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/375

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SILVAE, V. v. 79–87

I not mourn for thee, dear lad? Whilst thou didst live, I desired no sons, thou wert my first-born and from thy very birth I bound thee to myself and made thee truly mine; I taught thee sounds and words, and soothed thy complainings and thy hidden hurts, and as thou didst crawl on the ground, I stooped and lifted thee to my kisses, and lovingly in my bosom lulled to sleep thy drooping eyes,^[1] and bade sweet slumber take thee. My name was thy first speech, my play thy infant happiness, and my countenance was the source of all thy joy. . . .

FRAGMENT OF A POEM ON THE WAR IN GERMANY^[2]

. . . lights: the gentle wisdom of Nestor-like Crispus,^[3] and Fabius Veiento^[4]—the purple marks each as eminent, thrice have they filled the recording annals with their names—and Acilius,^[5] near neighbour of Caesar’s palace.

↑ It is not clear what should be read for “excepere”; for historic infinitives to avoid succession of past tenses cf. ii. 1. 122.
↑ These lines are quoted by Valla, commenting on Juvenal, Sat. iv. 94, and are the only evidence we have for this work of Statius.
↑ Crispus is probably Vibius Crispus, whom Quintilian mentions as “vir ingenii iucundi et elegantis” (v. 13. 48). Juvenal also describes him (iv. 81) “venit et Crispi iucunda senectus | cuius erant mores qualis facundia, mite | ingenium”; cf. Tac. Hist. ii. 10.
↑ If Fabius Veiento is the same as Fabricius Veiento, he was notorious as an informer under Domitian; he too is mentioned by Juvenal (iv. 113, iii. 185, vi. 113).
↑ Acilius Glabrio and his father were present, with the two preceding, at the famous council of the Turbot (Juv. iv.); the former was a contemporary of Crispus, the latter (mentioned here) was consul with Trajan in 91, and subsequently put to death by Domitian.

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[1] It is not clear what should be read for “excepere”; for historic infinitives to avoid succession of past tenses cf. ii. 1. 122.

[2] These lines are quoted by Valla, commenting on Juvenal, Sat. iv. 94, and are the only evidence we have for this work of Statius.

[3] Crispus is probably Vibius Crispus, whom Quintilian mentions as “vir ingenii iucundi et elegantis” (v. 13. 48). Juvenal also describes him (iv. 81) “venit et Crispi iucunda senectus | cuius erant mores qualis facundia, mite | ingenium”; cf. Tac. Hist. ii. 10.

[4] If Fabius Veiento is the same as Fabricius Veiento, he was notorious as an informer under Domitian; he too is mentioned by Juvenal (iv. 113, iii. 185, vi. 113).

[5] Acilius Glabrio and his father were present, with the two preceding, at the famous council of the Turbot (Juv. iv.); the former was a contemporary of Crispus, the latter (mentioned here) was consul with Trajan in 91, and subsequently put to death by Domitian.

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