Statius: Silvae

In this delightful homage to the now unfashionable Neapolitan poet, two contemporary poets who share a fascination with his work present their selection of fresh versions from his best-known collection. In their introductions they explore the background to his work and the qualities, literary and human, which drew them to him.

Publius Papinius Statius (c. 45-96 AD) was a prize-winning poet whose reputation remained high until well into the Middle Ages. He featured both in Chaucer’s House of...