Statius’ Thebaid

Abstract This chapter builds upon the findings of the previous one, as it seeks to delve deeper into Statius’ subversive approach to Valerius in the Thebaid by demonstrating that Statius often rewrites Valerian passages in order to reverse what can be read as positive sequences in his model text. The chapter then examines a related practice, i.e. Statius’ use of allusion to establish contrasts between the Thebaid and the Argonautica, a strategy that seeks to create distance between the two poems. The chapter comes to a close with a section on Statius’ use of allusion to Valerius’ poem to enrich his narrative in various ways.