The Poetic World of Statius' Silvae

Abstract Putnam’s essays on Statius’ Silvae explore the complex, rich intertextuality of these poems. In particular, he shows show how seriously Statius engages with Augustan poetry and how he pays special homage to his canonical predecessor, Virgil, how thoroughly he interprets the intricacies of Virgilian poetry, and how he often, by placing a Virgilian reference in a different social and cultural context, boldly turns Virgil to new and more positive purposes. These essays often a fascinating glimpse into the mindset and inner thesaurus of the imperial poet and reader. They are partly detailed commentaries on the individual Silvae, partly reflective essays that open up new perspectives on these often neglected Latin poems and invite a fresh appreciation of their boldness as well as sophistication.