Life, p. 202. Character, p. 205. The _Thebais_; its high average level, p. 206. Statius a miniature painter, p, 207. Weakness of the Theban-saga as a subject for epic, p. 208. Consequent lack of proportion and unity in _Thebais_, p. 210. Vergil too closely imitated, p. 211. Digressions, p. 212. Character-drawing superficial, p. 213. Tydeus, p. 214. Amphiaraus, p. 216. Parthenopaeus and other characters, p. 218. Atmosphere that of literature rather than life, p. 220. Fine descriptive passages, p. 221. Dexterity, often degenerating into preciosity, p. 224. Similes, p. 225. Metre, p. 226. The _Achilleis_, p. 227. The _Silvae_, p. 227. Flattery of Domitian, p. 228. Extraordinary preciosity, p. 229. Prettiness and insincerity, p. 230. Brilliant miniature-painting, p. 232. The _Genethliacon Lucani_, p. 233. Invocation to Sleep, p. 234. Conclusion, p. 235. CHAPTER X SILIUS ITALlCUS Life, p. 236. Weakness of historical epic, p. 238. Disastrous intrusion of mythology, p. 239. Plagiarism from Vergil, p. 240. Skill in composition of early books, p. 240. Inadequate treatment of closing scenes of the war, p. 241. The characters, p. 241. Total absence of any real poetic gifts, p. 242. Regulus, p. 244. The death of Paulus, p. 246. Fabius Cunctator, p. 247. Conclusion, p. 249. CHAPTER XI MARTIAL Life, p. 251. The epigram, p. 258. Martial's temperament, p. 259. Gift of style, p. 260. Satirical tone, good-humoured and non-moral, p. 261. Obscenity, p. 263. Capacity for friendship, p. 264. His dislike of Rome, p. 267. His love of the country, p. 268. Comparison with Silvae of Statius, p. 271. Flattery of Domitian, p. 271. Laments for the dead, p. 272. Emotion as a rule sacrificed to point, p. 275. The laureate of triviality, p. 276. Martial as a client, p. 277. His snobbery, p. 279. Redeeming features; polish and wit, p. 281. The one perfect post-Augustan stylist, p. 284. Vivid picture of contemporary society, p. 285. CHAPTER XII JUVENAL Life, p. 287. Date of satires, p. 289. Motives (Sat, i), p. 291. Themes of the various satires; third satire, p. 293; fourth, fifth, and sixth satires, p. 294; seventh and eighth satires; signs of waning power, p. 295; tenth satire, p. 296; eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth satires, p. 297; fifteenth and sixteenth satires, showing further decline of power, p. 298. Juvenal's narrow Roman ideals; hatred of the foreigner, p. 299. Exaggeration, p. 301. Coarseness, p. 303. Vividness of description, p. 304. Mordant epigram and rhetoric, p. 308. Moral and religious ideals, p. 311. _Sententiae_, p. 315. Poetry, p. 316. Metre, p. 317. The one great poet of the Silver Age, p. 317. INDEX OF NAMES, p. 321 FOOTNOTES CHAPTER I THE DECLINE OF POST-AUGUSTAN POETRY