'Ast ego, Dardaniae quamvis sub collibus Albae rus proprium magnique ducis mihi munere currens unda domi curas mulcere aestusque levare sufficerent.' _Silv._ iv. praef., 'Sacratissimis eius epulis honoratus.' He more than once promises to write an epic on Domitian's career (e.g. _Theb._ i. 32). The emperor's freedman Earinus (_Silv._ iii. 4) was one of Statius' patrons. His regard for the poet Lucan produced _Silv._ ii. 7, which is a poem on Lucan's birthday, addressed to his widow (see p. 267). But his chief admiration was reserved for the memory of Virgil: Naples and Alba were endeared to him by their associations with the 'great master' and the story of Aeneas: _Silv._ iv. 4, 53, 'Tenues ignavo pollice chordas pulso, Maroneique sedens in margine templi sumo animum et magni tumulis adcanto magistri.' For Alba cf. _Silv._ v. 3, 37. The _Thebais_ must recognize its inferiority to the _Aeneid_: _Theb._ xii. 816, 'Vive, precor; nec tu divinam Aeneida tempta, sed longe sequere et vestigia semper adora.' (2) WORKS. 1. The _Thebais_, an epic poem in twelve Books, occupied Statius for twelve years: xii. 811, 'O mihi bis senos multum vigilata per annos Thebai.' Cf. _Silv._ iv. 7, 26, 'Thebais multa cruciata lima.' The twelve years were probably 79-91 or 80-92 A.D. _Silv._ i. praef. (written 91 or 92), 'Adhuc pro Thebaide mea, quamvis me reliquerit, timeo.' The publication apparently did not take place till A.D. 95 (cf. _Silv._ iv. 4, 87 _sqq._ written in that year). The subject of the poem is the strife between the brothers Eteocles and Polynices, and the subsequent history of Thebes to the death of Creon. The dedication is to Domitian. For the popularity of the _Thebais_ cf. Juv. _Sat._ 7, 82, 'Curritur ad vocem iucundam et carmen amicae Thebaidos, laetam cum fecit Statius urbem promisitque diem. Tanta dulcedine captos afficit ille animos tantaque libidine volgi auditur; sed, cum fregit subsellia versu, esurit, intactam Paridi nisi vendit Agaven.' 2. The _Achilleis_, also dedicated to Domitian, is an incomplete epic, consisting of one Book and part of a second. It was later than the Thebaid, for Statius was working at it in A.D. 95: _Silv._ iv. 4, 93, 'Nunc vacuos crines alio subit infula nexu: Troia quidem magnusque mihi temptatur Achilles.' The poem was intended to cover the whole career of Achilles, including his retreat in Scyros before the Trojan War, and his exploits after the death of Hector, which did not enter into the plan of the _Iliad_: cf. l. 3, 'Quamquam acta viri multum inclita cantu Maeonio, sed plura vacant: nos ire per omnem (sic amor est) heroa velis.'