STATIUS IN THE SILVAE 155
and Violentilla a Neapolitan like him. The reference to his birthplace
introduces an autobiographical element, but hardly personalises the
relationship. In Statius’ amicitia with Stella, poetry seems the domi-
nant element, as is neatly brought out by the ambiguity with which
Statius addresses his fellow-poet as dulcis ... uates, “sweet bard” (33):
“sweet” because dear to Statius—which would be in accordance with
Stella carissime, “dearest Stella”, in the preface (1.ep.20)—, or
“sweet” because a poet, and more particularly a love poet?^34 Statius
intertwines the roles of amicus sharing in the life of amicus and that of
uates celebrating uates.^35
The propemptica
In poems sending off someone on a voyage overseas, expressions of
affection are conventionally prominent, and Statius’ two exercises in
the genre are no exception. In Silvae 3.2, on the departure of the
young senator Maecius Celer for a command in the East, Statius im-
mediately sets the tone by qualifying his addressee as “the larger part
of my soul” (7–8), thus even bettering Horace in his famous propemp-
ticon for Virgil, who had been content to call his fellow-poet “half of
my soul” (Carm. 1.3.8). Throughout the poem Statius emphasises his
great concern for Celer, mostly in rather general terms, twice using the
term amor (81, 99), but occasionally he becomes more specific. One
such moment occurs when he reproaches himself for not accompany-
ing Celer abroad, so as to be able to stand by the banners of his rex,
his “king” (90–4). The word rex is typical for the language of clients
speaking to or of their patron, and Statius’ use of it here rather starkly
defines his amicitia with Celer as patronage.^36 Statius adds that, if he
had indeed gone along, he would have admired Celer’s exploits, but
34 The adjective recurs another seven times in the poem, always in connection with
the erotic and nuptial theme (12, 63, 74, 112, 207, 211, 261), and once additionally in
close association with Violentilla’s and Statius’ birthplace Naples (261 Parthenope,
dulcisque solo tu gloria nostro, with an allusion to Verg. G. 4.563–4 that we shall find
more often: see below, 156 and 165–7). For dulcis as a term of affection cf. Polli
dulcissime (3.ep.1).
35 Statius calls Stella uates seven times (23, 46, 94, 98, 197, 201, 239; cf. also
220). He does not explicitly call himself uates in this poem, but he frequently does so
elsewhere (as we have already seen in the case of 4.3.120 and 1.4.117), and his entire
stance is ‘vatic’. On Statius as uates cf. Lovatt 2007, 146–8.
36 On rex see Nauta 2002a, 16–7.