Claudian, Volume 1Claudius Claudianus (c. 370-c. 410 CE) gives us important knowledge of Honorius's time and displays poetic as well as rhetorical skill, command of language, and diversity. A panegyric on the brothers Probinus and Olybrius (consuls together in 395 CE) was followed mostly by epics in hexameters, but also by elegiacs, epistles, epigrams, and idylls. Claudius Claudianus, Latin poet of great affairs, flourished during the joint reigns (394-5 CE onwards) of the brothers Honorius (Emperor in the West) and Arcadius (in the East). Apparently a native of Greek Alexandria in Egypt, he was, to judge by his name, of Roman descent, though his first writings were in Greek, and his pure Latin may have been learned by him as a foreign language. About 395 CE he moved to Italy (Milan and Rome) and though really a pagan, became a professional court-poet composing for Christian rulers works which give us important knowledge of Honorius's time. A panegyric on the brothers Probinus and Olybrius (consuls together in 395) was followed during ten years by other poems (mostly epics in hexameters): in praise of consulships of Honorius (395, 398, 404 CE); against the Byzantine ministers Rufinus (396) and Eutropius (399); in praise of the consulship (400) of Stilicho (Honorius's guardian, general, and minister); in praise of Stilicho's wife Serena; mixed metres on the marriage of Honorius to their daughter Maria; on the war with the rebel Gildo in Africa (398); on the Getic or Gothic war (402); on Stilicho's success against the Goth Alaric (403); on the consulship of Manlius Theodorus (399); and on the wedding of Palladius and Celerina. Less important are non-official poems such as the three books of a mythological epic on the Rape of Proserpina, unfinished as was also a Battle of Giants (in Greek). Noteworthy are Phoenix, Senex Veronensis, elegiac prefaces, and the epistles, epigrams, and idylls. Through the patronage of Stilicho or through Serena, Claudius in 404 married well in Africa and was granted a statue in Rome. Nothing is known of him after 404. In his poetry are true poetic as well as rhetorical skill, command of language, polished style, diversity, vigour, satire, dignity, bombast, artificiality, flattery, and other virtues and faults of the earlier "silver" age in Latin. The Loeb Classical Library edition of Claudian is in two volumes. |
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Common terms and phrases
2nd Imp adhuc aequor aetas Africa alii Alps amid Arcadius arms army aula barbarian battle beneath Birt blood Boötes Bosporus brother castra cities Claudian consul consulship cuncta didst dost emperor empire erat etiam eunuch Eutropius fame fasces father fear fierce Geloni Gildo goddess haec hand harenas heaven hinc Honorius honour hunc illa ille inter ipsa ipse iura king land Latium Libya manus Mascezel Meroë mihi nulla numina numquam nunc Olybrius omnes once orbis palace Parthia peace Phrygia poems poenae populos procul proelia quae quam quamvis quid quidquid quis quod quos quotiens rerum rivers Roma Roman Rome Rufinus rursus saecula saepe semper sibi signa sire slaughter slave spear Stilicho stream Suebi sword Tabraca tamen tandem tantis terga terror thee Theodosius thine thou Thrace tibi triumph tuis tunc undas urbes victory Vols vultus wind
Popular passages
Page 26 - Saepe mihi dubiam traxit sententia mentem, curarent superi terras an nullus inesset rector et incerto fluerent mortalia casu.
Page 306 - Nec tibi quid liceat , sed quid fecisse decebit , Occurrat , mentemque domet respectus honesti.
Page 216 - Ordine: confusi passim per opaca vagantur Lustra, per ignotas angusto tramite valles. Sic vacui rectoris equi, sic orba magistro Fertur in abruptum casu, non sidère puppis; Sic ruit in rupes amisso pisce sodali...
Page 246 - ... vivunt in Venerem frondes omnisque vicissim felix arbor amat; nutant ad mutua palmae foedera, populeo suspirat populus ictu et platani platanis alnoque adsibilat alnus.
Page 358 - Née molles egeant nostra dulcedine ludi: Qui laetis risum salibus movisse facetus, Qui nutu manibusque loquax, cui tibia flatu, Cui plectro pulsanda chelys, qui pulpita socco Personat aut alte graditur maiore cothurno, 315 Et qui magna levi detrudens murmura tactu Innúmeras voces segetis moderatus aenae 300 rudant] Birtiw; ruant.
Page 246 - Mulciber, ut perhibent, his oscula coniugis emit moenibus et tales uxorius obtulit arces, intus rura micant, manibus quae subdita nullis perpetuum florent, Zephyro contenta colono, umbrosumque nemus, quo non admittitur ales, ni probet ante suos diva sub iudice cantus: quae placuit, fruitur ramis; quae victa, recedit. vivunt in Venerem frondes omnisque vicissim...
Page 286 - Cernis et armorum proceres legumque potentes: Patricios sumunt habitus; et more Gabino Discolor incedit legio, positisque parumper Bellorum signis, sequitur vexilla Quirini. Lictori cedunt aquilae, ridetque togatus Miles, et in mediis effulget curia castris.
Page 28 - Affirmat, magnumque novas per inane figuras Fortuna, non arte, regi ; quae numina sensu Ambiguo vel nulla putat, vel nescia nostri. Abstulit hunc tandem Rufini poena tumultum, 2o Absolvitque deos : jam non ad culmina rerum Injustos crevisse queror : tolluntur in altum, Ut lapsu graviore ruant.
Page 27 - I embraced the tenets of that other philosophy which teaches that atoms drift in purposeless motion and that new forms throughout the vast void are shaped by chance and not design — that philosophy which believes in God in an ambiguous sense, or holds that there be no gods, or that they are careless of our doings.