At the end of the Thebaid, Statius enjoins his epic 'not to compete with the divine Aeneid but rather to follow at a distance and always revere its footprints'. The nature of the Thebaid's interaction with the Aeneid is, however, a matter of debate. This 2007 book argues that the Thebaid reworks themes, scenes, and ideas from Virgil in order to show that the Aeneid's representation of monarchy is inadequate. It also demonstrates how the Thebaid's fascination with horror, spectacle, and unspeakable violence is tied to Statius' critique of the moral and political virtues at the heart of the Aeneid. Professor Ganiban offers both a way to interpret the Thebaid and a largely sequential reading of the poem.

Statius and Virgil: The Thebaid and the Reinterpretation of the Aeneid

Literature & Fiction

Ganiban, Randall T.

History & Criticism

Cambridge University Press

At the end of the Thebaid, Statius enjoins his epic 'not to compete with the divine Aeneid but rather to follow at a distance and always revere its footprints'. The nature of the Thebaid's interaction with the Aeneid is, however, a matter of debate. This 2007 book argues that the Thebaid reworks themes, scenes, and ideas from Virgil in order to show that the Aeneid's representation of monarchy is inadequate. It also demonstrates how the Thebaid's fascination with horror, spectacle, and unspeakable violence is tied to Statius' critique of the moral and political virtues at the heart of the Aeneid. Professor Ganiban offers both a way to interpret the Thebaid and a largely sequential reading of the poem.

This book is part of a series of individual volumes covering Books 1-6 of Vergil's Aeneid. Each book includes an introduction, notes, bibliography, commentary and glossary, and is edited by an Vergil scholar. 
This is Book Two in the series.

Vergil Aeneid Book 2

Dramas & Plays

Focus

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Books by Ganiban, Randall T.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ganiban, Randall T.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Statius and Virgil: The Thebaid and the Reinterpretation of the Aeneid

Statius and Virgil: The Thebaid and the Reinterpretation of the Aeneid

Vergil Aeneid Book 2