Encomiastic strategies in Statius’ <em>Genethliacon Lucani</em> (Silv. 2.7)

Abstract

This article investigates Statius’ encomiastic strategies when praising the dead poet Lucan (Stat. Silv. 2.7). The fact that Statius centres on Lucan’s image as a poet cannot help affecting his choice of strategies. More specifically, he alludes to Lucan’s apotheosis, mixes Lucan’s persona with those of the protagonists of his epic, connects him to famous literary figures by way of intertextual allusions, places him on lists of persons with similar characteristics, where Lucan’s superiority is demonstrated and, in many different ways, highlights the literary prin­ciples of Lucan’s poetry.