A.’s commentary on Statius’ Thebaid 8 is a very welcome addition to the field of Flavian studies: it is now the only English commentary on this particular book of the poem, since the last complete work of this kind was produced in Latin by C. von Barth in 1664. The Latin text combines both Hill's (P. Papini Stati Thebaidos libri XII [2nd ed., 1996]) and Hall's editions (J.B. Hall, A.L. Ritchie and M.J. Edwards, P. Papinius Statius: Thebaid and Achilleid. Vol. III [2008]), with particular reliance on Hill for structure with additions from Hall, whose use of punctuation is occasionally preferred. A very useful table with differences in the Latin text across various editions (Shackleton Bailey, Hall, Hill, Lesueur and A.) is included in the introduction for quick reference. A.’s opus contains a new translation, which reads nicely and closely follows the Latin text, a bonus for linguist students and newcomers.
The commentary begins with a general introduction, which proves rather helpful in its comprehensive approach to various aspects of the text, ranging from Graeco-Latin sources to the reception of Statius’ Thebaid 8 in Late Antiquity and the medieval period, covering character, style, interpretative possibilities and the textual tradition.
The relatively lengthy introduction (58 pages) consists of six main sections. It starts with a succinct biography of Statius before turning to a detailed summary of the internal plot of Book 8 and its structural links with other books of the Thebaid (2, 4, 7, 11). This helps underscore the pivotal role of Thebaid 8 within the wider narrative frame of the epic. To sample a few examples, Amphiaraus’ katabasis in Theb. 8 echoes Laius’ anabasis in Book 2, and Tydeus’ failed anabasis to apotheosis symbolically resonates with the seer's descending journey. Also, Tydeus’ disturbing act of cannibalism, on a par with the fratricidal duel of Book 11, adds to the series of climactic events of the war, with Capaneus’ theomachy in Book 10 wedged in between. These connections create a sense of unity overall, previously denied by some commentators of the Thebaid (R.D. Williams, P.P. Statii Thebaidos liber decimus [1972], p. xv; M. Dewar, Statius, Thebaid IX [1991], p. xxix).
The second section swiftly mentions the various generic threads woven into Book 8: Amphiaraus’ chthonic encounter with the god of the Underworld turns the seer into another Orpheus (drawing on Virgil's Georgics 4 and Ovid's Metamorphoses 10), thus bringing epic and didactic closer to one another; Atys’ tragic death in the arms of his beloved Ismene allows for the intrusion of elegy. The question of mingling genres is also touched upon later in the introduction (p. xlvi) only to observe in passing that Book 8 is experimental in that regard, though it would be helpful to know how it compares with the rest of the Thebaid (is this a prominent characteristic of Book 8?), but this is perhaps outside the scope of A.’s immediate interest.
In surveying the interpretative importance of Thebaid 8 as a whole in recent scholarship, the reader is reminded of its significance in formalising the transfer of influence from heavenly to chthonic divinities, with Pluto and Dis in full control, a clear departure from the Aeneid as far as Jupiter is concerned and the ‘Augustan voice’ of the poem. Book 8 is not only representative of the grim, pessimistic and dark overtones of the poem, but also acts as the concluding book of the second ‘quartet’ (H. Lovatt, ‘Following After Valerius: Argonautic Imagery in the Thebaid’, in W.J. Dominik, C.E. Newlands and K. Gervais [edd.], Brill's Companion to Statius [2015], pp. 408–24, at p. 424) and, as such, also as a transition to the final set of the epic (9–12), where Books 4, 8 and 12 can be viewed as both endings and new beginnings. Thus Thebaid 8 gains additional value through its liminal status (further reflected, one may add, in Amphiaraus’ continued liminal journey as Book 8 kicks off with a rehearsed account of the seer's landing in the buried world).
The third section places less emphasis on the gods than on the heroes featured in Book 8 and their literary background, which seems rather fitting as the gods take a step back following Dis’ prophetic curse in retaliation for the seer's violation of his realm. This lengthy and very useful section is subdivided into sub-sections exploring Greek and Latin sources for both Amphiaraus’ and Tydeus’ deaths, but also Atys and Ismene as a pair and Thiodamas, respectively. In an additional but enlightening piece dedicated to iconography, ‘From Greece to Etruria: the Iconography of an Abomination’, A. dwells on the Etruscan reception of Tydeus’ infamous cannibalism, a popular topic in ancient art, to account for the importance of vision and gaze in Statius’ particular attention to gory details.
The layout of the commentary (pp. 59–356) is extremely helpful as each entry is placed within the context of its surrounding verse(s), so the reader is given textual background to which the note applies without having to go back and forth between commentary and text. A.’s comments are very detailed ranging from metrical, stylistic and syntactical considerations to intertextuality (possibly one of its best features), mythological explanations and manuscript readings. The strength of A.’s work lies in its ability to unravel the knots of thematic complexities and mingled intertexts to contribute an efficient literary interpretation of Book 8. A.’s other constructive features include metrical analysis to support interpretative output, and a wealth of ancient and modern scholarship for further reference that can be easily tracked down thanks to a well-organised bibliography, easy to navigate depending on individual interest (e.g. scholia, translations, commentaries, concordances, etc.). A. designed his latest production with his audience in mind as attested by the inclusion of no less than three indexes (Latin words and phrases, index locorum and general index), thus granting easy access for the reader in haste.
The volume is very much recommended for first-time readers of Statius and advanced scholars. It is an excellent commentary, which will enable its audience to appreciate the significance of Book 8 of the Thebaid, a text renowned for its difficulty, and to glimpse Statius’ remarkable erudition.
