Loeb Classical Library - 1: Claudian

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Claudius Claudianus, a prominent Latin poet, thrived during the reigns of brothers Honorius and Arcadius (394-5 CE onwards). Likely from Greek Alexandria, he had Roman ancestry and initially wrote in Greek, later mastering Latin. Around 395 CE, he relocated to Italy, where he became a court poet for Christian rulers, despite being a pagan. His works provide significant insights into Honorius's era. His early compositions included a panegyric for consuls Probinus and Olybrius, followed by a decade of poetry, primarily epics in hexameter. He praised Honorius's consulships (395, 398, 404 CE), critiqued Byzantine ministers Rufinus (396) and Eutropius (399), and lauded Stilicho, Honorius's guardian, in several poems, including one on his marriage to Serena and another on the war with rebel Gildo in Africa (398). He also wrote about the Gothic war (402) and Stilicho's victories against Alaric (403), among other themes. Less significant works include an unfinished mythological epic on the Rape of Proserpina and a Battle of Giants, as well as various elegiac prefaces, epistles, epigrams, and idylls. Benefiting from Stilicho's patronage, Claudian married well in Africa around 404 and received a statue in Rome. His poetry showcases a blend of rhetorical skill, polished style, and diverse themes, embodying the qualities and flaws of the Latin 'silver' age. The Loeb Classical Library edition of his works is available in two volumes.