the most voluminous among the Roman writers of heroic verse, was born about A. D. 25. From his early years he devoted himself to oratory and poetry, taking
Cicero as his model in the former, and Virgil in the latter. He acquired great reputation as a
pleader at the bar, and acted for some time as a member of that body of judicial umpires who
were known as the Centumvirs. His life, in so far as we can trace it, presents a course of
unbroken prosperity. He was elevated to the consulship in A. D. 68,
the year in which Nero perished; he was admitted to familiar intercourse with Vitellius, and
subsequently discharged the duties of proconsul of Asia with high renown. After enjoying for a
lengthened period the dignities of political and literary fame without incurring the envy
which is for the most part the lot of distinguished statesmen and authors, he determined to
retire from the busy world, and to pass his old age among his numerous villas, which were
abundantly furnished with books and works of art. His two favourite residences were a mansion
near Puteoli, formerly the Academy of Cicero. and the house in the vicinity of Naples once
occupied by Virgil; and so enamoutred did he become of seclusion, that upon the accession of
Trajan he refused to repair to Rome, and pay homage to the new prince. In these happy retreats
he passed his time in tranquillity until he had completed his 75th year, when, in consequence
of the pain caused by an incurable tubercle (insanabilis clavus) of some
kind, he starved himself to death; and it was remarked that as he was the last consul
nominated by Nero, so he survived all those who had held that office in the same reign. The
only stain upon his character arises from the imputation that lie pandered to the cruelties of
the tyrant, by acting as a voluntary accuser; but if this charge was true, his guilt was in a
great measure expiated by the blamelessness of his subsequent career. He had two sons, one of
whom died when young; the other attained to the consulship before his father's death.
Much discussion has taken place with regard to the import of the word Italicus, which no one has as yet explained in a satisfactory manner. According to the
opinion most generally adopted, it was derived from the place of his birth which is imagined
to have been either Italica near Hispalis in Baetica, or Corfinium, in the country of the
Peligni. Neither of these suppositions will Bear investigation. It is extremely improbable
that he was a Spaniard, for Martial, who repeatedly celebrates his praises, nowhere claims him
as a countryman, although he frequently alludes with pride to the men of genius whom his
native province had produced. On the other hand, although there is no doubt that the allies in
the Social War gave the name of Italica to Cortinium, because they intended to make it the
metropolis of their league, there is no reason to believe that it retained this title after
the conclusion of the struggle. There is also a grammatical objection of some weight; for
according both to analogy and to the authority of inscriptions, the local adjective derived
from Italica near Hispalis would not be Italicus,
but Italicensis. (See also Gel. 16.13.) This
however in itself would not be conclusive. (Hispanus, Hispanensis.)
It has been erroneously inferred from a line in Martial (8.66),
Felix purpura tertiusque consul, that
Silius had been thrice consul, but the words imply merely that there had been three consuls in
the family - Silius himself, his son, to celebrate whose accession to office the epigram was
written, and a third person, perhaps that C. Silius who was consul A. D.
13 (Sueton. Octav. 101), and who may have been the father of the
poet : but this is a mere conjecture. Our authorities for this biography are sundry epigrams
in Martial (especially 7.62, 8.66, 11.51), and an epistle of the younger Pliny (3.7, or 3.5, ed. Titze). See also Tac.
Hist. 3.65.
Works
Punica
The great work of Silius Italicus was an heroic poem in seventeen books, entitled Punica, which has descended to us
entire. It contains a narrative of the events of the second Punic War, from the capture of
Saguntum to the triumph of Scipio Africanus, together with various episodes relating to the
more remarkable achievements in the first contest with Carthage, and to the exploits of
champions in still earlier ages, such as Scaevola, Camillus. and the three hundred Fabii.
Just as Virgil did not think that he degraded the majesty of the epic by making it a vehicle
for flattering the Julian line, so his imitator has interwoven with his verses a panegyric
upon the Flavian dynasty. The materials are derived almost entirely from Livy and Polybius.
With regard to the merits of the piece, those few persons who have perused it from beginning
to end will scarcely think the criticism too severe which pronounces it to be the least
attractive poem within the range of classical antiquity; and this judgment is by no means
incompatible with the praises awarded by Cellarius. We may freely admit that many passages
may be adduced which throw light upon the historical events of that remarkable epoch, upon
the origin, fortunes, and geographical position of different nations in Italy, Sicily,
Spain, and Africa, and upon various points connected with mythology and ancient usages. But
these are not the commendations we bestow on a great poet; the information which, after all,
might be compressed within a very limited compass is certainly not destitute of value, but
it is conveyed through the medium of the coldest. heaviest, and most lifeless composition
that ever was misnamed an heroic poem. Notwithstanding the eulogistic apostrophe of Martial
(Sili, Castalidum decus sororum), dictated perhaps by personal
friendship, or more probably by the desire of fawning upon one who possessed so much power
at court, the merits of Silius seem to have been fairly appreciated by his contemporaries,
as we perceive from the words of Pliny " Scribebat carmina, majoricura quam industria ;" and soon after death he appears to have fallen
into complete oblivion, for he is neither quoted nor named by any writer, not even by the
grammarians, until the time of Apollinaris. (Excusator. ad Felic.
260.)
Editions
The work of Silius Italicus was first brought to light after the revival of letters by
Poggio the Florentine, having been discovered by him while attending the council of
Constance.
The Editio Princeps was printed at Rome by Sweynheym and Pannartz under the
inspection of Andrew, bishop of Aleria, fol. 1471, and again at the same place, fol. 1471,
1474, 1480. The best editions are those of Cellarius, 8vo. Lips. 1695,
and Drakenborch, 4to. Traj. ad Rhen. 1717, especially the latter. That by
Ruperti, 2 vols. 8vo. Goetting. 1795, contains a considerable quantity of
useful matter, but displays little scholarship or judgment.
Translations
There is a complete translation into English verse, bearing the title The
Second Punik War between Hannibal and the Romanes : the whole xvii. books Englished from
the Latine of Silius Italicus, with a continuation from the triumphe of Scipio to the death
of Hannibal, by Tho. Ross. Fol. London, 1661; and reprinted fol. Lond.
1672.
The commencement was translated into French verse by Mich. de Marolles, and was
appended to his " Considérations sur une Critique de l'Eneide," 4to. Paris (no
date), and to his translation of the Achilleis of Statius, 4to. Paris,
1678. Select passages have been rendered into German by K. P. Kretschmann, to
be found in the collection called " Meissner's Apollo," 1797, Heft. 5. There is also
a version into Italian by Buzio, which is contained in the Raccolta di tutti gli
antichi poeti Latini, 4to. Milan 1765, vol. 34-35.