The

is the last surviving work of Publius Papinius Statius (c. 45-96 CE), the foremost epic poet of the Flavian era (69-96 CE). Composition of the poem likely began around 94 CE. Statius refers to the completion of the

and his current engagement with the

twice in the fourth book of the

(4.7.87-100, 4.7.21-24), published in 95 CE (Coleman xix). A poem in the posthumously collected fifth book of the

refers to Statius’ recitation of “[his] Achilles” (

5.2.160-3) before an audience that includes Roman senators. The unfinished epic relates episodes from the early life of the Greek mythological warrior Achilles in a book and a quarter of Latin hexameter verse (1127 lines). In the epic’s proem, the narrator defines his goals as different…

1528 words

Citation: Bernstein, Neil. "Achilleid". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 06 February 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34881, accessed 22 November 2024.]

• View recommended reading for this article