Abstract

Although Statius' "Silvae" 1.1, 1.6 and 4.1–3 attribute positive virtues to Domitian, they focus on his power and its effects, or his divine nature, but almost never on the man himself. From the perspective of the reader as a physical gazer, Domitian himself appears only twice; he does not interact or converse with his subjects, and is physically isolated. The reader is thus deprived of the chance to assess the emperor's character and policies. The overall impression is of someone upon whom it is unacceptable to gaze freely; this coincides with the picture Suetonius, Cassius Dio and Pliny draw of a Domitian who shunned the public eye.

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