ceeded Stilicho. The expostulatory epistle of the bard, addressed to this minister, whom he had affronted by a severe epigram†, was probably one of the last of his writing. He seems to have obtained no redress. His house was desolated; himself driven to want; and robbed of all his friends, by death, tortures, or banishment. The true cause of this disgrace however can only be conjectured, and how long he survived it remains unknown. He often highly flattered the emperor of the WEST, and obtained several honours both civil and military. After the defeat and death of Gildo, Arcadius and Honorius, in conjunction with the Roman Senate, granted him one which is equalled by none that ever had been conferred on any poet before, and which Gyraldus tells us was discovered by a marble, found at Rome in his time (A. D. 1493,) by Pomponius Lætus, who judged it to be the pedestal of Claudian's statue in brass, which the emperors, at the Senate's request, had ordered to be erected for him in Trajan's Forum. The following most honourable inscription was thereon, which is too glorious for the bard not to find a place here: CL. CLAUDIANI. V. C. CL. CLAUDIANO. V. C. TRI BUNO. ET NOTARIO. INTER. CÆTERAS SCRIPTA. SUFFICIANT. ATTAMEN TESTIMONII. GRATIA. OB. JUDICII. SUI. IMPERATORES. SENATU. PETENTE Epist. 1. Ad Hadrianum. + Epigram xxx. De Theodoro et Hadriano, BELOW the inscription was this Greek Epigram: EIN ENI BIPгIAIOIO NOON ΚΑΙ ΜΟΥΣΑΝ ΟΜΗΡΟΥ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΑΝΟΝ ΡΩΜΗ ΚΑΙ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΣ ΕΘΕΣΑΝ, THE whole may be thus translated: "To Claudius Claudianus, Tribune and Notary, and among other great qualifications, the most excellent of poets, though his own "works are sufficient to make his name immortal, yet as a testimony "of their approbation, the most learned and most happy emperors "Arcadius and Honorius, at the request of the Senate, have ordered "this statue to be erected and placed in the Forum of Trajan.” THE Epigram has been thus rendered: "ROME and the CESARS here this statue raise, "Who Virgil's genius joined to Homer's lays." In his poem on the Getic War*, Claudian mentions this honour, and conceives himself to be indebted for it to his Panegyrick on the consulship of Honorius. From the inscription we learn the rank which the poet then enjoyed; his name is not in the list of consuls; but, like Ennius, Ovid, and Horace, he served as a Tribune five years, under Stilicho, and had the charge of Notary. Thus esteemed by his sovereign like Virgil; by a minister like Horace; and ranked with the immortal authors of epick works; he obtained a mark of consideration which his rivals vainly expected from the justice or vanity of Augustus and Mæcenas. We learn nothing of his disgrace from history, and are equally unacquainted with the time of his death. Criticks of the highest character place him above Ovid and Lucan on an equality with Homer * Pref. 6, and Virgil. In the flowing ease and harmony of his numbers, which he seems to have aimed at as a beauty, he has succeeded beyond all the bards of Latium. Among his admirers are Sidonius Apollinaris, Orosius, Paulus Diaconus, J. C. Scaliger, Barthius, Crinitus, Strada, Gessner, and a number of others; while his diction and verse displease Briet and Fabri. Berengani never read him without the greatest delight, and at the age of ninety, warming the frost of years with the fire of Claudian, was prompted to give a translation of this writer in Italian rhyme, which has met with deserved success. Much of his works is certainly lost; and doubts arise if his most celebrated poem, the Rape of Proserpine, had a fourth book, or was left unfinished by the author. Though the statue of brass was destroyed, most probably as soon as the poet's patron lost his favour, yet with Horace he might truly exclaim: "Exegi monumentum ære perennius." |