Editing Statius (section)

=== Statius in Dante's ''Divine Comedy'' ===

==== Statius as a character in ''Purgatorio'' ====
In the ''[[Divine Comedy]]'', Dante and [[Virgil]] meet Statius as they leave the fifth terrace in [[Purgatorio]] (reserved for the avaricious and the prodigal) and enter the sixth terrace (reserved for the gluttonous). Statius's redemption is heard in ''Purgatorio'' 20, when the mountain of [[Purgatory]] trembles and the penitent souls cry out the hymn "[[Gloria in excelsis Deo]]". Statius joins Dante and Virgil, as indicated in ''Purgatorio'' 21. Statius ascends Mount Purgatory with Dante and Virgil, and he stays with Dante in the [[Garden of Eden|Earthly Paradise]] at the mountain's summit, after Virgil has returned to [[First circle of hell|Limbo]]. Statius is last mentioned in ''Purgatorio'' 33. Although Statius plays a small role after the disappearance of Virgil, his presence in accompanying Dante through Earthly Paradise until the rivers of [[Lethe]] and [[Eunoe]] serves an important role in the plot line of the ''Comedy'', as it underscores Statius's significant difference from Virgil. This is because Dante's Statius, a Christian poet who drew inspiration from Virgil, represents a model of the "new vernacular Christian Dante-poeta" in Dante's journey in the ''Comedy'' as a protagonist.

Statius's arrival in ''Purgatorio'' 20 is often compared to Jesus' appearance to the disciples after the [[Resurrection of Jesus|Resurrection]] as narrated by [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 24:13–16.<ref name=":0" /> Scholars have also paralleled Virgil's and Statius's relationship to that of [[John the Baptist]] and [[Jesus]]: John the Baptist precedes Jesus and formally baptizes him. In ''[[Inferno (Dante)|Inferno]]'', Virgil alludes to Christ's [[Harrowing of Hell]], through which John the Baptist is freed from Limbo. In the same spirit, Statius cites Virgil's poems as the reason for his conversion to Christianity. In particular, Statius was saved from the vice of [[prodigality]] by reading Virgil's condemnation of this particular vice in a passage of the ''[[Aeneid]]'' (''Aeneid'' 3.56–57), and that he found reason for converting to Christianity while reading a passage from Virgil's ''[[Eclogues]]'' (Eclogue 4.5–7). Statius recounts to Virgil that, "through you I was a poet, through you a Christian" (''per te poeta fui, per te cristiano'', ''Purg''. 22.73). Statius' relationship with Virgil highlights the tragedy of Virgil, who may beget salvation, but cannot attain it.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Kleinhenz|first=Christopher|date=2008|title=Lectura Dantis, Purgatorio|url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=328368|journal=University of California Press|pages=}}</ref>

Though Statius converted to Christianity, he states that he kept his Christianity a secret (''Purg''. 22.90) as he lived at a time where Christians were [[Persecution of Christians#Antiquity|persecuted]], which resulted him spending four centuries in the fourth terrace of Purgatory, where the vice of sloth is cleansed.

Dante presents Statius as the author of [[Thebaid (Latin poem)|''Thebaid'']] and ''[[Achilleid]]'' and as someone who has a great admiration for Virgil. Statius remarks that Virgil's ''[[Aeneid]]'' "was my mama and my nurse" (''Purg''. 21.98) to express Virgil as his inspiration. In ''Purgatorio'', when Dante reveals Virgil's identity to Statius, Statius makes a failed attempt to embrace Virgil, which parallels with [[Aeneas]]'s failed attempt to embrace the shade of his father [[Anchises]] in ''[[Aeneid]]'' 6.700–2. Dante also adds inventive details about Statius's life to fit with the narrative of the ''Divine Comedy''. In addition to being a foil for Virgil, Dante's creative freedom allows him to establish Statius as a reflection of himself. Both Statius's and Dante's salvation is facilitated by Virgil. Statius's conversations with Virgil parallel Dante's conversations with Virgil. For example, Statius asks Virgil where the poets [[Terence]], [[Caecilius Statius|Caecilius]], [[Plautus]] and [[Lucius Varius Rufus|Lucius Varius]] are. Both Dante and Statius are curious about the souls in Hell and look to Virgil as a mentor.<ref name=":0" />

Furthermore, Dante's inventive portrayal of Statius embodies three elements of conversion important for the ''Comedy''{{'}}s [[tropology]] of exile.<ref name=":0" /> First, his conversion to Christianity symbolizes exodus as humanity was redeemed through Christ. Second, his aversion of vice exemplifies the soul's conversion from sin to grace. Third, his completion of cleansing in ''Purgatorio'' allegorizes the soul's exodus from servitude to eternal glory. In addition, the idea that Virgil was the reason for his conversion simulates how Virgil was a rescuer for Dante in [[Inferno (Dante)#Canto I|the first canto of ''Inferno'']]. However, though Statius's conversion to Christianity is a key positive element in the ''Divine Comedy'', it is also a "negative exemplum" to Dante. This is because Statius shunned from publicly revealing his Christianity, contrary to Dante, who publicly writes about his faith in the ''Divine Comedy''.<ref name=":0" />

====Influence of works by Statius on the ''Divine Comedy''====

In addition to Statius himself, characters drawn from his works are also found in the ''Divine Comedy''. [[Argia (daughter of Adrastus)|Argia]], who was a character in Statius' ''Thebaid'' and wife of [[Polynices]], is referred to in the line "of your people" (''de le genti tue'') in ''Purg''. 22 109–110. Dante considers her to be a noble woman, placing her among the virtuous pagans in Limbo. [[Capaneus]], who is at the center of the ''Thebaid''{{'}}s tragic theme, is placed in the third ring of the seventh circle of [[Dis (Divine Comedy)|Dis]], where those who committed sins of violence against the God are condemned. However, Statius' Capaneus is represented as a heroic character, whereas in the ''Comedy'' his only attributes are physical strength and a failure to accept God's divine power.