Book III.
The Decline.
From the Accession of Tiberius to the Death of M. Aurelius, A.D. 14-180.
"The Age of Tiberius" (14-37 A.D.).
Sudden collapse of letters
Cause of this
Tiberius
Changed position of literature
Vellius Paterculus
Valerius Maximus
Celsus
Remmius Palaemon
Germanicus
Phaedrus
Pomponius Secundus the tragedian.
"The Reigns of Caligula, Claudius, and Nero" (37-68 A.D.).
1. "Poets."
The Neronian period an epoch
Peculiar characteristics of its writers
Literary pretensions of Caligula
of Claudius
of Nero
Poem on Calpurnius Piso
Relation of philosophy to life
Cornutus
Persius
Lucan
Criticism of the "Pharsalia"
Eclogues of Calpurnius
The poem on Etna
Tragedies of Seneca
The "apokolokuntosis".
"The Reigns of Caligula, Claudius, and Nero."
2. "Prose Writers - Seneca."
His importance
Life and writings
Influence of his exile
Relations with Nero
His death
Is he a Stoic?
Gradual convergence of the different schools of thought
Seneca a "teacher" more than anything else
His conception of philosophy
Supposed connection with Christianity
Estimate of his character and style.
"The Reigns of Caligula, Claudius, and Nero."
3. "Other Prose Writers".
Domitius Corbulo
Quintus Curtius
Columella
Pomponius Mela
Valerius Protius
Petronius Arbiter
Account of his extant fragments.
Appendix.
Note I. The "Testamentum Porcelli",
II. On the MS. of Petronius.
"The Reigns of the Flavian Emperors" (69-96 A.D.).
1. "Prose Writers".
A new literary epoch
Marked by common characteristics
Decay of national genius
Pliny the elder
Account of his death translated from the younger Pliny
His studious habits
The "Natural History"
Its character and value
Quintilian
Account of his book "de Institutione Oratoria"
Frontinus
A valuable and accurate writer
Grammatical studies.
Appendix.
Quintilian's Criticism on the Roman Authors.
"The Reigns of Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian" (69-96 A.D.).
2. "Poets".
Reduced scope of poetry
Poetry the most dependent on external conditions of any form of written literature
Valerius Flaccus
Silius
His death as described by Pliny
His poem
The elder Statius
Statius
An extempore poet
His public recitations
The "Silvae"
The "Thebaid" and "Achilleid"
His similes
Arruntius Stella
Martial
His death as recounted by Pliny
The epigram
Other poets.
Appendix.
On the Similes of Virgil, Lucan, and Statius.
"The Reigns of Nerva and Trajan" (96-117 A.D.).
Pliny the younger
His oratory
His correspondence
Letter to Trajan
Velius Longus
Hyginus
Balbus
Flaccus
Juvenal
His life
A finished declaimer
His character
His political views
Style
Tacitus
Dialogue on eloquence
"Agricola"
"Germania"
"Histories"
Annals"
Intended work on Augustus's reign
Style.
"The Reigns of Hadrian and the Antonines" (117-180 A.D.).
Era of African Latinity
Differs from the Silver Age
Hadrian's poetry
Suetonius
His life
List of writings
Lives of the Caesars
His account of Nero's death
Florus
Salvius Julianus and Sextus Pomponius
Fronto
His relations with Aurelius
List of his works
Gellius
Gaius
Poems of the period
"Pervigilium Veneris"
Apuleius
"De Magia"
"Metamorphoses" or Golden Ass
Cupid and Psyche
His philosophical works.
"State of Philosophical and Religious Thought during the Period of the Antonines
Conclusion".
Greek eloquence revives in the Sophists
Itinerant rhetors
Cynic preachers of virtue
The better class of popular philosophers
Dio Chrysostom
Union of philosophy and rhetoric
Greek now the language of general literature
Reconciliation of philosophy with religion
The Platonist school
Apuleius
Doctrine of daemons
Decline of thought
General review of the main features of Roman literature-Conclusion.
Questions or Subjects for Essays Suggested by the History of Roman Literature
