"Mira fides! credetne virum ventura propago, cum segetes iterum, cum iam haec deserta virebunt, infra urbes populosque premi proavitaque tanto rura abiisse mari? necdum letale minari cessat apex."

"Blandus honos hilarisque tamen cum pondere virtus."

"Da spatium tenuemque moram, male cuncta ministrat impetus."

"Omne homini natale solum."

"Primus in orbe deos fecit timor."

"I do not scruple to prefer Statius to Virgil; his images are strongly conceived, and clearly painted, and the force of his language, while it makes the reader feel, proves that the author felt himself."

"The best of all the Latin epic poets after Virgil."

"It may be remarked of Statius's heroes, that an air of impetuosity runs through them all; the same horrid and savage courage appears in his Capaneus, Tydeus, Hippomedon, etc. They have a parity of character which makes them seem brothers of one family."

"In the very beginning he unluckily betrays his ignorance in the rules of poetry (which Horace had already taught the Romans) when he asks his Muse where to begin his Thebaid..."

"Curritur ad vocem jucundam, et carmen amicae Thebaidos, laetam fecit quum Statius urbem, Promisitque diem, tanta dulcedine captos Afficit ille animos, tantaque libidine vulgi Auditur! sed quum fregit subsellia versu, Esurit, intactam Paridi nisi vendat Agaven."

"Among the writers of antiquity, I remember none except Statius who ventures to mention the speedy production of his writings, either as an extenuation of his faults, or a proof of his facility. Nor did Statius, when he considered himself as a candidate for lasting reputation, think a closer attention unnecessary, but amidst all his pride and indigence, the two great hasteners of modern poems, employed twelve years upon the Thebaid, and thinks his claim to renown proportionate to his labour.Thebais, multa cruciata lima, Tentat, audaci fide, Mantuanae Gaudia famae.Polished with endless toil, my lays At length aspire to Mantuan praise."

"[Statius] has as luxuriant an imagination as Lucan, but it is easy to see that he oftener checked it. You will find in his Thebaid innumerable beauties, but you will also see too many faults. You will see a fire and spirit equal to all that appeals in the Poets of the greatest name; but you will wish not only that it had been more limited, but that it had been better regulated: he has a great deal of natural dignity, but in carrying it too far he often spoils its lustre. His language is often elegant to a very great degree, and though not universally, yet in a very great part, is appropriated in a very happy manner. If there be one fault predominant above the others in the Thebaid, it is that he is too florid; but you will see that in this the fault was in the impetuosity of his fancy rather than in defect of judgment: his subject ran away with him, and he gave the reins to imagination. In his Sylvae we see him with all this false glare, natural, elegant, and easy. His Achilleid there is no pronouncing any thing upon, for it was never retouched. You will find in many parts of his Thebaid a great deal of the true sublime: in others he carries it into rant and bombast. In the Achilleid there is more of this in proportion than in the Thebaid; but we are not from thence to conclude that he grew worse in this respect as he continued his application: had he lived to finish, he would also have corrected that poem."

"Strada, in his Prolusions, has placed Statius on the highest top of Parnassus; thereby intimating the strength of his genius, and the lofty spirit of his style; which indeed is generally supported by a bold and lively expression, and full flowing numbers. His manner, therefore, resembles rather the martial strut of a general, and the magnificence of a triumph, than the majestic port and true grandeur of a prince, which better suits the inimitable character of Virgil's style. As a soldier cannot easily lay aside the roughness of his character, neither can Statius descend from the pomp of language and loftiness of numbers, when his subject requires it."

"I think Statius a truer poet than Lucan, though he is very extravagant sometimes."

"And kis the steppes, wher-as thou seest pace Virgile, Ovyde, Omer, Lucan, and Stace."

"Stazio la gente ancor di là mi noma: cantai di Tebe, e poi del grande Achille; ma caddi in via con la seconda soma."

"Lo dolce poeta."

"Serit arbores, quae alteri saeclo prosint"

"The cruelty of war makes for peace."

"Dignissima caeli progenies."

"Tu caeli pelagique nepos."

"Dehinc sociare choros castisque accedere sacris hortantur ceduntque loco et contingere gaudent. qualiter Idaliae volucres, ubi mollia frangunt nubila, iam longum caeloque domoque gregatae, si iunxit pinnas diversoque hospita tractu venit avis, cunctae primum mirantur et horrent; mox propius propiusque volant, atque aere in ipso paulatim fecere suam plausuque secundo circumeunt hilares et ad alta cubilia ducunt."

"Ni pudor et junctae teneat reverentia matris."

"Studiis multum Mavortia, Thrace."

"Jamdudum tacito lustrat Thetis omnia visu."

"Aut monstrare lyra veteres heroas alumno."

"Stesichorusque ferox saltusque ingressa viriles non formidata temeraria Leucade Sappho."

"Pulchrum vitam donare minori."

"Pro fors et caeca futuri mens hominum!"

"Dulce loqui miseris veteresque reducere questus."

"Quid crastina volveret aetas scire nefas homini."

"Pessimus in dubiis augur, timor."

"O caeca nocentum consilia! o semper timidum scelus!"

"Sors aequa merentes respicit."

"Insatiable."

"It seems to me that the Pope's son, the Cardinal, is not in a condition for me to give him my daughter to wife. Make a cardinal who can marry and take off the hat, and then I will give him my daughter."

"I can't choose just one! Real Madrid only has great players. Raul, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo... The one that impressed me the most after having actually played together is Cannavaro. He's sturdy and lithe and his attitude when he faces a match is exceptional too. I think he's the best center-back in the world."

"Fabio being the first player presented has a special symbolic meaning, being that he is true number one with great leadership skills. We are convinced he will be a role model to help build a winning team. Upon arriving in Madrid, Cannavaro's first words demonstrated his pride, happiness, and satisfaction for joining such an admired Club."

"Cannavaro is having a fantastic World Cup. He is without question the strongest defender at this tournament and the absolute number one in the world."

"Fabio Cannavaro was the best player of this World Cup."

"I would have married Fabio anyway, no matter what was his job or where. It doesn't matter that he is a world known footballer. I love him because of his essence as a human being."

"Talking about Fabio's height is the same as talking about the fog in Milan.I have never felt that he is short when I play with him,because he can jump higher than anybody else. He is always good at heading. It doesn't make any sense talking about Cannavaro like that."

"If Rio Ferdinand is worth £120,000 a week, Cannavaro is worth a hundred million a day."

"Cannavaro has that unmistakable presence as a leader and in my impression, is exactly like that tough and cool-headed defense he shows on the pitch."