In his « Thebaid » (e.g. 9, 570-670 and 712-736) and « Siluae » Statius co-opts the feminine genre of lamentation, traditionally constructed as dangerous and excessive, in order to seduce his audience with the grim pleasure of indulging in grief.
By moving women 's voices close to the center of his epic, Statius turns the « Thebaid » into a platform of consolatory public discourse similar to the consolations in the « Siluae » (e.g., 5, 5).
This program contrasts with that of the philosophical « consolatio », which relegates violent laments to a position outside the scope of civilized self-expression.
