Corny or Terminal? Pliny the Younger’s Obituary of Silius Italicus

Abstract Commentators on the younger Pliny’s obituary of Silius Italicus ( Ep . 3.7) have often remarked its chilly and emotionally distant tone. This article argues that Pliny’s stance towards Silius is more subtly antagonistic than has generally been realised. To that end, it explores various stratagems whereby Pliny strives to diminish Silius’ standing as politician and man of letters. Most important, Pliny problematises Silius’ suicide. He does so in two ways. The first is the terminological nebulousness of the clauus which, we are informed by Pliny, was the cause of Silius’ suicide. Perusal of Greek and Roman medical texts establishes that clauus can refer to a whole range of afflictions, some serious, others not, so that, in the absence of further clinical detail, it is difficult to determine whether the suicide was justified or not – especially since Pliny also lists a number of contingent circumstances which might have acted as a brake on Silius’ intention of killing himself. The second is to cast doubt on the philosophical, civic and familial validity of Silius’ suicide. All this stands in profound contrast to the expansive and highly apologist account of the suicide of Corellius Rufus ( Ep . 1.12) which, in the article’s conclusion, is mined for the political implications to be drawn from it in relation both to Corellius and to Pliny himself.