Thebaid

As night falls, both side lick their wounds. The Thebans have more to be happy about than the Argives, as they have now killed four of the Seven heroes. Amphiaraus, Tydeus, Hippomedon, and Parthenopaeus are dead; Polynices, Adrastus, and Capaneus remain. Eteocles, emboldened by these victories, places more emphasis watching the enemy camp than his own. He does not want the Argives to escape (15-48).

Faraway in Argos, women supplicate Juno with a beautiful robe, asking her to strike down her old romantic rival Semele’s town, Thebes (49-69). Juno is torn. She knows Jupiter and the Fates are against the Greeks but would hate for her worshippers to go unrewarded. Chance offers one opportunity: with Eteocles’s men surrounding the Argive camp, Thebes is unguarded (70-80). She sends the messenger goddess, Iris, to the house of Sleep. 

Statius takes his time describing the quiet kingdom of the god (84-105). Sleep himself is dozing, unwashed, and smelly. Dreams flitter about his room (106-117). Iris’s dazzling light wakes everyone but Sleep himself, who requires extra effort (118-25). Iris shares Juno’s command: Make the Theban leaders sink into a deep slumber, in exchange for Juno (and Jupiter’s) favor.