▁This ▁book ▁is ▁dedicated ▁in ▁the ▁pre face ▁to ▁M . ▁V itor ius ▁Mar cell us . ▁The ▁add resse es ▁and ▁the ▁meters ▁of ▁the ▁po ems ▁in ▁Book ▁ 4 ▁vary ▁far ▁more ▁than ▁in ▁the ▁other ▁books . ▁Stati us ▁includes ▁a ▁response ▁to ▁critics ▁of ▁his ▁earlier ▁books , ▁saying ▁that ▁the ▁fourth ▁book ▁includes ▁more ▁po ems ▁than ▁the ▁others ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁do ▁not ▁think ▁their ▁criticism ▁has ▁weak ened ▁Stati us ' ▁resolve ▁to ▁publish . ▁▁ 4 . 1 ▁Sept im us ▁Dec im us ▁Cons ol atus ▁Imp . ▁Aug . ▁German ici ▁(" The ▁ 1 7 th ▁Cons ul ship ▁of ▁August us ▁German icus ") ▁The ▁opening ▁poem ▁comm emor ates ▁Dom it ian ' s ▁ 1 7 th ▁cons ul ship ▁in ▁ 9 5 ▁CE ; ▁Dom it ian ▁is ▁ha iled ▁as ▁the ▁rest orer ▁of ▁the ▁golden ▁age , ▁as ▁br inger ▁of ▁joy ▁to ▁the ▁sen ate , ▁and ▁triumph ator . ▁It ▁ends ▁with ▁a ▁prayer ▁for ▁long ▁life . ▁▁ 4 . 2 ▁E uchar ist icon ▁ad ▁Imp . ▁Aug . ▁Germ . ▁Dom it ian um ▁(" Thanks g iving ▁to ▁the ▁Emperor ▁Dom it ian ") ▁This ▁poem ▁thanks ▁Dom it ian ▁for ▁an ▁inv itation ▁to ▁a ▁ban quet ▁at ▁his ▁palace . ▁Stati us ▁comp ares ▁himself ▁to ▁H omer ▁and ▁Vir g il , ▁describes ▁the ▁palace , ▁and ▁pray s ▁for ▁long ▁life ▁for ▁the