The Boy Who Crashed and Burned: Quintus Sulpicius Maximus and the Limits of Classical Literary Criticism

Key Points

• This reading explores a unique poem by an 11-year-old poet, examining the limits of classical literary criticism.
• Analyzed a 43-line hexameter poem composed for Domitian's Games in 94 CE
• Considered the context and background of Quintus Sulpicius Maximus
• Discussed the implications of this case on reading practices in classical literature.
• The poem illustrates the challenges and limitations faced by young and inexperienced writers
• Insights gained suggest a need to rethink how classicists approach and critique poetry from antiquity