I have read Statius again and thought him as bad as ever.
I really found only two lines worthy of a great poet in all the Thebais.
They are these.

What do you think of my taste?
"Clamorem, bello qualis supremus apertis Urbibus, aut pelago jam descendente carina." I am now busy with Quintilian and Lucan, both excellent writers.

The dream of Pompey in the seventh book of the Pharsalia is a very noble piece of writing.

I hardly know an instance in poetry of so great an effect produced by means so simple.

There is something irresistibly pathetic in the lines "Qualis erat populi facies, clamorque faventum Olim cum juvenis--" and something unspeakably solemn in the sudden turn which follows "Crastina dira quies--" There are two passages in Lucan which surpass in eloquence anything that I know in the Latin language.