Petronius the Satiricon
Hardcover
ISBN13: 9781025899589
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 270
Weight: 1.22
Height: 0.63 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Petronius the Satiricon offers a compelling gateway into one of the most provocative and culturally significant works of ancient Roman literature. Attributed to Petronius Arbiter, a courtier during the reign of Nero, the Satyricon stands as a pioneering example of the picaresque novel, blending sophisticated prose with lyrical verse to recount the ribald and often chaotic adventures of Encolpius and his companions. Through its sharp satirical lens, the work provides an unparalleled look into the social dynamics, decadence, and linguistic variety of first-century Rome.
The narrative is most famous for the Cena Trimalchionis (Trimalchio's Dinner), a grotesque and hilarious banquet hosted by a wealthy freedman, which serves as a biting critique of social mobility and excess. This scholarly presentation, featuring commentary and curation by Evan T. Sage, illuminates the complex historical and literary context of the fragmented text. As a rare survival of Menippean satire, Petronius the Satiricon remains an essential resource for students of classical studies and those interested in the evolution of the novel. It captures the vibrant, gritty, and humorous reality of the Roman Empire, balancing high literary art with the unvarnished realities of ancient life.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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