Synopses & Reviews
Documenting the colorful escapades of the former gladiator Encolpius and his less-than-faithful lover Giton, the Satyricon plunges the reader into the lives of ordinary Roman citizens, vividly revealing the Empires seamy underbelly. A host of unforgettable characters are satirically presented, such as Trimalchio, the pretentious parvenu host, in a memorable banquet scene; the lascivious priestess Quartilla; and the narrators unreliable, roguish friend Ascyltus. Sometimes referred to as the first novelalthough surviving only in fragmentsthis bawdy, picaresque, and surprisingly modern narrative is considered one of the founding masterpieces of Western literature.
About the Author
Petronius Arbiter (c.2766 A.D.) was a Roman courtier under the reign of Nero. Andrew Brown is a translator whose recent works include The Corsican Brothers and Letters to Pauline.