Satyricon

Description

Documenting the colourful 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 Empire's 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 narrator's unreliable, roguish friend Ascyltus. Sometimes referred to as the first novel - although surviving only in fragments - this bawdy, picaresque and surprisingly modern narrative is considered one of the founding masterpieces of Western literature.

Author description

Petronius Arbiter (d.66 ad) was a Roman courtier under the reign of Nero. The Emperor's advisor in matter of luxury and extravagance, he devoted himself to a life of pleasure and freedom, but a rival's jealousy turned Nero against Petronius, and he was forced to commit suicide.