Petronius (C. or T. Petronius Arbiter), who is reasonably identified with the author of this famous satyric and satiric novel, was a man of pleasure and of good literary taste who flourished in the times of Claudius (41-54 CE) and Nero (54-68). As Tacitus describes him, he used to sleep by day, and [...]

The Satyricon is a classic of comedy, a superbly funny picture of Nero's Rome as seen through the eyes of Petronius, its most amorous and elegant courtier. William Arrowsmith's translation - a lovely, modern, unexpurgated text - recatpures all the ribald humor of Petronius's picaresque satire. It [...]

"The Satyricon" is one of the most outrageous and strikingly modern works to have survived from the ancient world. Most likely written by an advisor of Nero, it recounts the adventures of Encolpius and his companions as they travel around Italy, encountering courtesans, priestesses, con men, brothel[...]

Titlen Satyricon er afledt af det græske ord for satyr og opbygger således en forventning om uregerlig kønsdrift. Men den hentyder også til det romerske ord satura ´satire´. Satiren i Satyricon blomstrer bl.a. i afsnittet om ´Trimalchios Middag´ om den nyriges snobberi, blodt[...]