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P. G. Walsh

Petronius Arbiter

The Satyricon (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – 26 Mar. 2009

by Petronius (Author), P. G. Walsh (Editor)

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'The language is refined, the smile not grave, My honest tongue recounts how men behave.' The Satyricon is the most celebrated work of fiction to have survived from the ancient world. It can be described as the first realistic novel, the father of the picaresque genre, and recounts the sleazy progress of a pair of literature scholars as they wander through the cities of the southern Mediterranean. En route they encounter type-figures the author wickedly satirizes - a teacher in higher education, a libidinous priest, a vulgar freedman turned millionaire, a manic poet, a superstitious sea-captain and a femme fatale. The novel has fascinated the literary world of Europe ever since, evoking praise for its elegant and hilarious description of the underside of Roman society, but also condemnation for some of its lewder subjects. This new and lively translation by P.G. Walsh captures the gaiety of the original, and the edition is supplemented by his superb Introduction giving an account of the plot, the various scholarly interpretations and the later history of its literary influcence.There are also extensive and detailed notes which serve to illuminate the reading of a text rich in literary in-jokes and allusion.

ISBN-10

0199539219
ISBN-13

978-0199539215
Publisher

Oxford University Press
Publication date

26 Mar. 2009
Language

English
Dimensions

19.3 x 1.27 x 12.7 cm
Print length

272 pages
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oxford world's classics, literature, novels, myths, celebrated writing

Product description

Review

P. G. Walsh's translation appears more learned, as one might expect from a scholar who has spent a long career studying ancient fiction. Its preface is masterful. --Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

P. G. Walsh is Emeritus Professor of Humanity at the University of Glasgow. He translated and edited Apuleius, The Golden Ass for World's Classics.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press (26 Mar. 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199539219
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199539215
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.3 x 1.27 x 12.7 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 131,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 438 in Satires
- 1,796 in Literary Theory & Movements
- 3,593 in Secondary School Textbooks

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63 ratings

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3 star		9%
2 star		3%
1 star		4%

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Reviewer 1

The book has a huge fold on the front cover

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 September 2020

Verified Purchase

Although the books is new, I was clearly just given a dud copy, because there is an ugly fold on the front cover. When you order a new book, you expect it to be in good shape and not defective. I don't much appreciate being fobbed off with a book that has a huge fold on the front cover.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

castlefiend

The classical Rabelais

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 June 2015

Verified Purchase

A most unusual book. It is somewhat reminiscent of Rabelais and much of the humour depends on intimately knowing the society for which it was written; that makes it difficult for the modern reader, who is constantly having to look up the allusions etc in the glossary at the back. Having said that, it races along in the tradition of such books. As with many of the classics, one can't help lamenting the chapters and passages that have gone missing over the centuries.

4 people found this helpful

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Marilyn Eyre

A fabulous addition to the classic section of my library.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 March 2021

Verified Purchase

A brilliant book which arrived early and in great condition.

Helpful

Malcolm Shearmur

A boisterous and high-spirited romp through ancient Rome

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 September 2013

The Satyricon is the surviving portion of a picaresque novel recounting the travels across Italy, probably in the first century AD, of two young men in a homosexual relationship. In their apparently aimless wanderings, they encounter a vulgar nouveau-riche businessman, a corrupt and drunk priestess, a nymphomaniac, a pompous poet and other caricatures of Roman society. They scheme and struggle to escape the clutches of one only to land in those of another. It's full of satire and sex, and is said to be the first - or at least the oldest surviving - novel in the picaresque genre, later providing inspiration to the authors of Candide and Don Quixote.

The novel is short but sometimes hard to follow as some chapters are little more than disjointed fragments. It provides insights into the Roman world in a much more colourful way than the epistles, essays and histories which constitute most of the era's extant writings.

The Oxford Worlds' Classics edition has an excellent introduction that highlights different readings of the novel and its influence on European literature, as well as plenty of detailed notes that explain Petronius' multiple references to other works and authors, from Homer to Virgil and Ovid.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Roman Clodia

Fragments of a Roman novel

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2010

Written during the first century CE by Petronius, a favourite of Nero, only fragments exist of this 'novel'. What we have describe the racy adventures of Encolpius with set pieces based around sex and eating, particularly the famous dinner party of Trimalchio. Critics still argue over whether this should be classified as satire or a picaresque adventure but, whatever the genre, this is still amusing, entertaining and witty. It perhaps works best if you have a fairly good knowledge of previous Latin (and Greek) literature with which it engages closely, but that shouldn't deter first time readers.

9 people found this helpful

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