Satyricon

(Paperback)

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Description

This new Satyricon features not only a lively, new, annotated translation of the text, but also fresh, and accessible commentaries that discuss Petronius' masterpiece in terms of such topics as the identity of Petronius, the transmission of his manuscript, literary influences on the Satyricon, and the distinctive literary form of this work -- as well as such hallmarks of Roman life as oratory, sexual practices, households, dinner parties, religion, and philosophy. It offers, in short, a remarkably informative and engaging account of major aspects of Imperial Roman culture as seen through the prism of our first extant novel.

Reviews

[Ruden] has caught, better than any translator known to me, both the conversational patterns of Petronian dialogue and the camera-sharp specificity and color of the Satyricon's descriptive passages. . . . A quite extraordinary achievement against heavy odds. --Peter Green, The Los Angeles Times Book Review
Relying on. . . her excellent knowledge of Latin, her lively feel for contemporary slang and rhythm, and her infectious love of the work, [Ruden] gives us the full Satyricon ; she shows us a man making a comic masterpiece out of Neronian chaos. . . . Her book as a whole, breathing knowledge and affection, is a delight. --Donald Lyons, The New Criterion
This is a really useful volume which can readily be recommended as a set text to students. The ten commentaries at the end are judicious overviews of important topics connected with the work and the suggestions for further reading are up-to-date and intelligent. --Susanna Morton Braund, Yale University

Author Bio

Petronius; Translated by Sarah Ruden