"This version by a translator who understands the high art of low humor is conspicuously funny."-Time 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 lively, modern, unexpurgated text-recaptures all the ribald humor of Petronius's picaresque satire. It tells the hilarious story of the pleasure-seeking adventures of an educated rogue, Encolpius, his handsome serving boy, Giton, and Ascyltus, who lusts after Giton-three impure pilgrims who live by their wits and other men's purses. The Satyricon unfailingly turns every weakness of the flesh, every foible of the mind, to laughter.
Gaius Petronius Arbiter was a Roman courtier. He was the author of the Satyricon, a satirical novel written during the Neronian era.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, statesman, philosopher, advocate and man of letters, was born at Cordoba in Spain around 4 BC. He rose to prominence in Rome, pursuing a career in the courts and political life, for which he had been trained, while also acquiring celebrity as an author of tragedies and essays. Falling foul of successive emperors (Caligula in AD 39 and Claudius in AD 41), he spent eight years in exile, allegedly for an affair with Caligula's sister. Recalled in AD 49, he was made praetor and was appointed tutor to the boy who was to become, in AD 54, the emperor Nero. On Nero's succession, Seneca acted for some eight years as an unofficial chief minister. The early part of this reign was remembered as a period of sound government, for which the main credit seems due to Seneca. His control over Nero declined as enemies turned the emperor against him with representations that his popularity made him a danger, or with accusations of immorality or excessive wealth. Retiring from public life he devoted his last three years to philosophy and writing, particularly the Letters to Lucilius. In AD 65 following the discovery of a plot against the emperor, in which he was thought to be implicated, he and many others were compelled by Nero to commit suicide. His fame as an essayist and dramatist lasted until two or three centuries ago, when he passed into literary oblivion, from which the twentieth century has seen a considerable recovery.
William Arrowsmith was an American classicist, academic, and translator. His translations include works by Euripides, Aristophanes, and Petronius. He died in 1992.
"This version by a translator who understands the high art of low humor is conspicuously funny."-Time 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 lively, modern, unexpurgated text-recaptures all the ribald humor of Petronius's picaresque satire. It tells the hilarious story of the pleasure-seeking adventures of an educated rogue, Encolpius, his handsome serving boy, Giton, and Ascyltus, who lusts after Giton-three impure pilgrims who live by their wits and other men's purses. The Satyricon unfailingly turns every weakness of the flesh, every foible of the mind, to laughter.
Gaius Petronius Arbiter was a Roman courtier. He was the author of the Satyricon, a satirical novel written during the Neronian era.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, statesman, philosopher, advocate and man of letters, was born at Cordoba in Spain around 4 BC. He rose to prominence in Rome, pursuing a career in the courts and political life, for which he had been trained, while also acquiring celebrity as an author of tragedies and essays. Falling foul of successive emperors (Caligula in AD 39 and Claudius in AD 41), he spent eight years in exile, allegedly for an affair with Caligula's sister. Recalled in AD 49, he was made praetor and was appointed tutor to the boy who was to become, in AD 54, the emperor Nero. On Nero's succession, Seneca acted for some eight years as an unofficial chief minister. The early part of this reign was remembered as a period of sound government, for which the main credit seems due to Seneca. His control over Nero declined as enemies turned the emperor against him with representations that his popularity made him a danger, or with accusations of immorality or excessive wealth. Retiring from public life he devoted his last three years to philosophy and writing, particularly the Letters to Lucilius. In AD 65 following the discovery of a plot against the emperor, in which he was thought to be implicated, he and many others were compelled by Nero to commit suicide. His fame as an essayist and dramatist lasted until two or three centuries ago, when he passed into literary oblivion, from which the twentieth century has seen a considerable recovery.
William Arrowsmith was an American classicist, academic, and translator. His translations include works by Euripides, Aristophanes, and Petronius. He died in 1992.
The SatyriconI. Among the Rhetoricians
II. Giton, Ascyltus, and I
III. Lost Treasure Recovered
IV. The Priestess of Priapus
V. Dinner with Trimalchio
VI. Giton, Ascyltus, and I Again
VII. I Meet Eumolpus
VIII. Old Loves and New Rivals
IX. Lichas and Tyrphaena
X. Discovered
XI. The Pleasures of Peace
XII. Shipwrecked
XIII. The Road to Croton
XIV. Eumolpus on the Writing of Poetry
XV. Life at Croton
XVI. Circe
XVII. A Second Attempt
XVIII. I Take Myself in Hand
XIX. Oenothea
XX. Interlude with Chrysis
XXI. Philomela
XXII. Restored
XXIII. Matters at Croton Come to a Head
XXIV. Eumolpus Makes His Will
Notes
Gaius Petronius Arbiter was a Roman courtier. He was the author of
the Satyricon, a satirical novel written during the Neronian
era.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, statesman, philosopher, advocate and man of
letters, was born at Cordoba in Spain around 4 BC. He rose to
prominence in Rome, pursuing a career in the courts and political
life, for which he had been trained, while also acquiring celebrity
as an author of tragedies and essays. Falling foul of successive
emperors (Caligula in AD 39 and Claudius in AD 41), he spent eight
years in exile, allegedly for an affair with Caligula's sister.
Recalled in AD 49, he was made praetor and was appointed tutor to
the boy who was to become, in AD 54, the emperor Nero. On Nero's
succession, Seneca acted for some eight years as an unofficial
chief minister. The early part of this reign was remembered as a
period of sound government, for which the main credit seems due to
Seneca. His control over Nero declined as enemies turned the
emperor against him with representations that his popularity made
him a danger, or with accusations of immorality or excessive
wealth. Retiring from public life he devoted his last three years
to philosophy and writing, particularly the Letters to Lucilius. In
AD 65 following the discovery of a plot against the emperor, in
which he was thought to be implicated, he and many others were
compelled by Nero to commit suicide. His fame as an essayist and
dramatist lasted until two or three centuries ago, when he passed
into literary oblivion, from which the twentieth century has seen a
considerable recovery.
William Arrowsmithwas an American classicist, academic, and
translator.His translations include works by Euripides,
Aristophanes, and Petronius. He died in 1992.
"This version by a translator who understands the high art of low
humor is conspicuously funny."
Time"William Arrowsmith's translation of The Satyricon meets the
two fundamental requirements of the translator's art: perfect
fidelity to the original and a vitality of style that tempts the
reader to believe that the English version is not a translation.
A
classic of literature."
Allen Tate"Arrowsmith's brilliant translation
at one stroke
renders every other version obsolete."
London Times Literary Supplement
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
