Satyricon. Apocolocyntosis

Two rollicking Roman satires.

The Satyrica (Satyricon liber), a comic—picaresque fiction in prose and verse traditionally attributed to the Neronian Petronius (d. AD 66) but possibly of Flavian or Trajanic date, survives only as fragments of a much larger whole. It takes the form of a first—person narrative by the endearing ne’er—do—well Encolpius, a brilliant storyteller, parodist, and mimic who recalls episodes from his past life as a wandering bohemian, living by his wits on the margins o...