Not an easy read, but hilarious. It is a book that demands careful attention and yet manages to tickle one's funny bone. I probably read it too quickly, and will need to go back and savor it.

To me, even the "Trimalchio" passages alone are worth the price of admission. It is quite an experience to break out in laughter over text written the better part of two millennia ago. The vivid descriptions and the absurd situations make it a truly entertaining read.

Quite the adult book -- it's filthy. Sexually explicit, to say the least. There's a fair smattering of violence, as well. So not recommended for kiddies (or maybe even decent people, not that I can speak to their sensibilities). It is a book that delves into the darker and more carnal aspects of human nature.

Too bad so much of the book is lost. We're missing large parts of the back story, and there are gaps right and left. Thus in many places the reader arrives mid-scene, and often the translators can only guess at the context. This adds an element of mystery and speculation to the reading experience, but it also leaves one longing for more complete knowledge of the original work.

A collection of fragments is alleged to be the first novel in Western literature. It presents a farcical mixbag of daily life and cant, interspersed with poetry, parodies, and pastiches. Don't forget a liberal coating of saucy and nonsensical episodes. The feast at Trimalchio's is bound to make you giggle. :D

Le Satiricon enjoys the reputation of being the first novel in the history of Western literature. Its menu includes:

- Burlesque episodes.

- A healthy dose of strangeness for the eyes of 21st-century readers: at times, the Satiricon seems close to us, while at other times, without the critical apparatus and its notes, we lose our footing.

- A prose interspersed with short poems and gaps in the text, giving the impression of interludes in a pastoral novel.

- A salad of the sacred and the profane, of lofty thoughts and daily episodes, of chit-chat and comminatory discourses on contemporary values, of prose and poetry, of the marvelous and the buffoonish.

- Rumors, chit-chat, flatteries, discussions on contemporary values.

One episode stands out among the gaps: the feast at Trimalchio's. At Trimalchio's, it's a staging of every moment. Trimalchio, a former slave, is the prototype of the freedman who is fat, artificial, boastful, and an accomplished ham: '

"(...)And now Homer tells how the Trojans and the Achaeans make war. Naturally, it was Agamemnon who was victorious, and he married his daughter to Achilles. That's why Ajax is crazy, and right away, he'll give you the proof." After these words of Trimalchio, the Homerists let out a great cry, and in the midst of the servants running around everywhere, a boiled calf was served on a two-hundred-pound plate, and the calf had a helmet on its head. Ajax came behind and, drawing his sword, as if he were crazy, began to hack at the calf; then, after making passes with his weapon in all directions, he took the pieces on the point and, to our great wonder, distributed the meat to us.

We didn't have long to admire such beautiful feats of dexterity; for suddenly, the ceiling began to resonate and the entire dining room trembled. Seized with panic, I stood up, fearing that some acrobat might descend through the roof. No less astonished, the other guests raised their heads, waiting for the novelty that the sky announced to them. And behold, the chests suddenly opened and a large circle was seen descending, apparently removed from some enormous vat: all around were hung golden crowns with alabaster vases of perfume.

RESEÑA

«El Satiricón» de Petronio es una novela atrevida y brillante de la época del emperador Nerón (ca 60 d.C.). Es una mezcla de sátira licenciosa y crónica de viajes, que alterna prosa y verso (prosimetrum). Su eje argumental es la relación entre un joven de pasado turbio, Encolpio, y un efebo, Gitón.

La novela comienza en medio de la acción debido a que 1.500 años de accidentada transmisión medieval nos han privado de la primera parte. La acción arranca en una "ciudad griega" cerca de Nápoles. Allí, Encolpio se escabulle a su maestro de retórica para buscar a su amigo Ascilto, que encuentra en un burdel. Después, vuelven a la posada donde espera Gitón, el amante de Encolpio.

Los amigos se pelean por Gitón, pero antes de separarse definitivamente, viven aventuras y asisten a una cena, la famosa "Cena de Trimalción". Esta cena, que ocupa un tercio de la novela, es un fresco magnífico de la sociedad romana. A partir de este momento, encontramos historias insertadas en la trama, como la del "hombre lobo" o el relato erótico del "Mancebo de Pérgamo".

En la tercera parte, Ascilto es sustituido por el poeta Eumolpo. Encolpio recupera a Gitón, secuestrado por Ancilto, y huyen con Eumolpo en un barco. La travesía termina en naufragio frente a Crotona, donde Encolpio vive una aventura amorosa con Circe. Sin embargo, Príamo castiga a Encolpio con impotencia.

«El Satiricón», a pesar de su narrativa fragmentaria, sorprende por su estilo dinámico, sátira fina y erotismo. Es una obra que nos permite "ver" cómo era la vida en los círculos marginales de la sociedad romana en una ciudad como Pompeya. He leído la obra principalmente en la edición de Lumen (1975), aunque he consultado otras ediciones críticas.

Deciding how to evaluate and interpret The Satyricon by Petronius is indeed a formidable challenge. The text we possess is fragmentary, with a significant portion being lost, damaged, or destroyed. Scholars remain uncertain about whether Petronius, a member of Emperor Nero's court, was truly the author. Perhaps this doesn't matter much as almost nothing is known about him. Antiquarian literature experts view it as satire, but if so, what does it reveal about Roman society? With such an incomplete text, our best bet is to draw some meager conclusions based on the little we have.

Although written in Rome, most of The Satyricon is set on the Greek peninsula of Peloponnesus. The narrative follows the wanderings of a criminal named Eumolpus and his younger boyfriend Giton. At first, they are accompanied by Ascyltus, but Eumolpus constantly fights with him for Giton's attention, and they eventually leave him behind. Soon after, they meet an older poet named Encolpius, who latches onto them as he also has eyes for Giton. Encolpius' poetry is poorly received, and his public recitations result in jeering and stone-throwing from the audiences.

Like a picaresque novel, The Satyricon focuses on the characters and the situations they encounter rather than an overarching plot. Its purpose is to展示不同方面 of Greek and Roman society. The situations begin with the three characters being abducted by a priestess of Priapus for an orgy, but unfortunately, the raunchy details are lost. Eumolpus and friends attend a lavish banquet at the villa of a rich man named Trimalchio, where the decadent setting serves as a backdrop for a discussion on whether Rome is suffering from a moral decline. This theme is later revisited when Eumolpus and Giton meet Encolpius for the first time. Later, they travel to Italy and stop in the morally corrupted village of Croton. Somehow, Eumolpus gets sidetracked and seduced by a beautiful and nubile woman of a higher class but is unable to perform, leading to the longest and most hilarious lament about a man facing his biggest fear ever committed to literature.

One complete and great story in this book is about a widow mourning in her husband's mausoleum. A soldier is stationed nearby, guarding three criminals being punished by crucifixion. After spending three days making love to the widow, he emerges to find one of the men missing from his cross. His solution to this dilemma is one of the funniest conclusions in the narrative. It's hard to tell if this was written as a mockery of the Christian myth regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The details align well to give an alternate take on that tale, but The Satyricon was written around 100 AD, and the author was irreverent enough to pull off such a satire.

Overall, there isn't enough of the text to come up with grand interpretations of Petronius' intentions. The theme of moral decline is mentioned more than once, but the earthy humor overshadows any moral statement. The story of Eumolpus' inability to perform gets more attention than any in-depth examination of ethics. In terms of literary history, its style and tone predate classics like The Canterbury Tales, The Decameron, Voltaire's Candide, and the picaresque genre of the novel. The best way to read and interpret The Satyricon is to take it at face value. Like the Venus de Milo, the ancient Greek statue Nike, or the ruins at Ephesus, despite the missing pieces, we can still admire and appreciate what remains.

https://grimhistory.blogspot.com/

A Report on Life in the Roman Empire - written nearly two thousand years ago - consists of several episodes of banquets and sexual adventures (and misadventures), which have their joke in the unusualness of the situation. There is a lot of food, a great deal of libertinage, and a strange ending.

I did not appreciate it, perhaps because I lack the academic training to understand it, or a more refined taste for History. I do not believe it is a book for the common reader.

It seems that this account offers a rather vivid picture of the Roman Empire, but its content may be too complex and perhaps a bit too raunchy for some. The description of the banquets and sexual escapades might be interesting from a historical perspective, but it also requires a certain level of knowledge and understanding to fully grasp the significance.

Overall, while it may have some value for those with a particular interest in Roman history or a more adventurous literary palate, it may not be a book that appeals to everyone.

No tiene uno nada que objetar a las novelas de petardas. On the contrary, few books have entertained me as much as the contributions of Terenci Moix to the genre (especially his evergreen "La herida de la esfinge") or as the hilarious "Una mala noche la tiene cualquiera" by Mendicutti. The lasciviousness, the shamelessness, the lust, the ambiguity, and what in bad Spanish would be called the queerness, handled with intelligence and humor, can yield quite appreciable literary results.

No sabía que la obra decana del género era El Satiricón y, lo confieso, casi se me ha caído de las manos. The fragmentary and mutilated state of the text does not help to maintain the solidity of the work, but, beyond that, surely this type of novels is based on a humor that requires much more than a good translation to maintain its freshness. What must have been brazen and scandalous scenes for the readers of the time now are just oddities and extravagances without grace. And that residue of tenderness and vulnerability characteristic of the protagonists of these novels is not maintained either. That which makes them, in some way, endearing, despite the fact that their actions may be despicable and hateful.

The John Waters of the two-digit years.

I will never forget the bookstore clerk who said to me, "A good book to read on the metro, with this cover."

John Waters was a unique figure during that era. His works often had a distinct charm and a touch of the unconventional.

The clerk's comment about the book's cover being suitable for reading on the metro was an interesting observation. It made me wonder what kind of stories and experiences the book might hold.

Perhaps it was a reflection of the times, with people looking for entertainment and escape during their daily commutes.

John Waters' influence could be felt in various aspects of culture, from film to literature.

His works challenged the norms and pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable.

As I thought about that encounter in the bookstore, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the world that John Waters had created.

His works seemed to offer a window into a different reality, one that was both fascinating and a little bit dangerous.

I looked forward to delving deeper into his oeuvre and discovering more about this enigmatic artist.

Ґай Петроній Арбітр і його "Сатирикон" is a remarkable work.

It is quite astonishing that the first novel ever (Petronius was a contemporary of Nero) was so full of trickery, vulgarity, and overall baseness.

The main heroes are scoundrels, (semi-)intellectuals, outcasts, or even rogues (as seen in the banquet of Trimalchio).

Those who have read it know, and those who haven't, well, they don't.

And here's another pity: there is still no translation of "The Satyricon" into the Ukrainian language. Shame on that.

P.S. There is a film by Fellini and maybe someone else, but I haven't seen them.

This work provides a unique glimpse into the society and values of that era, with its vivid and often scandalous portrayal of characters and events.

Despite its age, it still holds the power to shock and intrigue readers today.

Hopefully, one day, a Ukrainian translation will be available to make this classic more accessible to a wider audience.

Until then, we can only continue to explore and appreciate it in its original form or through other translations.

My interest was initially piqued some time ago by a viewing of Fellini's version of the story in a dingy college room last year.

And it's interesting enough in its way. The culture of ancient Rome is so different as to seem surrealist at times.

Unlike the Canterbury Tales or other documents from the root of Western civilization, I feel no analogy here.

It's entertaining at times, but without a heavy steeping in the Greek and Roman classics, I mostly felt as if I just didn't get it.

The vivid and flamboyant portrayal in Fellini's work made me realize how much I still had to learn about this ancient culture.

The elaborate costumes, the grand architecture, and the complex social hierarchies all added to the allure and mystery of ancient Rome.

Yet, without a solid foundation in the classics, I often found myself struggling to fully understand the deeper meanings and references within the story.

It was like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.

However, this experience also激发了 my curiosity and made me eager to explore the Greek and Roman classics further.

I knew that only by immersing myself in these works could I hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the rich and fascinating culture that Fellini had so masterfully brought to life on the screen.

An infinite time I have spent reading this text.
And I have had to read it twice. The first time the reading dragged on for almost a month. I read it with the entire preface and all the notes. The notes seem too many, really too verbose for an easy reading and, on the other hand, I imagine too hasty for a study - but here it seems to me that this is exactly what I have done: study.
Therefore, I have not enjoyed anything of Petronius' text and, when I closed the book, I realized that I had no memory of it, that I had not even enjoyed a small passage of that exquisite refinement. So I started again from the beginning and, in a couple of days, I read the agile text (be careful, I was able to understand it only thanks to the notes that I criticized a while ago).
What an effort!
Was it worth it? Ah, I don't know.
If I were Socrates, I would answer that at least, now, I have read it before dying, but I am not Socrates.
I have laughed, of course, I have admired the elegance of some verses (in translation, because I am ignorant), I have thought about the word "rhythm" while reading, and about its meaning, because I found myself really pressured by the events (here, however, the asterisks of the gaps help, if nothing else, this perception), but the effort remains.
I do not have sufficient tools to appreciate it as others do, ubi maior minor cessat.
But yes, but yes, I liked it, yes.
I think again of Circe's white arms and the reason for her anger, it is really funny.

Classic Bingo 2016 is a rather interesting and somewhat bawdy game.

It has a history that dates back to before the 1600s.

Despite being bawdy, it is not overly graphic, which means it contains elements that are perhaps a bit risqué or cheeky, but not in a way that is overly explicit or offensive.

This unique combination of bawdiness and lack of graphic content gives Classic Bingo 2016 its own charm and allure.

It has likely entertained many people over the centuries with its light-hearted and somewhat naughty nature.

Whether played in a social gathering or in a more private setting, Classic Bingo 2016 continues to be a game that holds a certain appeal for those who enjoy a bit of fun and mischief.

Wonderfully queer and brilliantly bonkers.

This description seems to capture something truly unique and extraordinary. It implies a sense of eccentricity and madness that is both captivating and delightful.

Perhaps it refers to a person, a work of art, or an event that defies convention and expectations. It could be a character in a novel with a wild and unpredictable personality, or a painting that features vivid colors and strange shapes.

Whatever it is, it has the power to draw us in and make us question the boundaries of what is normal. It challenges us to embrace the unusual and find beauty in the unexpected.

In a world where so much seems to be the same, something that is wonderfully queer and brilliantly bonkers stands out and demands our attention. It reminds us that there is always more to discover and explore, and that the most interesting things in life often lie outside the realm of the ordinary.

So, let us celebrate the wonderfully queer and brilliantly bonkers, and open our minds to the possibilities that lie beyond the boundaries of our imagination.