[xtro181]

In the absolute wonderful read at the opening screens of this group concerning Greco/Roman history one person is lacking..

Petronius Arbiter... author of the "Satryicon" was not mentioned, as far as I can tell.. and I tried to search within the group.

OK. to be fair, most people do not know about Petronius. His writings are extremely fragmented, and modern scholars consider only about 10-15% to be "found".

The "Satryicon" (literally spelled) means both "Satire" and "Satyr".. (A saire of ruling government and excess, and a "satyr" of male eroticism, both combined eloquently) so eloquenltly enough for an emporer to put a price on his head, as the spoof went a bit too far.

His "Satyricon" is a must read for fans of ancient literature.. though fragmentended as it is". The remains of the novel were finally prouced into a film version in 1969 as "Felliinni:Satyricon" and may be viewed as a "quasi-example" of Petronius Arbiter's work... though in the film format it often repulsed viewers due to the fragmentation. IMHO, the film was true to the novel. Fellini deliberately chose to make the film as much fragmented as the reamins of the novel, but still breathe life to the ancient characters of Encolpio, Aschilto and GItano.

A quote from an Engligh language transcription of the work:

"The courts are an auction where justice is sold,
The judge who presides bangs a gavel of gold"

Directly homoerotic, and perversely queer in nature, Petronius Arbiter confronted the delicacies of those politcal ancient politicians with a demand for respect for the same indulgences in the common people, as he understood that all were equal.

HE understood that all were created equal, long before American top dogs of the constitiution. And he paid the price. He commited suicide before the emporer's guards could get him. Fellinii pays homage to this fact in a scene from his film wherin a married couple sends their children off with a couple of their slaves, which they take time to "free" them and bless them with citizenship (search records regarding this important issue). After the freed slaves and their children are gone, the couple calmy have a goblt of wine and take herbs.... and then slice their wrists before the ruling emporer can get the chance to arrest them. (Commonly known as the "dedication scene").


Petronius' work, "Satyricon" is a good read, though fragmenteted as it is, and on film... well Fellini did a great job!

Bob (Xtro181)
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Xtro181... just BOB to all.

[Claude]

Thanks for the posting about Petronius and the Satyricon. But there is in fact an entry on Petronius in the literature department, and he is mentioned in several other entries in this encyclopedia.

Claude