History Literature / TheSatyricon

''The Satyricon'' (or ''Satyrica'') is a work of fiction that is generally attributed to Gaius Petronius Arbiter, one of UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}'s courtiers. It follows the criminal misadventures of three vagabonds: [[{{Narrator}} Encolpius]], his lover [[LoverAndBeloved Giton]], and his friend Asciltos; as they [[WalkingTheEarth wander the earth]]; getting into all kinds of bizarre sexual situations and running afoul of the law. Only fragments of The Satryicon survive, so the plot is incomplete. Scholars believe that Encolpius is forced to wander the earth after offending Priapus--a Roman fertility god--or possibly that he was ritually expelled from his home city to prevent a plague. From there, the fragmented narrative follows the trio's escapades before ending abruptly.

While ''The Satyricon'' is infamous for its [[ValuesDissonance grotesque sexual content]], it does have literary merit. It is a satire of the Neronian court, a possible early example of the novel, and an insight into the lives of ordinary Romans and its class structure.

While most Latin text are serious works of oratory or poetry, The Satyricon provides a rare example of more ordinary prose written about ordinary subjects. Despite its sordid reputation, The Satyricon has inspired many famous authors. Creator/FScottFitzgerald references The Satyricon in Literature/TheGreatGatsby, and originally planned to name it "Trimalchio in West Egg", after a character. It is also referenced in Literature/TheWasteLand, and Literature/ThePictureOfDorianGray.

* WalkingTheEarth: The main trio spend the book wandering around Rome, possibly after Encolpius angered the god Priapus, or because Encolpius was ritually expelled from his home city.
* YourCheatingHeart: A lot of the conflict revolves around Asciltos' continual attempts to win Giton away from Encolpius.

While The Satyricon is infamous for its [[ValuesDissonance grotesque sexual content]], it does have literary merit. It is a satire of the Neronian court, a possible early example of the novel, and an insight into the lives of ordinary Romans and its class structure.

->“The disgusting indecencies of which the remains of Petronius are full . . . give him so bad a name, that he who confesses an intimate acquaintance with the poem, and expresses gratification with it, exposes himself to a severe judgement, and affords a good opportunity for the display of sanctimonious hypocrisy."

''The Satyricon'' (or ''Satyrica'') is a work of fiction that is generally attributed to Gaius Petronius Arbiter, one of UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}'s courtiers. It follows the criminal misadventures of three vagabonds: [[{{Narrator}} Encolpius]], his lover [[LoverAndBeloved Giton]], and his friend Asciltos; as they [[WalkingTheEarth wander the earth]]; getting into all kinds of bizzare sexual situations and running afoul of the law. Only fragments of The Satryicon survive, so the plot is incomplete. Scholars believe that Encolpius is forced to wander the earth after offending Priapus--a Roman fertility god--or possibly that he was ritually expelled from his home city to prevent a plague. From there, the fragmented narrative follows the trio's escapades before ending abruptly.

In 1969 it was adapted into a fittingly surreal film by Creator/FedericoFellini, titled ''Fellini Satyricon''.

->"It sounds like [[JustForFun/XMeetsY a cross]] between ''Literature/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' and a gay porno parody of ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''."

->“The disgusting indecencies of which the remains of Petronius are full . . . give him so bad a name, that he who [[ShamefulSourceofKnowledge confesses an intimate acquaintance with the poem]], and [[GuiltyPleasure expresses gratification with it]], exposes himself to a severe judgement, and affords a good opportunity for the display of [[HolierThanThou sanctimonious hypocrisy]]."

->"[[ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs It sounds like]] [[JustForFun/XMeetsY a cross]] between ''Literature/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' and a gay porno parody of ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''."

->"[[ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs It sounds like]] [[XMeetsY a cross]] between FearAndLoathingInLasVegas and a gay porno parody of GrandTheftAuto."

''The Satyricon'' (or ''Satyrica'') is a work of fiction that is generally attributed to Gaius Petronius Arbiter, one of {{Nero}}'s courtiers. It follows the criminal misadventures of three vagabonds: [[{{Narrator}} Encolpius]], his lover [[LoverAndBeloved Giton]], and his friend Asciltos; as they [[WalkingTheEarth wander the earth]]; getting into all kinds of bizzare sexual situations and running afoul of the law. Only fragments of The Satryicon survive, so the plot is incomplete. Scholars believe that Encolpius is forced to wander the earth after offending Priapus--a Roman fertility god--or possibly that he was ritually expelled from his home city to prevent a plague. From there, the fragmented narrative follows the trio's escapades before ending abruptly.

While The Satyricon is infamous for its [[ValuesDissonance grotesque sexual content]], it does have literary merit. It is a satire of the Neronian court, a possible early example of the novel, and an insight into the lives of ordinary Romans and its class structure.

!!Tropes in the work include:

The Satyricon (or Satyrica) is a work of fiction that is generally attributed to Gaius Petronius Arbiter, one of {{Nero}}'s courtiers. It follows the criminal misadventures of three vagabonds: [[{{Narrator}} Encolpius]], his lover [[LoverAndBeloved Giton]], and his friend Asciltos; as they [[WalkingTheEarth wander the earth]]; getting into all kinds of bizzare sexual situations and running afoul of the law. Only fragments of The Satryicon survive, so the plot is incomplete. Scholars believe that Encolpius is forced to wander the earth after offending Priapus--a Roman fertility god--or possibly that he was ritually expelled from his home city to prevent a plague. From there, the fragmented narrative follows the trio's escapades before ending abruptly.

->“The disgusting indecencies of which the remains of Petronius are full . . . give him so bad a name, that he who confesses an intimate acquaintance with the poem, and expresses gratification with it, exposes himself to a severe judgement, and affords a good opportunity for the display of sanctimonious hypocrisy."

->"It sounds like a cross between FearAndLoathingInLasVegas and a gay porno parody of GrandTheftAuto."

While The Satyricon is infamous for its [[ValuesDissonance grotesque sexual content]], it does have literary merit. It is a satire of the Neronian court, a possible early example of the novel, and an insight into the lives of ordinary Romans. While most Latin text are serious works of oratory or poetry, The Satyricon provides a rare example of more ordinary prose written about ordinary subjects. Despite its sordid reputation, The Satyricon has inspired many famous authors. FScottFitzgerald references The Satyricon in TheGreatGatsby, and originally planned to name it "Trimalchio in West Egg", after a character. It is also referenced in TheWasteLand, and ThePictureOfDorianGray.