The novel "Satyricon" is one of the most famous works of the ancient Roman writer Petronius. It is believed that this is the oldest novel that has survived to this day. At present, it has not been possible to establish the exact time of its writing. Most likely, this was in the first century AD, back in the era of the reign of Emperor Nero. According to the tradition of those years, Petronius decorated his novel with poetic accents. In them, he tried to reproduce the manner and style of classical poets: Virgil, Horace, Ovid and others.
History of creation
The novel "Satyricon" to this day is not fully preserved. It is not even clear how many books were in it. Only some fragments of them have survived. Moreover, they reached us in manuscripts, often together with excerpts from the works of other authors.
The first novel by Petronius was published in Milan. This happened at the end of the 15th century. In 1575, a more complete version was published in Leiden. The most complete manuscript was published in Trogir in 1650. Its name was: "Fragments of the satyr Petronius Arbiter from the books of the 15th and 16th", today better known as the novel "Satyricon". The manuscripts are only partially preserved.
In 1693, the French writer Francois Nodo supplemented the novel "Satyricon" with its own inserts and published it already in Paris. He claimed that it was a genuine text that he had discovered several years earlier in Belgrade. True, a fake was discovered very soon. It contained many absurdities and contradictions. However, the inserts made by Nodo are still preserved in some reprints of The Satyricon. The novel, as some researchers note, only benefits from this. Because they allow you to link together the surviving chapters and fragments.
The genre of "Satyricon"
The fact that Satyricon is really a novel, many experts still argue. In fact, this issue remains open and debatable. Largely due to the fact that the application of this term to an ancient work can only be conditional. A strict system of genres at that time simply did not exist.
In fact, this is a mixture of prosaic and poetic text, which was typical for the then-popular menippe satire. That was the name of the special genre of antique literature, which contained a symbiosis of philosophical reasoning and a parody of satire.
The text organically combined poetry and prose, hence the very name "satura". In the literal translation from the ancient Roman, it meant "fruit platter", a kind of mixture. This helps a little to determine what the novel "Satyricon" is. The genre of this work is an adventurous and satirical novel, which is a vivid parody of a Greek romance novel.
Satyricon in Russia
In Russia, the novel "Satyricon" first saw the light of day in 1882. The translation was made by art critic Vladimir Chuyko. It omitted many verses, and also cut out some places that were considered indecent at that time for printing.
In the early 1920s, the translation for the World Literature publishing house was made by Vladimir Amfiteatrov-Kadashev. His father acted as editor, and after his emigration, philologist Boris Yarkho took up editing. He thoroughly embarked on this work: carefully revised the prosaic inserts and re-translated the poetic passages.
The book was published in the publishing house "World Literature" in 1924. It is noteworthy that Nodo inserts were present in it. This translation is still being printed. True, sometimes Nodo's inserts are removed from it.
In 1989, the prose text was once again translated by the classical philologist Alexander Gavrilov. Journalist and writer Peter Weil noted that this is a brilliant text for domestic literary use. He exists on the verge of decency, but is kept on it, thanks to Petronian mastery and his literary courage.
The most recent translation of the ancient Roman novel Petronius "Satyricon" was released in 2016. The literary critic Georgy Sever re-translated all the poetic passages. Moreover, the new edition contains text not only in Russian, but also in Latin. It comes with detailed applications and comments.
Reviews about the novel
The researchers have always evaluated the novel "Satyricon" in two ways. Reviews about the book were very controversial.
Another portion of the opinions of Russian readers about the work of ancient Roman literature appeared in 1913, when Nikolai Poyarkov made a new translation. During the Silver Age, this work was evaluated ambiguously. For example, art critic and publisher Pavel Muratov noted that the Satyricon contains many obscenities and rude words, but nevertheless produces an unforgettably strong impression of natural grace and freshness from careful reading. The manners depicted there cannot be called spoiled only because they have less hypocrisy than in modern public morality.
Until now, many people like the novel "Satyricon". The reviews that readers leave about it make it possible to judge how the ideas in society about permissiveness and hypocrisy are changing.
Characters of the novel
The novel "Satyricon", whose characters are well known to all connoisseurs of ancient literature, allows you to get an idea of the classical representatives of the ancient Roman society of that time.
In the center of the story of the Encolpius. It is on his behalf that a story is being conducted. He himself admits that he escaped justice, having managed to save his life in the arena. He was guilty of having killed his master.
Among the main characters of the novel "Satyricon", a brief summary of which is given in this article, there is also his friend Askilt. This is a young man who, despite his age, has already managed to wallow in voluptuousness and lies. For most of the novel, they are accompanied by the 16-year-old Guiton, who becomes for them both the subject of passion and contention.
In one of the final parts, they are joined by a beggarly and mediocre poet named Eumolpus.
An important role is played by secondary characters in the novel "Satyricon". The book involves the rhetorician Agamemnon, the imperious priestess of Quartilla, distinguished by her unbridled character. Her servant Pannikhis, in fact, is still a girl, as well as a wealthy freedman named Trimalchion.
Juvenal influence
Analyzing this work, one can notice the strong influence that had on the novel "Satyricon". Juvenal played one of the key roles in this. This is a Roman poet who wrote the famous Satyrs with a hexameter. Today they are distributed across five books.
In many ways, his name has become a household name for the very genre of satire. It necessarily assumes an angry denunciation of human vices, as well as ridicule by the author of mores that he seems inappropriate.
The Satyricon novel or the works of Juvenal at one time read many fans of such literature. There are many similar scenes and episodes. Obviously, one of the authors studied with the other and noticed the most successful finds. Juvenal had a significant impact on the Satyricon novel.
Summary of the novel
"Satyricon", by right, is considered one of the first rogue and adventurous novels. Presumably, it had 20 chapters. But at the moment, neither its beginning nor the end has been preserved, but only a few chapters in the middle of the work.
The narrative is conducted on behalf of the main character. This is an experienced rhetorician who is very proficient in his skill. His name is Enclopius. Moreover, he is considered an extremely unbalanced youth. He is not stupid, but not faulty from the point of view of ethics and morality.
He spends his life on the run, trying to hide from the just punishment that awaits him for the murder and robbery committed by him. He is also charged with sexual blasphemy. Anger was brought upon him by the ancient Greek god of fertility Priapus. At the time when the ancient Roman novel "Satyricon" was written, the cult of this god flourished flourishingly in the Roman Republic. Phallic symbols were often used in his images . This can be said with confidence, since many sculptures have survived to our time.
Encolpius travels with his friends. Together they come to one of the Hellenic colonies, which is located in Campania. This is an area in ancient Italy. The novel "Satyricon", the brief content of which allows you to make a full impression of the work of Petronius, describes in detail their wanderings.
At the very beginning of the novel, at least passages that have come down to us, they are visiting a Roman horseman named Lycurgus. There they are intertwined in pairs, as Petronius writes. Here, between them, love relationships begin to be struck, including on homosexual grounds. Encolpius and his friend Askilt from time to time betray their sympathies and various love situations.
Asquilt is fond of the young boy Guiton, and Encolpius begins to care for the pretty Tryphan. After all, girls also attract him.
In the following episodes, the action of the novel moves to the estate of a wealthy and influential shipowner named Leah. "Satyricon" is a Petronius novel in which new love interweaving appears between the heroes. This time, the pretty wife of the shipowner, Dorida, takes part in them. When Leah finds out about this, Guiton and Encolpius have to urgently leave the estate.
On the way, the rhetorician gets on a ship, which soon turns to the aground. But Encolpius does not despair. He steals the expensive robes that were on the statue of Isis, and also steals money from the helmsman. After that, he again comes to the estate of Lycurgus.
Bacchanalia in the novel
The Satyricon is given a description of bacchanalia of no small importance. The main characters regularly find themselves in situations when they are surrounded by fans of the ancient Greek god Priapus. For example, in one of the chapters they come to the house of Trimalchio, in which a feast takes place. The owner of the estate is a wealthy and famous freedman. At the same time, he himself is a poorly educated man, but he is energetically trying to break into the high society.
At the feast, the heroes talk about gladiators, then the conversation goes about the library of the estate owner. He boasts that he has two of them. One is Latin, the second is Greek. It turns out that all his education is not worth a damn. In fact, he confuses the heroes and plots of Hellenic myths and the epic of Homer. Therefore, it becomes apparent that he knows all this only by hearsay.
His terrible disposition is manifested in everything. He is nice and pleasant with guests, and he does not consider servants to be people, although he himself was just a slave just yesterday.
The culmination of the feast is the boar, which is cooked whole and brought into the room on a silver dish. The next amazing dish is a pig stuffed with grilled sausages. Soon, cakes stuffed with saffron are also brought.
At the end of the evening, three boys bring into the hall the images of three gods - the guardians of the family and the hearth. Trimalchion says that their names are Lucky, Prospector and Baitman. To entertain the guests, Nikerot begins to tell the guests a story about a werewolf warrior, and Trimalchion himself scares the audience with stories about a witch who stole the body of a dead boy from the tomb, and instead put a straw scarecrow.
The meal lasts several days. On the second day they bring blackbirds stuffed with raisins. And then a big fat goose. Everyone admires the skill of the local chef and begins to sing songs of praise to him.
Testament of Trimalchio
During the feast, Trimalchion became so sympathetic that he decided to announce his will to all those gathered. In it, he pays much attention to the description of the magnificent tombstone, which he wants to receive, and also himself composes a laudatory inscription that will be carved on it. This text lists in detail all his merits and regalia.
From his overwhelming feelings, he was moved even more and decided to make a speech. She is brought in his novel by Petronius. He notes that he considers slaves to be people, because they, like other people, are fed breast milk. But he believes that the time will come when they can enjoy plenty of freedom. In his will, he promises that he will release everyone after his death. Having declared this, he sincerely hopes that the servants will now love him even more than before.
Meanwhile, Encolpius with his friends goes on a further journey. They come to a luxurious art gallery. In the novel it is called the Pinacoteca, such a designation was adopted in ancient Rome. There they admire the canvases of Hellenic artists. And also get acquainted with the old poet Eumolpus, with whom they no longer part until the very end of the story.
Eumolpus speaks almost all the time exclusively in poetry. For this, he is often beaten with stones. Moreover, it is not always fair, because his texts are quite good.
The novel "Satyricon", the analysis of which allows you to visualize what relations were in the ancient Roman society, demonstrates the most diverse human weaknesses and vices. He often makes fun of them. For example, vanity, tastelessness, graphomania and others.
The graphomaniac, in fact, is Evmolp. It is his poems that basically interrupt the prosaic outline of this novel. In addition, the old man often talks with Encolpius about art. Not all satellites participate in their disputes, the rest lack education.
Meanwhile, Guiton returns to Encolpius, explaining his betrayal by mistake and fear.
The story of a inconsolable widow
In addition to the events that directly happen to the heroes of the novel, the narrative has many lyrical digressions, stories that the characters tell each other.
For example, an old poet introduces them to a story about a inconsolable widow. At the center of his story is a matron from Ephesus, who became famous throughout the district for her marital fidelity and modesty. And after the death of her husband, she decided that earthly life was not interesting to her, and followed him into the underworld. She hoped to soon starve herself to starvation. Relatives and friends discouraged her, but she remained adamant.
Together with her, her faithful servant goes to the crypt. She seeks to brighten up the hours of loneliness and fear of her mistress. So five days passed.
Meanwhile, the ruler of those lands ordered, near the place where the widow mourned the deceased, to crucify several malicious robbers. Fearing that their near and dear ones might remove the bodies from the cross and bury them, the ruler put guard near them. True, a small one - just one soldier.
At night, the lone guard noticed that among the tombstones in the cemetery, light was visible and female moans were heard. Curiosity prevailed over fear, and he decided to check what was happening there.
Going down into the crypt, the soldier discovered a woman of unearthly beauty, and when he saw a dead body lying in front of her, he immediately realized what was happening. Taking pity on her, he brought a modest dinner to the crypt to support her strength. And he began to persuade him to stop suffering and return to ordinary life.
Her servant also joins the soldier. They convince her by all means that it is too early for a woman to go to the other world. At first, the ethereal beauty is impregnable, but gradually begins to yield to their persuasion. First seduced by food and drinks, which came just in time after a long and exhausting fast, and then surrenders to the mercy of a soldier who was able to win her heart, which seemed impregnable.
The old poet describes in detail that in their arms they spent more than one night, and soon they got married. At the same time, they prudently locked the doors to the dungeon. In case someone from the family comes to the cemetery. They had to decide that the widow died next to her husband from grief and exhaustion.
But not everything is so smooth in this story. While the soldier won the widow's heart, the relatives of one of the robbers took advantage of the lack of protection, removed the body from the cross and buried it. When the guard in love discovered the loss, he had to confess everything to the widow. For such a miscalculation, of course, he was entitled to a serious punishment. The woman herself prompted him solutions, saying that she prefers to hang the dead than to tear the living to pieces. The soldier immediately took advantage of this offer and the prudence of his new lover. Then they remove the body of her husband from the coffin and pin to the cross in place of the robber.
So this story ends. But the wanderings of the heroes continue. They set sail. During a storm, Lech perishes. It is surprising that Eumolpus, even in the strongest wind and storm, does not leave his poetic declarations; he constantly reads poetry. Fortunately, in the end, the unfortunate are saved. They manage to land ashore and stay overnight in a fishing hut.
The next destination is Croton. Perhaps the oldest of the cities of Ancient Greece that existed at that time, which became a colony on the southern coast of the Apennine Peninsula. It is noteworthy that this is the only real geographical point that is specifically mentioned and described in the text of the novel.
Friends are already used to living richly and carefree. Therefore, in the new city, they decide to give Eumolpus a wealthy and prosperous person who is considering who would leave his innumerable treasures. This trick makes them welcome guests in any home, everywhere they are provided with unlimited credit and a warm welcome. Indeed, many residents of this city expect that Evmolp will remember them before his imminent death.
The author does not forget to describe the new love affairs of the heroes. True, in the end, the Crotonians see and unravel the plain deception of travelers. They are preparing a reprisal against the cunning. However, Enkolpiya with Guiton manages to escape in time, but Eumolpus remains at the mercy of the crowd.
Crotonians act with him according to the old custom. When one of the compatriots needed to be sacrificed, he was fed and watered with the best drinks and dishes during the year at the expense of the treasury. And then they threw them off a cliff like a scapegoat. Such a fate overtook Eumolpus.