The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter

"The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter" by Petronius Arbiter is a Latin work of fiction written in the late 1st century AD. This fragmentary Roman novel follows narrator Encolpius and his companion Giton through a series of bizarre, erotic, and comic adventures in the Roman underworld. Blending prose and verse, the surviving sections showcase absurd encounters—from sexual escapades to the infamous banquet of Trimalchio, a vulgar, wealthy freedman whose grotesque extravagance exposes the pretensions of Rome's nouveau riche. This Menippean satire offers both outrageous entertainment and revealing glimpses into early Roman Empire life.

The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter, by Petronius Arbiter. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #5611.