Arbitri Nugae: Petronius’ Short Poems in the "Satyrica" (Studien zur klassischen Philologie)

This book aims to provide a comprehensive inquiry into the short metrical intermezzos inserted in the prose narrative of Petronius’ Satyrica . The text of each poem has been thoroughly investigated; in addition, special attention has been devoted to their function in the context and to the aspects connecting Petronius with the literature and culture of his time. Numerous contacts with other ancient authors have been pointed out to illustrate Petronius’ attitude to the cultural and literary heritage on the one hand, and the character of his own work on the other. Table of Contents Introduction - Petronius’ Poems in the Satyrica 1 Chapter I - The Education of the Orator (Petr. 5) 15 Chapter II - Justice for Sale (Petr. 14.2) 51 Chapter III - Two Views of Success (Petr. 15.9; 18.6) 61 Chapter IV - Petronius’ Sotadeans (Petr. 23.3; 132.8) 73 Chapter V - Trimalchio’s ‘Epigrams’ (Petr. 34.10; 55.3) 91 Chapter VI - Perverted Taste (Petr. 55.6; 93.2) 113 Chapter VII - A Night of Love (Petr. 79.8) 133 Chapter VIII - Role-Playing (Petr. 80.9) 141 Chapter IX - Tantalus and the Miser (Petr. 82.5) 157 Chapter X - Life Choices (Petr. 83.10) 163 Chapter XI - Appeal to Peace (Petr. 108.14) 169 Chapter XII - A Dirge on Lost Hair (Petr. 109.9-10) 177 Chapter XIII - Amorous Blasphemy (Petr. 126.18) 193 Chapter XIV - Homeric Love (Petr. 127.9) 199 Chapter XV - A Vanishing Dream (Petr. 128.6) 211 Chapter XVI - Love in an Ideal Landscape (Petr. 131.8) 225 Chapter XVII - A Literary Vindication (Petr. 132.15) 243 Chapter XVIII - Encolpius and the Role of Priapus (Petr. 133.3; 139.2) 265 Chapter XIX - The Sorceress’ Claim (Petr. 134.12) 285 Chapter XX - Oenothea’s Cottage (Petr. 135.8) 303 Chapter XXI - Mythological Monsters (Petr. 136.6) 317 Chapter XXII - The Omnipotence of Gold (Petr. 137.9) 329 Appendix I - Vegetables and Bald Heads (Petr. 109.10.3-4) 345 Appendix II - Magic at Petr. 131.4-6 357 Appendix III - Novelistic Love between Parody and Ideal: The Greek Novelists and Petronius 369 Works Quoted 391 Arbitri Nugae This book aims to provide a comprehensive inquiry into the short metrical intermezzos inserted in the prose narrative of Petronius' Satyrica. The text of each poem has been thoroughly investigated; in addition, special attention has been devoted to their function in the context and to the aspects connecting Petronius with the literature and culture of his time. Numerous contacts with other ancient authors have been pointed out to illustrate Petronius' attitude to the cultural and literary heritage on the one hand, and the character of his own work on the other "(...) a volume no Petronian scholar will wish to be without. (...) this volume regularly offers the fullest account of the shorter poems, in terms usually accessible even to advanced undergraduates. As such, it should be a most welcome addition to every serious classical library." (Niall W. Slater, Bryn Mawr Classical Review)