“Satyricon” Petronius in the summary
The text of the first adventure novel, known in the world literature, was only fragmented: fragments of the 15th, 16th and, presumably, the 14th chapter. There is no beginning, there is no end, and everything, apparently, was 20 chapters…
The protagonist is the unbalanced youth Enkolpiy, who is well-versed in the rhetoric, obviously smart, but, alas, not a faultless person. He disappears, escaping from punishment for robbery, murder and, most importantly, for sexual sacrilege, which brought upon him the wrath of Priapus – a very peculiar Greek god of fertility.
Enkolpiy with his parasite-like friends Askilt, Giton and Agamemnon arrived in one of the Hellenic colonies in Campania. Visiting the rich Roman rider Lycurgus, they all “intertwined with a couple.” In this case, here in honor is not only normal, but also purely male love. Then Enkolpiy and Askilt periodically change their sympathies and love situations. Askilt is fond of the dear boy Giton,
Soon the action of the novel is transferred to the estate of the shipowner Likh. And – the new love interweaving, in which the pretty Dorida, the wife of Leah, takes part. As a result, Encolpe and Giton have to flee the estate urgently.
Along the way, a dashing rhetoric lover climbs onto a ship stranded, and manages to steal an expensive mantle from the statue of Isis and the money of the helmsman. Then he returns to the estate to Lycurgus.
… Bacchanalia of the Priapus worshipers – wild pranks of Priapous harlots… After many adventures, Enkolpiy, Giton, Askilt and Agamemnon fall on a feast in the house of Trimalchion – a wealthy freedman, a dense ignoramus, who thinks himself highly educated. He energetically breaks into the “Upper Light.”
Conversations to the feast. Stories about gladiators. The host is telling the guests: “Now I have two libraries, one Greek and the other Latin.” But then it is found out that in his head the most monstrous way confused the famous heroes and plots
On a huge silver dish, the servants bring in a whole wild boar, from which the blackbirds suddenly fly out. They are immediately intercepted by birders and distributed to guests. An even more grandiose pig is stuffed with fried sausages. There was also a dish with cakes: “In the middle of it was Priap from the dough, holding, as is customary, a basket with apples, grapes and other fruits.” We greedily attacked the fruits, but the new amusement increased the fun, because of all the cakes with the slightest pressure fountains of saffron… “
Then three boys bring in images of three Lares. Trimalchion reports: their name is the Extractor, Lucky and Najivshchik. To amuse the audience, Nikeroth, a friend of Trimalchion, tells the story of a werewolf soldier, and Trimalchion himself – about a witch who stole a dead boy from the coffin and replaced the body with a foxhound.
Meanwhile, the second meal begins: thrushes, stuffed with nuts and raisins. Then a huge fat goose is served, surrounded by all kinds of fish and poultry. But it turned out that the most skilful cook created all this from… pork.
“Then it began that it’s just shameful to tell: for some unheard-of custom, curly boys brought perfumes in silver bottles and rubbed their legs reclining, pre-wrapped the shins, from the knee to the heel, with flower garlands.”
The cook, as a reward for his art, was allowed to sit down for a while at the table with the guests. At the same time, the servants, while serving the next meal, necessarily sang something, regardless of the presence of voice and hearing. Dancers, acrobats and magicians also almost continuously entertained the guests.
Tremalhion was moved to announce… his will, a detailed description of the future magnificent tombstone and an inscription on it with a detailed listing of his titles and merits. Even more so with this, he can not refrain from uttering the corresponding speech: “Friends, and slaves are people: they have nourished us with milk, and they are not to blame for the bitter fate.” However, by my grace, they will soon get drunk on free water, I release them all into my will for freedom… <…> All this I now declare then that the servant now loved me as much as he will love when I die. “
The adventure of Encolopia continues. Once he wandered to the Pinakothek, where he admired the paintings of the glorified Hellenic painters Apelles, Zeuxidus and others. Immediately he gets acquainted with the old poet Evmolp and does not part with him until the very end of the narrative.
Evmolp almost continuously speaks in verse, for which he was repeatedly stoned. Although his poems were not bad at all. And sometimes – very good. Prosaic canvas “Satyricon” is often interrupted by poetic insets. Petronius was not only a very observant and talented prose writer and poet, but also an excellent imitative parodist: he masterly imitated the literary manner of his contemporaries and famous predecessors.
… Evmolp and Enkolpiy talk about art. People of educated people have something to talk about. In the meantime, the handsome Guyton comes back from Askilty to his former “brother” Encolpia. He explains his change of fear with Askilt: “For he possessed a weapon so great that man himself seemed only an appendage to this structure.” A new twist of fate: all three are on the ship Leah. But not all of them are welcomed here equally equally. However, the old poet restores the world. Then he entertains his companions “The Story of the inconsolable widow”.
A certain matron from Ephesus was distinguished by great modesty and matrimonial fidelity. And when her husband died, she followed him into the funerary dungeon and intended to starve herself there. The widow does not give in to the entreaties of relatives and friends. Only a faithful servant brightens up her loneliness in the crypt and just starves as hard, passed the fifth day of mourning self-torture…
“… At this time the ruler of that region ordered near the dungeon in which the widow cried over a fresh corpse, crucify several robbers, and that someone did not pull the robber bodies, wanting to betray them, a soldier was put on guard near the crosses, As night fell, he noticed that a bright light was streaming from among the tombstones, heard the moans of an unfortunate widow, and, by the curiosity of the whole human race, he wanted to know who it was and what was being done there. He immediately descended into the crypt and, there was a woman of remarkable beauty, just like a miracle, as though faced face to face with the shadows of the afterlife, stood for some time in embarrassment. Then, when he finally saw the dead body lying before him, when he examined her tears and the face scratched with fingernails, , I understood, that this is only a woman who, after the death of her husband, can not find peace from grief. Then he brought his modest dinner to the crypt and began to convince the weeping beauty that she should cease to be in vain and not torment her breast with useless sobbing. “
After a while, the faithful servant joins the persuasion of the soldier. Both convince the widow that it is too early for her to hurry to the next world. Far not at once, but the sad Ephesian beauty nevertheless begins to yield to their admonitions. At first, exhausted by a long fast, she is tempted by food and drink. And after a while the soldier manages to win the heart of the beautiful widow.
“They held in mutual embrace not only this night, in which they celebrated their wedding, but the same thing happened on the next, and even on the third day, and the doors in the dungeon in case someone came to the grave and friends, of course, locked up, so that it seemed as if this chaste of wives had died over the body of her husband. “
Meanwhile, relatives of one of the crucified, taking advantage of the lack of protection, removed from the cross and buried his body. And when the enamored guard discovered this and, trembling with fear of the imminent punishment, told the widow about the loss, she decided: “I prefer to hang the dead than to kill the living.” According to this, she gave advice to get her husband out of the coffin and nail him to the empty cross. The soldier immediately took advantage of the brilliant thought of a sensible woman. And the next day all the passers-by were perplexed how the dead climbed onto the cross.
A storm is rising on the sea. In the abyss, Lih perishes. The rest continue to rush through the waves. And Evmolp, even in this critical situation, does not stop his poetic recitation. But in the end, the unfortunate escape and spend a restless night in a fishing hut.
And soon all of them get to Croton – one of the oldest Greek colonial cities on the southern coast of the Apennine peninsula. This, by the way, is the only geographical point specifically identified in the accessible to us text of the novel.
To live comfortably and carefree in a new city, friends on adventures decide: Euromolp will give himself away as a very wealthy person, considering who will bequeath all his untold riches. No sooner said than done. This gives an opportunity for cheerful friends to live peacefully, taking advantage of the citizens not only with a hearty welcome, but also with unlimited credit. For many Cretans counted on the share in Evmolpa’s will and vied with each other to win his favor.
And again a series of love is not so much adventures as the misadventures of Enkolpius. All his troubles are connected with the already mentioned anger of Priapus.
But the Cretans finally came to see, and there is no limit to their just anger. Townspeople are vigorously preparing to kill the cunning. Enkolpiyu with Giton manages to escape from the city, leaving Evmolpa there.
Residents Crotona come with an old poet according to their ancient custom. When a disease raged in the city, one of the compatriots citizens during the year kept and fed the best way at the expense of the community. And then they sacrificed: this “scapegoat” was dropped from a high cliff. That’s what the Cretons did to Euromolp.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)