The Satyricon of Petronius ArbiterPetronius Arbiter
General
The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter
Petronius Arbiter
Rome -- Fiction; Satire, Latin -- Translations into English
Nor was there ever a harsher sound yet pierced my ears; for besides
his disordered country tone, his pitiful and starvling way of
delivery, he so stufft it with scraps of verses, that even Virgil then
first disrelished me; till at last so tyr'd, that he could hold no
longer; "D'ye think," said Habinas, "this boy has learn'd nothing? I
bred him with juglers that follow the fair: Nor has he his fellow,
whether he humours a muliteer or a jester. This never-be-good has
abundance of wit; he's a taylor, a cook, a baker, a jack of all
trades, and but for two faults, were exact to a hair: He's
crack-brain'd, and snores in his sleep: For that cast of his eye I
value it not, he looks like Venus, and therefore his tongue is ever
running; and were that eye out he were worth the money I gave for
him."
On which Scintilla interrupting him, told him he was a naughty man,
for not telling all his servant's good qualities: "He's a pimp," said
he, "if not worse, but I'll take care he be branded for that."
Trimalchio laught, and said he knew he was a Cappadocian that never
beguiled himself of any thing, and "(so help me Hercules) I commend
him for 't: when will you find such another, but Scintilla, you must
not be jealous! Believe me, and I know you too; may I so enjoy the
health you wish me, as I play'd at leap-frog so long with our boy,
that my master grew jealous, and sent me to dig in the country: But
hold thy tongue and I'll give thee a loaf." I marvel," said I,
"whether they be all mash'd together or made of loam; for in a
Saturnal at Rome, my self saw the like imaginary shew of a supper."
Nor had I scarce said it, when--quoth Trimalchio, "Let me so grow in
estate, not bulk, as my cook made all of this out of one hog; there is
not an excellenter fellow than himself; he shall, if he please, make
ye a poll of ling of a sows tripe; a wood-culver of fat bacon; a
turtle of a spring of pork; and a hen of a collar of brawn; and
therefore of my own fancy, I gave him a name proper to him, for he is
called Dædalus: And because he understands his business, I had
chopping-knives of the best steel brought him from Rome"; and with
that, calling for them, he turn'd them over, and admiring them,
offered us the liberty of trying their edge on his cheek.
On this came in two servants as quarrelling about their collars, at
which each of them had a large earthen pot hanging; and when
Trimalchio determined the matter between them, neither of them stood
to his sentence, but fell to club-law, and broke each others pots.
This drunken presumption put us out of order; yet casting an eye on
the combatants, we saw oisters and scallops running from the pots, and
another boy receiving them in a charger, which he carried round the
guests.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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