The Satyricon

• The Odyssey by Homer (8th century BCE)

Homer’s epic poem established a number of tropes, conventions, and allusions that became extremely important in subsequent Classical literature, and in Western literature more generally. Petronius’s text contains multiple direct allusions to The Odyssey, such as using the name of Circe for a seductive female character. The overall structure of The Satyricon, involving a traveler wandering from place to place, also echoes Homer’s epic.

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

The Great Gatsby tells the story of a man who acquires great wealth despite coming from humble social origins. He uses that wealth to throw lavish parties but is never able to be accepted by individuals who focus on his origins rather than his current social status. Th character of Gatsby mirrors many aspects of the character of Trimalchio, to the extent that Fitzgerald originally considered using an allusion to Trimalchio in the title of the novel.

• “The Roman Empire in the First Century” by PBS

Petronius lived and wrote during the first century CE, under the reign of Emperor Nero. This website provides extensive resources about this historical context, including information about the role of slavery in the Roman Empire and a page providing biographical information about Petronius.