Sixteen Satires Upon the Ancient Harlot

Book excerpt: The Satires of Juvenal capture the splendor, squalor, and sheer vibrant energy of everyday Roman life better than any other work. A member of the traditional landowning class that was rapidly seeing power slip into the hands of dynamic outsiders, Juvenal offers savage portraits of decadent aristocrats, women interested only in "rough trade" like actors and gladiators, and the pretentious sons of pimps and auctioneers. With an eye to the stern forebears of Rome's past, Juvenal puts into exquisite relief the degradation of his infamous times.For this third edition, Peter Green's celebrated translation has been substantially revised to bring it still closer to the tone and structure of Juvenal's Latin and to take into account important scholarship of the past quarter-century. The Introduction, Notes, and Bibliography have all been updated and expanded. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.