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The Cena Trimalchionis of Petronius Together with Seneca's Apocolocyntosis and a Selection of Pompeian Inscriptions
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1967
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June 20, 2026
It did not actually take me 6 months to read this, I should say. Rather, I read some of it over winter break and then put it down for the semester and only just picked it back up two weeks ago.
First, to review the edition. It’s not great, it’s not terrible. Beth Severy-Hoven’s intermediate reader is probably better for the student. Here, Sedgwick helpfully (and amusingly) glosses many of the vulgar (i.e., popular) expressions into (“)contemporary(“) (British) idiom and unhelpfully excludes many of the vulgar (i.e, sexual) scenes. I understand that this is a school commentary, but it’s a little funny to draw the line here. Some indication that text was being eluded would have been greatly appreciated. What’s actually in the commentary is helpful, though. As for the section on Seneca’s Apocolocyntosis, the commentary is much sparser. It certainly didn’t need to be as long as the commentary on Petronius, since this text is easier to read, but some contextual notes would have been appreciated.
Now, to review the text itself. Obviously, the Satyricon is of tremendous importance as an artifact from the past. I think it would have been much more enjoyable, though, if I weren’t constantly looking up vocabulary words…every time food was presented I got exhausted! I think I would have enjoyed this more if I read it in English, or if I didn’t grasp the dictionary so tight…and then, the Apocolocyntosis is just alright, it’s unfortunately not really about Claudius turning into a pumpkin. The huge lacuna is unfortunate. The opening about the date/time is funnier to me than most of the Claudius satire.
I definitely have the capacity to enjoy the Petronius more than I did, and if I revisit any anecdotes in Latin I’m sure I would like them. But, materially, I didn’t have a great reading experience. For reasons that are largely my fault, yes.
First, to review the edition. It’s not great, it’s not terrible. Beth Severy-Hoven’s intermediate reader is probably better for the student. Here, Sedgwick helpfully (and amusingly) glosses many of the vulgar (i.e., popular) expressions into (“)contemporary(“) (British) idiom and unhelpfully excludes many of the vulgar (i.e, sexual) scenes. I understand that this is a school commentary, but it’s a little funny to draw the line here. Some indication that text was being eluded would have been greatly appreciated. What’s actually in the commentary is helpful, though. As for the section on Seneca’s Apocolocyntosis, the commentary is much sparser. It certainly didn’t need to be as long as the commentary on Petronius, since this text is easier to read, but some contextual notes would have been appreciated.
Now, to review the text itself. Obviously, the Satyricon is of tremendous importance as an artifact from the past. I think it would have been much more enjoyable, though, if I weren’t constantly looking up vocabulary words…every time food was presented I got exhausted! I think I would have enjoyed this more if I read it in English, or if I didn’t grasp the dictionary so tight…and then, the Apocolocyntosis is just alright, it’s unfortunately not really about Claudius turning into a pumpkin. The huge lacuna is unfortunate. The opening about the date/time is funnier to me than most of the Claudius satire.
I definitely have the capacity to enjoy the Petronius more than I did, and if I revisit any anecdotes in Latin I’m sure I would like them. But, materially, I didn’t have a great reading experience. For reasons that are largely my fault, yes.
Displaying 1 of 1 review