Gaius Petronius Arbiter
Biography
Gaius Petronius Arbiter was a prominent figure in the court of the Roman Emperor Nero, famed for his discerning taste and elegant lifestyle, earning him the epithet 'Arbiter Elegantiae' (Arbiter of Elegance). His life is primarily known through the accounts of Tacitus. He held public office as a suffect consul and proconsul of Bithynia, but his true influence lay in his role as Nero's unofficial 'director of pleasures,' dictating fashion and aesthetics. Petronius is widely believed to be the author of the 'Satyricon,' a groundbreaking work of Menippean satire, though definitive attribution remains debated. His downfall came when he was accused of treason by Tigellinus, Nero's jealous praetorian prefect. Faced with execution, Petronius chose a famously leisurely and philosophical suicide in 66 AD, spending his last hours dining, conversing, and dictating a list of Nero's debaucheries rather than a flattering will.
Selected Thoughts
«Hunger is the best sauce.»
«The whole world is a circus: the great thing is to know where you are standing.»
«We are born to be slaves.»
Writing Style
Petronius's writing style, exemplified in the 'Satyricon,' is characterized by its sophisticated wit, sharp satirical edge, and a remarkable blend of high and low registers. He employs vivid realism, often verging on the grotesque, to depict the decadent Roman society of his time. The narrative is picaresque and episodic, featuring a wide array of characters from different social strata. His language is elegant yet frequently interspersed with colloquialisms, Greek loanwords, and vulgarisms, contributing to its parodic and often comedic effect. He masterfully uses irony, parody, and rhetorical flourishes to critique social conventions and human folly.