Trimalchios Dinner Party - 965 Words

Trimalchio hosts’ a farewell dinner which is a dinner given to gladiators who were about to face wild beasts in the arena. Trimalchio is a Semitic name based on the word for â€Å"prince† and he is a high living individual. However, a well-born Roman reader would not approve of his attitudes and behavior. You get a good sense of what Trimalchio is like early on in the story when he is in the middle of talking to Menelaus and snaps his fingers for a slave to bring him a pot. When the slave brings the pot to Trimalchio he peed in it, asked for water and then used the slave’s hair to dry his hands. (19) Trimalchio had many slaves, some of their jobs were miniscule(petty) that it consisted of them standing near the dining room door and saying†¦show more content†¦One example of this is when the table was cleared and three pigs were brought into the room, Trimalchio asked his guests which one they wanted to eat and without waiting for a response he picke d the one he wanted to be cooked. He spends most of the dinner talking about himself and bragging about his belonging as well. Trimalchio mentions that his serving plates are made out of corinthean bronze and he was the only one to own such a thing. Although entertainment was a big part of a traditional Roman dinner, the entertainment Trimalchio provided was only enjoyable to him. For example when acrobats preformed Trimalchio was the only one who was impressed by their act. Also his alcohol consumption leads him to rude manners and even insults towards guests. Trimalchio ends the night by kissing a good looking slave causing a fight between him and Fortunata. Trimalchio says some really rude and hurtful things about Forunata over such a little incident. Trimalchio makes it difficult for anyone to get close to him or trust him because he can change his whole in just a moment. Trimalchio then tells his whole life story and then lays on the couch and told his guests to preten d he’s dead. The Romans drank a lot of wine but not straight or quickly. â€Å"Diluting wine and drinking with restraint were ordinary courtesy. The purpose of a dinner party was relaxedShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Pompeii In The Satyricon1146 Words   |  5 PagesRoman work is a fictional satire, it still illuminates what social parties, house design, slave relations, women’s roles, religious beliefs, etc. may have been like in the final days of Pompeii. The excerpt analyzed from The Satyricon tells the events that unfolded at a feast hosted by Trimalchio, a prominent man in Rome. The section opens with Trimalchio being rubbed down with the finest material and smothered in perfume. Trimalchio’s importance is further stressed as he says his masseurs were drinkingRead MoreSatyricon Essay878 Words   |  4 Pagesis a narrative whose author is not known definitively.    However, the best candidate from the time was Titus Petronius (Arbiter).The story, looking especially from the scene â€Å"Dinner with Trimalchio,† is a satiric masterwork of the pragmatic and materialistic attitude of the time, soon to be replaced by Christianity. â€Å"Dinner with Trimalchio† tells a tale from the perspective of Encolpius, a vagabond student of the master Agamemnon, who is invited along as a pupil of Agamemnon to a banquet. The hostRead MoreEssay Slaves will be Slaves1852 Words   |  8 Pages Petronius Arbiter, in Trimalchi os Dinner Party, the third chapter of his book Satyricon, mocks the nature of slaves. He was a top official in Rome, namely the quot;Judge of Tastequot; in Neros court (129). Regardless of the responsibilities he had, he was an aristocrat. The history of Rome was written from an aristocratic perspective because they were the ones who had the money, ambition and free time to document history. Petronius believed that slaves are low class, and that a slave that hasRead MoreAnalysis Of Dinner With Trimalchio 1574 Words   |  7 PagesTrimalchio, showcased in the most complete work of Petronius’ Dinner With Trimalchio, in the Satyricon profess many aspects of the rich and famous, where Jordan Belfort from Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street embodies the rising fame and fortune of Wall Street. Trimalchio and Belfort both have comparatively similar characteristics that run in unison with each other throughout their respective roles. Both Trimalchio and Belfort came from what was considered lower class families, and eventually gainedRead MoreThe Identity of the Satyricons Author1732 Words   |  7 PagesNero’s taste for mixing with the common people at night in secret; Petronius has been thought to have had a keen interest in the life of those in less fortunate social positions. Throughout the account of the dinner party, the author emphasizes the importance of good taste by showing Trimalchio’s flaws, which seems very much in keeping with the character of Nero’s adviser who was consulted on matters of taste and style alone. The detail of the gold ring worn by Ascyltus helps to date the work, as wearingRead MoreWhy Is Virtue Important?1142 Words   |  5 PagesAt a dinner party that Trimalchio hosts, his guests are accompanied by singing slaves, liquor, peahen eggs, games, and an endless amount of food. Trimalchio entered the dining room covered in a cloak and a burst of music (Petronius). As the host of the party, Trimalchio engages in conversations with guests of the party, explaining how wealthy he is and how much power he has. As the party progressed, one of the musician performing made to much noise, causing a watchmen to burst into the party. The