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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What language does Trimalchio use when he sings the lines of the play?

2. When the friends part in Puteoli, who does Giton go with?

3. What is inside the egg that is served at the dinner party?

4. Which Roman satire does the translator link to "The Satyricon"?

5. What kind of bottle is carried for the dinner host's urinary needs?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Petronius' title in the emperor's court and what significance was the title?

2. Is Petronius a typical satirist for his era? Why or why not?

3. What convinces foes to pardon Encolpius and Giton when they are caught as stowaways on a ship?

4. What is Ascyltus' response when Encolpius confronts him about the attempted rape of Giton?

5. What is the relationship between Giton and Encolpius?

6. What about "The Satyricon" resulted in it being viewed as inferior literature in the past?

7. Briefly tell the werewolf story.

8. How does Petronius treat sordid events in his story? How would other writers from the era have treated them?

9. What joke involving a pig does Trimalchio play on his guests?

10. How does Trimalchio arrive at his dinner party and how is he dressed for the occasion?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the life of Petronius and his role in the emperor's court.

Essay Topic 2

In both stories ("The Satyricon" and "The Apocolocyntosis"), authorship is questioned by various scholars. How does the consensus prove who wrote which? How do they know the stories are by different authors?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the main characters of "The Satyricon." Who was the protagonist and what separates that character from the other main characters?

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