The Satires of Persius (Poetica)

The Roman poet Persius, who lived from AD 34-62, left a mere 650 lines of verse; enough, however, to have made him famous for his powerful and uncompromising satires on Roman society in the time of Nero. His poems were greatly admired by such contemporaries as the poets Lucan and Martial, and the critic Quintilian. Although he is not an easy poet, his work has retained its fascination and appeal throughout the centuries. His "Satires" was among the earliest printed books - the first edition was published in 1470 - and nearly sixty translations have been made into English. This is the first English edition of the fine version by the distinguished American poet W.S. Merwin. Professor William S. Anderson, a leading authority on Roman satire, has fully annotated the translations; in his introduction he explores the background to Persius' life and work, and sets the poems in an illuminating historical and critical perspective.