The Satires

Juvenal, whose work dates from the early second century A.D., is commonly considered to be the greatest Roman satirical poet. Addressing Roman society, his sixteen satires are notable for their bitter, ironic humor; power of invective, grim epigrams; sympathy with the poor; and narrow pessimism. Juvenal greatly influenced later satirists, most notably, Samuel Johnson. This new translation of the Satires vividly conveys Juvenal's gift for evoking a wealth of imagery with a few, economical phrases. With an introduction and notes outlining background information and explaining contemporary allusions, this new translation is fully accessible to the modern reader.