The Classical Quarterly (New Series)

Table of Contents - 1989 - Volume 39, Issue 02  

Research Article

Epicurus, Priapus and the Dreams in Petronius*

Patrick Kragelunda1

a1 The Danish Academy in Rome

[Lichas] ‘videbatur mihi secundum quietem Priapus dicere: “Encolpion quod quaeris, scito a me in navem tuam esse perductum”.’ exhorruit Tryphaena et ‘putes’ inquit ‘una nos dormiisse; nam et mihi simulacrum Neptuni, quod Bais <in> tetrastylo notaveram, videbatur dicere: “in nave Lichae Gitona invenies”.’ ‘hinc scies’ inquit Eumolpus ‘Epicurum hominem esse divinum, qui eiusmodi ludibria facetissima ratione condemnat.’ <*> ceterum Lichas ut Tryphaenae somnium expiavit: ‘quis’ inquit ‘prohibet navigium scrutari, ne videamur divinae mentis opera damnare?’

(Petr. Sal. 104.1–4)

Priapus and Epicurus have frequently been claimed to be major influences, each in their particular way, on the plot and composition of the Satyrica.

Footnotes

* I am indebted to Ivan Boserup, Amanda Claridge, Nicholas Horsfall, Kristian Jensen and an anonymous referee for their critical comments, linguistic as well as factual, on earlier drafts of this article.

References to Epicurea, Epicurus, Petronius, and Pseudo-Quintilian, are to the editions of H. Usener (Leipzig, 1887; repr. Stuttgart, 1966), G. Arrighetti (Torino, 19732), K. Müller (München/Zürich, 19832) and L. Håkanson (Stuttgart, 1982).

The following studies will be cited by author's or editor's name alone: G. Guidorizzi (ed.), Il sogno in Grecia (Bari, 1988)

H. Herter, De Priapo, RGVV 23 (1932)

P. Kragelund, ‘Antikke dremmeteorier – og Freuds’, Museum Tusculanum 40–3 (1980), 365ff.

O. Raith, Petronius, ein Epikureer (Nürnberg, 1963)

J. P. Sullivan, The ‘Satyricon’ of Petronius (London, 1968)

O. Weinreich, Antike Heilungswunder; RGVV 8.1 (1909; repr. Berlin, 1969)