Satirae vs Satyricon: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Latin Satire, Latin literature, Latin language materials, Latin language, Criticism and interpretation
Satirae
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The Roman philosopher and dramatic critic Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-3 B.C.), known in English as Horace, was also the most famous lyric poet of his age. Written in the troubled decade ending with the establishment of…
Satyricon
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An incomplete Roman novel believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius Arbiter. What remains of the novel is a picaresque story concerning the narrator’s battle to keep his lover, a handsome sixteen year old boy,…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Satyricon is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for Satirae.
- Satyricon has the widest readership — 9989 ratings behind its score.
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Scores by source
| Satirae | Satyricon | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 3.8 (9989) |
| Hardcover | — | 3.7 (27) |
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Reception
| Satirae | Satyricon | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 1 | 9989 |
| Editions | 115 | 311 |
| Film adaptations | — | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 13020 |
| Reading it now | — | 594 |
| Written reviews | — | 729 |
| Wikipedia attention | — | 10689 |
| Pages | 329 | 164 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Satirae or Satyricon?
Satirae has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Satirae 3.8/5, Satyricon 3.8/5).
Which is shorter to read: Satirae or Satyricon?
Satyricon is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Satyricon (164 pages, ≈ 3 h 02 m); Satirae (329 pages, ≈ 6 h 06 m).
Which is harder to read: Satirae or Satyricon?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Satirae: Demanding; Satyricon: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
Satirae: no film adaptation on record; Satyricon: 2 film adaptations.