Junius Juvenal Decima

Juvenal (Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis)

He was born (on the basis of indirect evidence) c.. 55-60 years. in Aquino, a small town near Rome. On the origin of Juvenal in the best of the extant biographies of states rather vaguely: he was the son of a wealthy freedman or a disciple who has received a good grammatical and rhetorical education. It is known that Juvenal almost to the middle of his life was engaged in composing declamations and speeches on imaginary subjects, and more for my own pleasure, and not to prepare for public activities.

96 - only after the death of Emperor Domitian, when in Rome, established the relative freedom of speech, Juvenal begins its work of the poet-satirist. Perhaps satire Juvenal had the success that has caused trouble: according to legend, despite the age of eighty, Juvenal, under the pretext of military command, was exiled to Egypt.

After 127 - Juvenal died in exile.

Before we got 16 written hexameters satires Juvenal (the last unfinished), which are collected in 5 books. The first book was published shortly after 100, the following appeared intermittently up to 127. Satire of the first three books have sharply accusatory nature (against men, . against women, . against the oppression of clients, . against the provisions of poets and orators, . against domitsianovskogo yard), . satires of the last two books are largely abstract reasoning on moral themes, . addressed to someone of my friends (the true happiness, . hardness of the sage, . about education, etc.).,

. For Juvenal's satires characteristic sense of unity instead of unity of thought, . connectedness of a deliberate disregard for the effect of each individual seat, . constant repetition and interruptions of the narrative, . short and catchy maxims panem et circenses ( 'bread and circuses'), . mens sana in corpore sano ( 'a healthy body, healthy mind'), etc.,
. Juvenal went down in history as a literary classic 'grim satire' (along with Horace - a classic 'good-natured satire').

Shortly after the death of Juvenal was forgotten. In IV., With an overall revival of interest in the pagan literature, it became popular satire. Throughout the next century, it was perhaps the most widely read writer in Italy, Gaul, Spain and North Africa. Satire Juvenal were rediscovered in the IX century. And he became one of the 'golden poets' of the Middle Ages. Particularly strong influence it had on English literature.


Literary works:

Satire third. Approximately 98-117
Satire eighth. About 120
Satire eleventh. About 125
First Satire. Approximately 97-117
Satire fourth. 98-117