THE SATYRICON OF
PETRONIUS ARBITER
Volume 2.
Complete and unexpurgated translation by W. C. Firebaugh,in which are incorporated the forgeries of Nodot and Marchena,and the readings introduced into the text by De Salas.
Volume 2.
BRACKET CODE:
(Forgeries of Nodot)
[Forgeries of Marchena]
{Additions of De Salas}
DW
THE DINNER OF TRIMALCHIO
CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SEVENTH.
Having put on our clothes, in the meantime, we commenced to stroll aroundand soon, the better to amuse ourselves, approached the circle ofplayers; all of a sudden we caught sight of a bald-headed old fellow,rigged out in a russet colored tunic, playing ball with some long hairedboys. It was not so much the boys who attracted our attention, althoughthey might well have merited it, as it was the spectacle afforded by thisbeslippered paterfamilias playing with a green ball. If one but touchedthe ground, he never stooped for it to put it back in play; for a slavestood by with a bagful from which the players were supplied. We notedother innovations as well, for two eunuchs were stationed at oppositesides of the ring, one of whom held a silver chamber-pot, the othercounted the balls; not those which bounced back and forth from hand tohand, in play, but those which fell to the ground. While we weremarveling at this display of refinement, Menelaus rushed up, "He is theone with whom you will rest upon your elbow," he panted, "what you seenow, is only a prelude to the dinner." Menelaus h