Satires

by Juvenal
Satires cover
Good Books rating 4.25
Technical
  • ID: 120
  • Added: 2025-09-02
  • Updated: 2025-09-02
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
Literature and History Podcast · 2021-03-15
incisive 4.00

The Satires are portrayed as a fierce denunciation of Roman decadence and social corruption, with Juvenal expressing moral outrage at the rise of vulgarity and loss of traditional values.

This review focuses on Juvenal's sharp denunciation of the moral and social decay in Rome, highlighting his critique of materialism, hedonism, and the erosion of genuine virtue among the aristocracy and emerging social classes. Juvenal's satire is framed as a passionate response to a society he perceives as grotesquely corrupt, with his famous line about it being harder not to write satire underscoring the urgency and necessity of his poetic critique. The review appreciates Juvenal's conservative perspective and his role in preserving a critical voice against the excesses of his time.

Quick quotes

    Juvenal's satires are an angry denunciation of Roman decadence.

    It’s harder not to be writing satires.

    He vilifies Greeks as a corruption that had infiltrated Rome’s otherwise stalwart culture.

The New Criterion · 2020-01-01
biting 4.50

Juvenal's satire is described as harsh and bitter, intentionally designed to wound and provoke indignation, reflecting the poet's deep skepticism of Roman society.

This perspective emphasizes Juvenal's style as markedly bitter and uncompromising, distinguishing him from softer satirists. The review situates Juvenal's work historically, noting its composition during imperial reigns that ranged from tyrannical to comparatively benign, and highlights how Juvenal's sharp, often brutal social commentary has ensured his enduring influence. The poet's work is seen as a powerful, if sometimes unsettling, critique of Roman moral and social failings, which has resonated through European literary tradition and remains relevant for its piercing insight into human folly and corruption.

Quick quotes

    When he pokes, he pokes hard, to hurt.

    His satire is bitter—an adjective that is never far from the poet's name.

    Once Juvenal entered the bloodstream of European literature, he stuck.

historybooksreview.co.uk · 2011-05-14
insightful 4.25

The review presents Juvenal as a complex figure whose biting satire initially alienates but eventually draws readers in, revealing a sharp social critic with a unique voice.

The review likens Juvenal to a difficult coworker you initially dislike but come to appreciate over time. It highlights the poet's caustic style and moral indignation, noting how his satire vividly exposes the societal flaws of his era while also displaying a personal voice that grows more nuanced and engaging as one reads further. Juvenal's work is portrayed as a challenging but rewarding exploration of Roman society's excesses and moral decay, offering insight into the harsh realities of his time through a lens of sharp wit and stern judgment.

Quick quotes

    You get to know Juvenal pretty well from reading the Satires.

    He is a bit like the co-worker you can't stand to begin with, but who you warm to eventually.

    Juvenal is a sharp social critic whose satire exposes the grotesque materialism and moral corruption of Roman society.

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