Parody and irony in the works of Petronius : Encolpius' wandering

This article deals with only one part of Petronius' work Satyricon, and that is Encolpius' wandering across the sea - the storm and shipwreck - and his subsequent arrival in Croton. The analysis is concentrated particularly on parallels between this tale and elements of the Homeric epic - namely Ulysses' wandering and the issues of slavery and enslavement - and parody connected mostly with sharp or light irony aimed against the Greek idealistic novel. In the chapter situated in Croton, attention is turned to Encolpius' failed love affair and his bisexuality. Intentionally, I did not interpret the story Matrona Ephesi and poem Bellum civile, because I believe both works deserve a separate and detailed presentation.