Against the Grain · Chapter
Chapter III explained
Des Esseintes' contemplation of Latin literature, focusing on the decadent period of the Silver and Late Latin authors, his disdain for the Golden Age writers like Virgil and Cicero, and his fascination with Petronius, Apuleius, and the Chr
What happens
Des Esseintes' contemplation of Latin literature, focusing on the decadent period of the Silver and Late Latin authors, his disdain for the Golden Age writers like Virgil and Cicero, and his fascination with Petronius, Apuleius, and the Christian apologists such as Tertullian, set against the backdrop of the crumbling Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions.
Themes in this chapter
Decadence and Degeneracy
Des Esseintes' fascination with the decaying Latin language and the vices of a crumbling civilization, as seen in Petronius and the late Empire.
Artifice vs. Nature
Tertullian's condemnation of cosmetics and jewelry contrasts with Des Esseintes' own preference for artifice over nature.
Disillusionment with Society
Des Esseintes' rejection of mainstream Latin literature and his retreat into obscure, decadent authors reflect his broader disillusionment.
Aestheticism and Sensuality
The appreciation of style and sensory richness in Petronius and Apuleius, and the tactile pleasure of rare editions.
Characters to notice
- Des Esseintes
The protagonist, whose literary tastes and bibliophilic passions are explored in depth as he examines his collection of Latin works.
- Petronius
Author of the Satyricon, whose refined style and depiction of a decadent civilization rivet Des Esseintes' attention.
- Apuleius
The African rhetorician whose rich, exotic Latin and jovial nature delight Des Esseintes.
- Tertullian
Christian apologist whose style and life during the reign of Elagabalus intrigue Des Esseintes more than his theological works.
- Virgil
Dismissed by Des Esseintes as a pedantic and tiresome poet, representative of the Golden Age he despises.
- Cicero
Criticized for his redundant and ponderous style, lacking the originality Des Esseintes seeks.
- Augustine
Bishop of Hippo, whose works Des Esseintes knows well but no longer opens, despite their themes of disillusionment.
- Sidonius Apollinaris
A late Latin author whose affected style and ingenious poetic constructions appeal to Des Esseintes.
Key passages
“depicting in language wrought to the perfection of a piece of goldsmith’s work, without the writer once showing himself, without a word of comment, without one phrase of approbation or disapproval of his characters’ deeds and thoughts, the vices of a decrepit civilization, an Empire falling to ruin, rivetted Des Esseintes’ attention”
Petronius' Satyricon, with its flawless, impersonal style, captures the vices of a decaying civilization and a crumbling empire, which deeply fascinates Des Esseintes.
Des Esseintes admires Petronius for his objective, artful depiction of decadence.
“the gentle Virgil, he whom school ushers name the Swan of Mantua, presumably because he was not born in that city, appeared to him as one of the most terrible of pedants, one of the most dismal twaddlers Antiquity ever produced”
Virgil, often called the Swan of Mantua, strikes Des Esseintes as a dreadful pedant and a tedious bore.
Des Esseintes' contempt for Virgil and the Golden Age Latin poets is evident.
“the Latin language, after attaining to supreme maturity in Petronius, was beginning to break up; the literature of Christianity was claiming”
After reaching its peak in Petronius, the Latin language began to disintegrate as Christian literature took over.
Des Esseintes sees the decline of Latin as a parallel to the decline of the Empire.
