Philosophy into Satire: The Program of Juvenal's Fifth Book

The Satires of Juvenal's fifth book constitute an important chapter in the satiric genre's dialogue with philosophy. The parodic consolatio (Satire 13) introduces a cynical and erudite satiric speaker who manipulates conventions to create a virtual dramatic exchange. An examination of the rhetorical structure and philosophical influences in the remaining poems, which are less often discussed, reveals a consistent program. Satires 14–16 all have "plots" derived from specific texts or themes of philosophical literature: in each case, Juvenal exploits a conflict or ambiguity in his sources to spin a satiric narrative.