It is astonishing that the few surviving fragments of Petronius' work evoked such a stunning and Rabelaisian cinematic romp through ancient Rome. The author was extremely daring to flout the dangerous emperor Nero by satirizing the egregious excesses of the time. Keep in mind that he was executed for it and most of his work destroyed. The "party 'til you puke" attitude actually originated with the Romans, who provided feathers for the throat and basins for their guests to vomit into so that in voiding they could eat and drink even more. Trimalchio's banquet is typical, it's description is much of what is left of Petronius' work. The somber sequence depicting the dignified suicide of proscribed patricians reminds us that many prominent persons who fell out of favor by their political affiliations were forced to abandon their families in this way which also included confiscation of their property. Petronious himself ended in this way.<br /><br />Fellini has given us a fascinating tryptych into a bygone era. In doing so, he also provides a remarkable journey into the myriad aspects of human life in all its richness.