Project Gutenberg 2003-11-01 Public domain in the USA. 949 Seneca, Lucius Annaeus 65 Seneca, L. A. (Lucius Annaeus) Seneca, Annaeus Annaeus Seneca, Lucius Rouse, W. H. D. (William Henry Denham) 1863 1950 Rouse, William Henry Denham Apocolocyntosis Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocolocyntosis Produced by Ted Garvin, Ben Courtney and PG Distributed Proofreaders "Apocolocyntosis" by Lucius Annaeus Seneca is a satirical work written during the early Roman Empire. Defined as a satura menippea, the text employs a blend of prose and verse to humorously critique the emperor Claudius, particularly through the lens of his posthumous "Pumpkinification," which contrasts sharply with the traditional idea of apotheosis wherein notable figures are elevated to godhood. The narrative primarily explores themes of power, folly, and the absurdities of Roman politics. The story begins with the death of Emperor Claudius and transports readers to an absurd celestial setting where gods and mythological figures convene to discuss his fate. Despite brief moments of hope from Claudius about his potential divinity, he is quickly met with derision from the gods, including notable characters like Mercury and Hercules. His claims of greatness are undermined as they recount his abysmal rule, highlighting his incompetence. Ultimately, Claudius is subjected to a mocking trial in the afterlife, where he faces the consequences of his actions through unjust punishment, ending with him perpetually shaking dice in a bottomless box—a metaphor for his futile grasp on power. Through this comedic lens, Seneca critiques the nature of rule and legacy, contrasting divine aspirations against a backdrop of human folly. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 76.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Claudius, Emperor of Rome, 10 B.C.-54 A.D. -- Humor PA Text Category: Humour Category: Plays/Films/Dramas Category: Classics of Literature 59050 2025-08-04T10:48:21.854218 text/html 34961 2024-11-07T00:32:39 text/html 93010 2025-08-04T10:48:25.727196 application/epub+zip 91612 2025-08-04T10:48:23.422213 application/epub+zip 91613 2025-08-04T10:48:22.422215 application/epub+zip 198956 2025-08-04T10:48:27.403177 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 192426 2025-08-04T10:48:25.140211 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 166499 2022-09-05T06:29:23.659831 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 51028 2025-08-04T10:48:21.544236 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 31242 2024-11-07T00:32:39 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 17405 2025-08-04T10:48:27.541177 application/rdf+xml 14602 2025-08-04T10:48:22.908222 image/jpeg 3743 2025-08-04T10:48:22.663233 image/jpeg 91108 2025-08-04T10:48:21.862220 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia en.wikipedia