Juvenal, << JOO vuh nuhl >> (A.D. 60?-130?), was a Roman poet known for his 16 biting satires. These pieces ridicule the extravagance, corruption, and immorality he saw in Rome. Juvenal excelled in writing short, stinging character sketches. He had a marvelous eye for detail and a keen ear for people’s speech. Juvenal thought society should be run by men, like himself, of the old upper class who were of Italian birth. He hated the success of foreigners and the new freedom of women.
Juvenal’s 3rd and 10th satires are his best known and have often been imitated. The 3rd satire attacks Rome because it is noisy, uncomfortable, dangerous, and full of criminals and foreigners. His mildest satire, the 10th, shows the dreadful consequences of seeking beauty, power, or material success. It urges the reader to desire only “a sound mind in a sound body”–that is, a healthy and simple life. Juvenal’s work strongly influenced English writers of the 1700’s, especially Samuel Johnson (see Johnson, Samuel (Early years) ).
Juvenal was born in the town of Aquinum in central Italy. His full name in Latin, the language of ancient Rome, was Decimus Junius Juvenalis.
