The Satyricon

Onboard the ship, Encolpius and Giton settle in below deck. Encolpius reflects that he wishes Eumolpus was not attracted to Giton, but that there is little he can do about it. Suddenly, Encolpius and Giton hear two voices from above deck, one belonging to a man and the other to a woman. The sound of the voices alarms them, and they wake Eumolpus up to ask whose ship they are on. Eumolpus explains that the ship belongs to man named Lichas, and that a woman named Tryphaena is also onboard.

This news is very upsetting to Encolpius and Giton, such that “this thunderbolt left me gasping and all atremble” (89). They explain their past connection to Lichas and Tryphaena. The fragmented nature of the text does not make this entirely clear, but it seems that Encolpius offended Lichas by having an affair with his wife. Encolpius was previously also sleeping with Tryphaena, but he then betrayed her by stealing her beloved slave, Giton. Ever since then, Lichas has been looking for Encolpius, and Tryphaena has been looking for Giton.

Eumolpus explains that he did not purposefully bring Encolpius and Giton to their enemies, and anxiously wonders what they should do now.