The parallels observed between Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and Petronius’ short story  Cena Trimlachionis illustrates how the characters of both men has not only been shaped by their wealth,  but also defines the caliber of the people, they are frequently surrounded by or acquaint themselves with. Lines 55-57 read “ivi enim ad funus. Homo bellus, tam bonus Chrysanthus, diem suum.” and translate to “I went to a funeral. A nice man, Chrysanthus so good, has died his day.” Similarly in Chapter 3 a girl attending Gatsby’s extravagant party whispers, “Gatsby. Somebody told me – Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once.” This dialogue about dead men displays the lack of etiquette and  the thoughtless manner or casual nature the guests at these gatherings seem to have, for the dead.  The  callousness and careless way in which these conversations take place often at celebratory events like dinners and parties shows a lack of civility or  reverence for the dead, and may even be  uncomfortable for other persons in attendance. Additionally, Lines 21 and 22 read “Nos triclinium iam pervenimus et mox omnes discubuerant praeter ipsum Trimalchionem.” and translate to “ We had arrived to the dinner now and soon everyone had taken our places except Trimalchio himself.” Parallel to this instance, in Chapter 3 Nick Carraway states “This is an unusual party for me. I haven’t even seen the host.” In both situations, the host of the celebrations is  nowhere to be found which shows how significant this specific party actually is to these wealthy men, that they themselves don’t need to make an appearance.  As the  host of  any function  you are  highly regarded, expected to be visible to guests, who make the time to attend your event. One may surmise  that the  absence of Gatsby and Trimalchio shows how little these individuals really cared about the conversations  at the party, but rather prefer to sit back and watch the festivities ensue. Lastly, lines 158-160 read “ille ebrius erat manusque uxoris umeris imposuerat. Se posuit ad mensam continuoque vinum et calidam aquam popscit” and translate to “This man was drunk and the hand of his wife was placed on his shoulders. He put himself at the table and immediately he demanded wine and hot water.” Furthermore, in Chapter 3, Nick describes the increase in amusement throughout the night and describes how “champagne was served in glasses bigger than finger bowls.” During both parties, alcohol is often mentioned as a precursor to events ramping up into rowdiness or chaos. For Trimalchio, after the arrival of Habbinnas, he himself gets quite drunk and begins to recite his will and in The Great Gatsby, it is stated that during the celebrations that as the night goes on more entertainment is presented and champagne gets offered in hefty glasses. In both pieces, the extravagant and loose nature of both characters and the guests they’re hosting has been noticed and shows how ancient Latin texts still inspire notable works of literature today.