Satiro-Mastix; or, the Vntrussing of the Humorous Poet

by Thomas Dekker

"Satiro-Mastix; or, the Vntrussing of the Humorous Poet" by Thomas Dekker is a late Elizabethan stage play published in 1602. This theatrical work emerged from the War of the Theatres, a heated literary feud among playwrights. Dekker's play features a character named Horace who represents Ben Jonson, portrayed as a social climber and dishonest writer. The work responds directly to Jonson's "The Poetaster," adopting several of its characters while weaving satire into an existing tragic plot with comedic elements.