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In classics the term epyllion (Ancient Greek: ἐπύλλιον, plural: ἐπύλλια, ) refers to a comparatively short narrative poem (or discrete episode within a longer work) that shows formal affinities with epic poetry, but betrays a preoccupation with themes and poetic techniques that are not generally or, at least, primarily characteristic of epic proper.
| ὅτι τὸ εἰς Ὅμηρον ἀναφερόμενον ἐπύλλιον, ἐπιγραφόμενον δὲ Ἐπικιχλίδες, ἔτυχε ταύτης τῆς προσηγορίας διὰ τὸ τὸν Ὅμηρον ᾄδοντα αὐτὸ τοῖς παισὶ κίχλας δῶρον λαμβάνειν, ἱστορεῖ Μέναιχμος ἐν τῷ περὶ τεχνιτῶν. | A short epic ( epyllion) attributed to Homer, entitled The One for the Thrushes, acquired this name because Homer was rewarded with thrushes when he sang it to his children—Menaechmus tells the story in his On Artisans. |
This is in fact the only ancient instance of the word that shows anything approaching the connotations with which it is most often employed by modern scholars,Fordyce (1961) 272 n. 1. and epyllion did not enter the common language of criticism until the 19th century. Wolf was apparently responsible for popularizing the term, for two of his essays from early in that century are referred to by titles including epyllion: Ad Scutum Herculis epyllion Hesiodo subditum animadversiones ( Observations on the Shield of Heracles, an Epyllion Falsely Attributed to Hesiod) and Theocriti idyllia et epyllia ( The Idylls and Epyllia of Theocritus).Most (1982). The locus classicus for the sense of epyllion as a hexametric mythological poem that is not only comparatively short, but also imbued to some extent with the characteristics of Hellenistic poetry is Moritz Haupt's 1855 study of Catullus 64,Reprinted in Haupt (1876), with the key discussion occurring at 76–79; cf. Fordyce (1961) 272 n. 1. but it is likely that Haupt was using a term that had in the preceding decades become common to discussions of the shorter narrative poems of the Alexandrians.Reilly (1953) 111.
In the early 20th century the first studies specifically devoted to the concept of the epyllion were undertaken, with Leumann's work on Hellenistic epyllia, Jackson's study of the possible Roman examples, and Crump's attempt at a diachronic study of the epyllion as a single genre whose history could be traced from the Greek poems of the Hellenistic period through the Augustan period's Latin texts.Leumann (1904); Jackson (1913); and Crump (1931). The exact meaning and applicability of the term epyllion has remained a matter of dispute, and Richard Hunter's recent appraisal summarizes well the current opinion regarding epyllia:
In terms of tone, epyllion are characterized by their lively descriptions and a miniaturist approach to storytelling. They often employ a scholarly and allusive style, filled with references to other literary works and mythological tales. The tone can be elevated and formal, similar to that of elegy, but it also allows for a more subjective and emotional expression. This blend of high style with personal, emotional content gives the epyllion a unique voice within the broader landscape of classical literature.
| Ἀκταίη τις ἔναιεν Ἐρεχθέος ἔν ποτε γουνῷ. | A certain Attic woman once resided in Erechtheus' highlands |
Catullus 64.50–54:
| haec vestis priscis hominum variata figuris heroum mira virtutes indicat arte. namque fluentisono prospectans litore Diae, Thesea cedentem celeri cum classe tuetur indomitos in corde gerens Ariadna furores | This cloth, embellished with the figures of earlier men, showed with remarkable art the virtues of the heroes. For gazing from the wave-resounding shore of Dia, she saw Theseus departing with his swift ship, Ariadna, nursing indomitable furor in her heart. |
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