epode

American  

[ep-ohd] / ˈɛp oʊd /

noun

1. Classical Prosody. a kind of lyric poem, invented by Archilochus, in which a long verse is followed by a short one.

2. the part of a lyric ode following the strophe and antistrophe and composing with them a triadic unit.

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epode British  

/ ˈɛpəʊd /

noun

1. the part of a lyric ode that follows the strophe and the antistrophe

2. a type of lyric poem composed of couplets in which a long line is followed by a shorter one, invented by Archilochus

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Etymology

Origin of epode

1590–1600; < Latin epōdos < Greek epōidós an aftersong, singing after. See ep-, ode

Explanation

In poetry, an epode is the third and final section of an ode, after the strophe and antistrophe. Part of an epode's purpose is to summarize the poem's themes. An ancient Greek epode was originally a stand-alone form of lyric poetry in which short verses are followed by longer ones. Eventually, epodes were added to the end of the longer praise poems known as odes; while the strophe and antistrophe share the same meter, the epode's is usually different. Its use as a final stanza summing up the poem's major ideas is reflected in the word's Greek meaning, "after-song."

Example Sentences

See c. xxxi. of his life, and the Epode of Horace written on the occasion.

From The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Volume 05: Claudius by Suetonius Tranquillus, Gaius

By the advocates of the w sound of the v much stress is laid upon the fact that the poets occasionally change the consonant into the vowel u, and vice versa; as Horace, Epode VIII. 2:

From The Roman Pronunciation of Latin Why we use it and how to use it by Lord, Frances Ellen

Culex 148-58 with Epode 26-28; Culex 86-7 with Epode 21-22; Culex 49-50 with Epode 11-12; etc.

From Vergil A Biography by Frank, Tenney

The first of these parts is called the Strophe, or Turn; the second, the Antistrophe, or Counter-turn; the third, the Epode, or After-song.

From Six Centuries of English Poetry Tennyson to Chaucer by Baldwin, James

An Epode 43   Lucasta's Fanne, with a Looking-glasse in it 46   Lucasta, taking the Waters at Tunbridge 48   To Lucasta.

From The Lucasta Poems by Lovelace, Richard