The word comes from the Latin epigramma, and this from the Greek \u1f10\u03c0\u1f77\u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1 (from \u1f10\u03c0\u1f77 = on and \u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1 =, writing, letter), which means \u00abinscription\u00bb. Its etymology refers to burial or votive inscriptions on stone or other material, naturally short<\/b><\/p>\n
\n\tLater this kind of poems was trying other matters and appointed a short poem<\/em>, usually of amorous and erotic theme, a kind of fictional recording. In the first century A.D. the subject matter is varied, especially satirical and social criticist.<\/p>\n \n\tIn this type of poetry shines the Hispanic <\/em>poet Marcus Valerius Martialis<\/em> (40-104), born in Biblbilis <\/em>(near to the present Calatayud<\/em>) . He wrote more than 1,500 epigrams, mostly in elegiac couplets (disticha<\/em>) (from Gr. δ\u1f77-, two<\/em>-and στιχον, groove, verse, verse), then, two verses, one hexameter and one pentameter).<\/p>\n \n\tAre well known these on erotic themes, sometimes obscene, but Martial tried all subjects and aspects of the life and customs of Roman society. His work is a document of great value to learn about various aspects of society and culture of century I in Rome. Let's say that your issues can be sweet as honey (mel<\/em>); satirical as gall (fel<\/em>), acids such as vinegar (acetum<\/em>), funny and witty as salt (salt<\/em>). Are these comparisons which from antiquity have been used to define these little poems and their subjects.<\/p>\n \n\tThus, the epigram is a little poem which must have as characteristics identified by the old poets themselves as Martial <\/em>himself: brevity, softness and sweetness, wit, ngenuity, mockery, acidity and pungency<\/p>\n \n\tMartial, himself, explains it on book 7, 25<\/em>:<\/p>\n \n\tAlthough the epigrams which you write are always sweetness itself and more spotless than a white-leaded skin, and although there is in them neither an atom of salt, nor a drop of bitter gall, yet you expect, foolish man, that they will be read. Why, not even food itself is pleasant, if it is wholly destitute of acid seasoning; nor is a face pleasing, which shows no dimples. Give children your honey-apples and luscious figs; the Chian fig, which has sharpness, pleases my taste<\/strong><\/em>. (Martial, Epigrams. Book 8. Bohn's Classical Library (1897))<\/p>\n \n\t“Dulcia cum tantum scribas epigrammata semper \n\tWell, the Spanish Juan de Iriarte y Cisneros<\/em> (Tenerife 1702 – Madrid 1771) was an important Latinist, Hellenist, bibliographer and poet with a huge work. Your favorite genre was the epigram and translated many of Marcial in verse, as well as other modern authors. He himself wrote many epigrams in Latin and theorized about the characteristics of these poems.<\/p>\n \n\tThis important character perfectly defines what is an epigram on a known little poem, epigram also naturally:<\/p>\n \n\tSimilar to Bee, \n\t \n\tThese comparisons to define the epigram already were used in times of Martial. This epigram, which defines the essential characteristics of this literary genre (small, sweet and pungent or sharp) is well known by the reading public, better known by readers of any age than by the youngest of today, who barely memorize a literary text. What few know, then and now, is the Latin version of the author himself (Iriarte), the number CCLXVI,<\/em> which entitled Epigrammatis dotes<\/em> and it says:<\/p>\n \n\t Sese ostendat Apem, si vult Epigramma placere: \n\tThe more literal translation of which reads as follows:<\/p>\n \n\t If the epigram wants to please, be revealed as a bee; \n\tThe same definition makes Martínez de la Rosa <\/em>(1787-1862), poet, playwright and political liberal, somewhat later, in his Poetics, singing IV<\/em>:<\/p>\n \n\t“Mas el festivo ingenio deba sólo \n\t"But the festive ingenuity should only \n\tIn fact, they are these traditional definitions, requiring as "virtues<\/em>" (a term more often than “dotes<\/em>”, the "talent<\/em>", used by Iriarte) from the epigram, especially brevity and wit, to which some add the softness and sweetness, which is characteristic honey.<\/p>\n \n\tWe will post a few examples, drawn from the thousand and a half he wrote, to so the reader would be encouraged to make a complete reading of his work. (Translation from “Epigrams. Book 8. Bohn's Classical Library (1897)<\/em>”)<\/p>\n \n\tBook VIII, No. 14. 5–6<\/em>.<\/p>\n \n\tThat your tender Cilician fruit trees may not suffer from frost, and that too keen a blast may not nip your young plants, glass frame-works, opposed to the wintry south winds, admit the sunshine and pure light of day without any detrimental admixture. But to me a cell is assigned with unglazed windows, in which not even Boreas himself would like to dwell. Is it thus, cruel man, that you would have your old friend live? I should be better sheltered as the companion of your trees.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n\tPallida ne Cilicum timeant pomaria brumam \t=======================================<\/p>\n \n\t \n\tLanguebam: sed tu comitatus protinus ad me \n\t \n\tRumour says, Chione, that you have never had to do with man, and that nothing can be purer than yourself! And yet when you bathe, you veil not that part which you should veil. If you have any modesty, veil your face.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n\tNarrat te, Chione, rumor numquam esse fututam \n\t \n\tUse lettuces, Phoebus, use laxative mallows; for you have a face like one suffering from constipation.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n\tUtere lactucis et mollibus utere malvis: \t ==========================<\/p>\n \n\tLib. I, 38<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tThe book which you are reading aloud is mine, Fidentinus, \n\tQuem recitas meus est, o Fidentine, libellus: \n\t \n\t <\/p>\n \n\tWhoever believes it is of yesterday's wine that Acerra smells, \n\tHesterno fetere mero qui credit Acerram, \n\t ==========================<\/p>\n \n\tLib. I, 29<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tReport says that you, Fidentinus, recite my compositions in public as if they were your own. If you allow them to be called mine, I will send you my verses gratis; if you wish them to be called yours, pray buy them, that they may be mine no longer.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n\tFama refert nostros te, Fidentine, libellos \n\t =========================== \n\tYou say, Sextus, that fair damsels are burning with love for you—–for you, who have the face of a man swimming under water!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n\tDicis amore tui bellas ardere puellas, \n\tAnd so till 1500 more… The word comes from the Latin epigramma, and this from the Greek \u1f10\u03c0\u1f77\u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1 (from \u1f10\u03c0\u1f77 = on and \u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1 =, writing, letter), which means \u00abinscription\u00bb. Its etymology refers to burial or votive inscriptions on stone or other material, naturally short<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,6,12,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture","category-habits","category-hispania","category-language-literature"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4755"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4755\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\tet cerussata candidiora cute,
\n\tnullaque mica salis nec amari fellis in illis
\n\tgutta sit, o demens, vis tamen illa legi!
\n\tNec cibus ipse iuvat morsu fraudatus aceti,
\n\tNec grata est facies, cui gelasinus abest.
\n\tInfanti melimela dato fatuasque mariscas:
\n\tnam mihi, quae novit pungere, Chia sapit<\/em>."<\/p>\n
\n\tFor that cause pleasure,
\n\tThe Epigram must be:
\n\tSmall, sweet and sharp.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tA la Abeja semejante,
\n\tPara que cause placer,
\n\tEl Epigrama ha de ser:
\n\tPequeño, dulce y punzante<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\n\t Insit ei brevitas, mel, et acumen Apis.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\t It has to shut soon, honey and bee sting.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tal sutil epigrama su agudeza:
\n\tun leve pensamiento,
\n\tuna voz, un equívoco le basta
\n\tpara lucir su gracia y su viveza;
\n\ty cual rápida abeja, vuela, hiere,
\n\tclava el aguijón y al punto muere<\/em>”<\/p>\n
\n\talertness to the subtle epigram:
\n\ta slight thought,
\n\tone voice, one mistake is enough
\n\tto show off their grace and vivacity;
\n\tand quick as the bee, fly, wounds,
\n\tstinger spikes and immediately dies<\/strong><\/em> "<\/p>\n
\n\tMordeat et tenerum fortior aura nemus,
\n\tHibernis obiecta notis specularia puros
\n\tAdmittunt soles et sine faece diem.
\n\tAt mihi cella datur, non tota clusa fenestra,
\n\tIn qua nec Boreas ipse manere velit.
\n\tSic habitare iubes veterem crudelis amicum
\n\tArboris ergo tuae tutior hospes ero.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\t Book V, No. 9<\/em>
\n\t I was indisposed; and you straightway came to see me, Symmachus, accompanied by a hundred of your pupils. A hundred hands, frozen by the northern blast, felt my pulse. I had not then an ague, Symmachus, but I have now.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tvenisti centum, Symmache, discipulis.
\n\tCentum me tetigere manus aquilone gelatae:
\n\tNon habui febrem, Symmache, nunc habeo.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\t =====================
\n\tBook III, No. 87<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tatque nihil cunno purius esse tuo.
\n\tTecta tamen non hac, qua debes, parte lavaris:
\n\tSi pudor est, transfer subligar in faciem.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\t ===========================
\n\tBook III, No. 89<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tnam faciem durum, Phoebe, cacantis habes.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tbut, while you read it so badly, it begins to be yours.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tSed male cum recitas, incipit esse tuus.<\/p>\n
\n\t ==========================
\n\tLib. I, 28<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tis mistaken: Acerra always drinks till morning.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tFallitur: in lucem semper Acerra bibit.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tNon aliter populo quam recitare tuos.
\n\tSi mea vis dici, gratis tibi carmina mittam:
\n\tSi dici tua vis, hoc eme, ne mea sint.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tLib. II, 87<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tQui faciem sub aqua, Sexte, natantis habes.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\t <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"