POETRY. 149 



Ep'ic. — A narrative poem, describing generally the exploits of 

 heroes. 



Epice'dium. — An elegiac poem on the occasion of a funeral 

 soleuinity in honor of some deceased person. 



Ep'igram. — An interesting thought represented happily in a 

 few words. 



Ep'isode, — A minor story which a poet adds to the main story 

 of the piece by way of giving variety. 



Epithala'mium. — A nuptial song or poetical composition in 

 praise of the bridegroom and bride, with wishes for their 

 prosperity. 



Ep'ode, — ^The name given any little verse or verses that follow 

 one or more great ones. Thus, a pentameter after a hex- 

 ameter is an epode. 



Geor'gic. — A poetical composition on the subject of hus- 

 bandry, containing rules for cultivating lands ; as the 

 Genrgics of Virgil. 



Hem'istich.— Half a verse, or a verse not completed. 



Idyl. — A short pastoral poem. 



Lay. — A species of narrative poetry among the ancient min- 

 strels. 



Le'onine Verse. — A kind of Latin verse, consisting of hex- 

 ameters and pentameters, of which the final and middle 

 syllables rhyme. 



Madrigal. — A little amorous poem of unequal verse, not con- 

 fined to the scrupulous regularity of the sonnet or the 

 subtlety of the epigram. 



Mon'ody. — A species of poem of a mournful character, in 

 which a single mourner is supposed to bewail himself. 



Mon'orhyme. — A composition in verse in which all the lines 

 end with the same rhyme. 



Mon'ostich.— A composition consisting of one verse only. 



Paracros'tic. — A poetical composition in which it is necessary 

 that the first verse should contain in order all the letters 

 with which the succeeding verses commence. 



Par'ody. — A kind of poetical pleasantry, in which verses 

 written on one subject are altered and applied to another 

 by way of burlesque. 



Pindaric. — An ode in imitation of the odes of Pindar, the 

 celebrated lyric poet of ancient Greece. 



Quartette'. — A stanza of four lines. 



ftua'train. — A piece consistinu- of f lur lines, the rhymes usu- 



