epode

An epode is a term from ancient Greek lyric poetry referring to the final portion of an ode. The word comes from the Greek epódion, often understood as “a piece sung after” or “after song.” In the common tripartite structure of the Pindaric ode, the chorus performs the strophe, then the antistrophe, and finally the epode. The epode is typically distinguished by its metre, which contrasts with the earlier sections, and by its function as a closing statement.

Function and characteristics: The epode serves to conclude the ode, often providing a summarizing, reflective, or rhetorical turn. It may present a moral, a verdict, or a final observation that ties together the themes of the preceding strophe and antistrophe. Its cadence and form can differ markedly from the earlier parts, yielding a distinct sonic and structural resolution.

Historical development: The epode is closely associated with early Greek lyric poets, especially Pindar, though its exact form varied across poets and genres. The term was later adopted by Roman scholars and poets, notably in Horace, who used a tripartite model of strophe, antistrophe, and epode in many odes. In Latin lyric criticism, the epode continued to signal the concluding section of the ode, even as meters and styles evolved.

Modern usage: In contemporary scholarship, epode denotes the concluding part of an ode or a poem structured in a similar three-part pattern. The term is primarily of historical and philological interest, used to analyze classical texts rather than to describe current poetic practice.