Epigram
An epigram is a brief, pointed statement that expresses an idea with wit, compression, or apparent paradox.
Wit: The ability to express ideas with cleverness, perceptiveness, and humor. Epigrams use clever turns of thought to make brief statements memorable.
Ancient Greek epigram: A short Greek poem that originated as an inscription and later treated many subjects. The epigram began as a concise text placed on objects and monuments.
Epitaph: An inscription honoring or commemorating a deceased person, often placed on a tomb. The epigram’s brevity and pointed closure suit inscriptions for the dead.
Maxim: A short statement expressing a general rule of conduct or practical wisdom. A maxim gives guidance, whereas an epigram is defined by pointed expression.
Paradox: A statement or situation that seems contradictory but may reveal a truth. An apparent contradiction can deliver an epigram’s pointed insight.
Simonides of Ceos: A Greek lyric poet of the sixth and fifth centuries BCE, known for commemorative poetry. His epitaphs helped establish the epigram as a vehicle for memorial verse.
Satire: Writing that exposes or criticizes folly and vice through humor, irony, or ridicule. An epigram can compress a satirical judgment into a single line.
Proverb: A brief, traditional saying that expresses common experience or advice. Proverbs circulate as inherited wisdom; epigrams are often crafted as individual turns of phrase.
Aphorism: A concise statement that expresses a general truth or principle. Aphorisms often state wisdom plainly, while epigrams emphasize wit or sting.
Greek Anthology: A collection of Greek poems, especially epigrams, compiled across late antiquity and the Byzantine era. It preserved thousands of Greek epigrams and shaped their later reception.