epode

In Greek drama, part of the chorus; in poetry, a form of lyric. In drama, the strophe was sung while the chorus moved to the right, then the antistrophe while they moved to the left, followed by the epode when they were standing still again.

Lyric epode The lyric epode was invented by the Greek poet Archilochus and used by Stesichorus. It consisted of couplets, the first, long line being followed by a shorter one. The Roman poet Horace imitated Archilochus' metre in his fifth book of lyrics, which he named Epodes.

‘Epode III’, on the perils of eating garlic, begins: ‘Parentis olim siquis impia manu/Senile guttur fregerit’/‘May those convicted of a parent's awful death/Be made to eat a garlic whole’.