El epigrama de Marcial prefatorio a Sidonio Apolinar

Abstract

This paper considers some examples of prefatory epigram in the works of martial, optatianus Porphyrius, ausonius, in the aenigmata Symphosii and in Sidonius apollinaris. The focus is especially on the epigrams placed in limine libelli with a “publishing” purpose in order to give the lector all the exegetical tools suitable for a deeper grasp of the introduced text. The survey of the selected poems aims at following out the development of this particular epigrammatic typology, showing the concurrence of conservative and innovative phenomena as regards the contents, the form, the functions and the literary feature.