Γυμνην οιδε Παριϛ με, και Αγκισηϛ, και Αδονιϛ. Τουϛ τρρειϛ οιδα μονουϛ, Πραξιτελεϛ δε ποθεν?
And what, said she, does this bold Painter mean? When was I bathing thus, and naked seen? Prior.
In Course of Time, other Poems of like Nature, whatever their Subject was, went by the Name of Epigrams, on account of their Affinity with those to which that Title was first appropriated.
Epigrams are divided into various Heads; the greater, the less, the equal[215], the simple, the compound, the digressive, &c. But so minute a Distinction is needless, since they may be made upon any Subject. Some are satirical, as that of Martial,
[216] Quem recitas meus est, O Fidentine, Libellus; Sed male cum recitas, incipit esse tuus.
'Tis true, in Print I own my humble Muse; But when the Laureat shall my Lines traduce, Tartuffe in England justly I disown; The Food was mine, the Excrement's his own.
and in another Place:
[217] Quid Te, Tucca, juvat vetulo miscere Falerno In Vaticanis condita musta cadis? Quid tantum fecere boni tibi pessima vina? Aut quid fecerunt optima vina mali? De nobis facile est; scelus est jugulare Falernum, Et dare Campano toxica sæva mero. Convivæ meruere tui fortasse perire; Amphora non meruit tam pretiosa mori.
What mean'st thou, Tucca, with Tocay to join The vapid Refuse of dull Rhenish Wine? Do you the cordial Juice such Treach'ry owe, Prepost'rous Charity the Cut-throat show? To spoil Tocay, however fare your Guest, Is Murder, without Benefit of Priest. Poison allow the Merit of your Friend; But the poor Cask deserv'd a better End.
This, I should think, is the best kind of Epigram; for if the Nature of it in general consists in being acute, whatever is satirical, must always be so. Not but that there are other proper Subjects of it. Some panegyrical, directly contrary to the former; many of which we have in Martial upon the Emperor Domitian, and in others. That of Virgil is famous.