Choliambica Adespota (Χολιαμβικὰ Ἀδέσποτα)

Life "Choliambica Adespota" is not an author but a collective designation for anonymous choliambic poems. The term "adespota" (ἀδέσποτα) means "authorless." The poems date from the Hellenistic to Roman period (3rd century BCE – 2nd century CE), when the choliambic meter was in active use [1][2]. Their anonymous nature precludes any biographical reconstruction.

Works The works are anonymous fragments preserved on papyri. Two significant examples are P. Oxy. 3014, containing anonymous choliambic verses [1], and the "Cologne Epode" (P. Köln inv. 5511), a 47-line invective poem discussing wealth and morality [3][4]. The fragments are incomplete, and their original titles are lost.

Significance These anonymous fragments demonstrate the continued vitality of the choliambic form beyond major poets like Hipponax or Herodas. They provide crucial evidence for the themes and style of popular poetry within the iambic tradition, often featuring satire and moralizing [3][4]. Their preservation is essential for the study of Hellenistic poetry and meter.

Sources 1. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-8030 2. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/art/choliambus 3. The Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University: https://chs.harvard.edu/curated-article/gregory-nagy-the-ancient-greek-hero-in-24-hours-2013-text-only-version-homeric-choliambics/ 4. Duke University, Department of Classical Studies: https://classicalstudies.duke.edu/research/papyri/collections/greek-papyri-duke-university