A short narrative poem, usually based on classical mythological themes, often embedded within a longer work.
From Greek epyllion (little epic), combining epi- (upon) andyllion (from hyle, small poem). The term was coined by scholars to describe miniature epic narratives that flourished in Hellenistic and Roman poetry.
Medieval and Renaissance poets loved epyllia because they could pack mythological drama into manageable lengths—it's why you see so many stories-within-stories in works like Ovid's Metamorphoses, which is basically an ancient collection of viral micro-narratives.
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