Silloi

Silloi (Greek plural of σίλλος meaning "squint-eyed") is a term for a form of ancient Greek spoudaiogeloion, specifically philosophical satire or parody written as poetry. Silloi are poems written in hexameter. They originated in this form with the Pyrrhonist philosopher Timon of Phlius, circa 250 BC, who composed three books of them (of which only fragments survive, some 135 verses). Xenophanes of Colophon had written philosophical satire earlier, but Timon is given credit for the silloi form. In general, although there was some personalized satire, Timon's verses mainly satirized the philosophies of other philosophers, and not the philosophers themselves.

References

Brogan, T.V.F. "Silloi" in Alex Preminger and T.V.F. Brogan, eds., The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1993. 1148.

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