Scolion
/ˈskoʊ.li.ən/noun
A song or poem sung by guests at an ancient Greek drinking party, often passed from one singer to another.
Did you know?Unlike a formal chorus, a scolion could move unpredictably from guest to guest, making the banquet itself part of the performance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skel-
“To bend, curve, or be crooked”
Ancient Greek
Greek
skolios (σκολιός)
“Crooked, bent, or winding”
5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
skolion (σκόλιον)
“A drinking song passed among banquet guests”
17th Century
Latin
scolion
“A Greek drinking song or convivial poem”
Modern English
English
scolion
“A song or poem sung at an ancient Greek drinking party”