Eclogue

The Eclogue (Greek ἐκλογή Eclogue "select" or "choice", Latinized Ecloga ) is a term used in ancient literature. The basic meaning is " choice ", meaning " the Selected ". What is meant is originally a selected piece (excerpt, quote) from a longer literary text or a single poem of moderate length, which was picked out of a collection of poems or from the work of a poet. The term eclogue called a "selected " poem in the strict sense of the word, but was misunderstood in humanism as a generic.

In the plural Eclogues called in Roman lyric originally only "selected" poems, in later parlance are usually rural or pastoral poems ( bucolic poetry) meant. Hence the term eclogue is often used as a synonym of " bucolic poetry ".

The most famous poems, for today the designation Eclogues ( Eclogues ) is common, as submitted by Virgil.

Already in the first century called Statius individual poems from his Silvae Expressing Egloga; he is the first Roman poet who used the term for his own works.