Recusatio

A recusatio is a poem (or part thereof) in which the poet says he is supposedly unable or disinclined to write the type of poem which he originally intended to, and instead writes in a different style.

Contents

• Examples from Ancient Greek Literature
• Examples from Latin Literature
• References

The recusatio is something of a topos in ancient literature. Its use has often been interpreted as a persona deliberately adopted by the poet, allowing him to express ironic self-deprecation or feigned humility.