in Poetry, a nuptial song or composition in praise of the bride and bridegroom, and praying for their prosperity.

Epithalamia were sung amongst the Jews at the door of the bride, by her friends and companions, the evening before the marriage. Amongst the Greeks the epithalamium was sung as soon as the married couple had gone to bed, and was attended with shouts and stamping of the feet to drown the cries of the bride. They returned in the morning, and with the same song, a little altered, saluted them again. The evening song was called νεκρολογίας καμπάνας, the morning salute was called εὐλογίας καμπάνας. The practice amongst the Romans was the same, but their epithalamia were often obscene.