ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the theriophilic tradition as a way not only of grounding Lord Byron's poem but also of delineating some of the literary and philosophical 'animal' precedents available to other writers in the Romantic period. This approach to the 'Inscription' is one of three readings of the poem which relate to its three forms of publication in Byron's lifetime, each of which markedly varied its reception. These are: contribution to a friend's miscellany of versesmonumental inscription; and part of a deliberately-provocative, politically-motivated addendum to one of Byron's best-selling poems. Each of these readings also offers a means of exploring a wider background to Romantic-period animals in general. The first serves to introduce a history of thought about animals, around the theme of theriophily and animal epitaphs. The second discusses issues of friendship, relationship and pet-keeping, and the third explores some of the political deployments of animals in the Romantic period.
