Functions and audiences of the iambic performances are investigated. It is proposed a typology of the iambic poetry, according to the relation between the poetic 'I' and the targets of his blame. In the VI century there is a trend towards the decreasing of socio-political functions of the iambic performance. The performance becomes playful and progressively less engagé. Iambic traits in Lesbian poetry are also studied. Finally the essay tries to state if poetic 'I' and characters of the iambic poetry are real or fictitious.
