Ab ovo, literally "from the egg," refers to telling a story from its absolute beginning, a technique Horace contrasted with beginning in medias res. In poetry, this phrase describes comprehensive narratives that trace events from their earliest origins, like Helen of Troy born from Leda's egg. Poets use this approach to emphasize causality, destiny, and the long arc of consequence. The phrase suggests thoroughness and patience in unfolding, building meaning through accumulated detail rather than immediate dramatic impact. It appears in discussions of epic structure and narrative technique, representing a methodical, chronological approach to storytelling that values completeness over urgency.

Horace contrasts ab ovo with in medias res in his Ars Poetica, praising Homer for not beginning the Trojan War with Leda's egg. The phrase literally refers to Helen of Troy's birth from an egg after Leda's union with Zeus disguised as a swan. Ab ovo narration was considered tedious by classical standards, valued more for completeness than artistry. However, later poets have used the technique deliberately when comprehensive understanding matters more than immediate engagement. The phrase connects to debates about narrative structure: whether to begin chronologically or dramatically. Useful for distinguishing between exhaustive biographical approaches and selective dramatic ones. Modern poets sometimes use ab ovo ironically, acknowledging the impossibility or absurdity of telling everything from the absolute beginning.