  We present the analysis of the spectra of 62 galaxies in 15 compact groups.
The galaxies were classified in four activity classes: galaxies without
emission, starburst nucleus galaxies (SBNGs), luminous AGNs and low-luminosity
AGNs (LLAGNs).
  The star formation in the HCG starbursts is more intense than in normal
spirals, but comparable to those in the field SBNGs. Their mean gas metallicity
is solar and they do not follow the metallicity-luminosity relation traced by
the early-type SBNGs in the field, suggesting that most of them are late-type
SBNGs. This morphology preference coupled to the observation that the HCG
starbursts are predominantly in the halo of the groups is consistent with the
idea that compact groups are embedded in sparser structures.
  The stellar metallicities of the non starburst galaxies are relatively high
for their luminosities. In these galaxies the equivalent widths of the metal
absorption lines are slightly narrower than normal while the Balmer absorption
lines are relatively strong. All these galaxies could be ``post-starburst'' at
an advanced stage of evolution.
  Our observations are supporting a scenario where the core of the groups are
slowly collapsing evolved systems embedded in more extended structures (Ribeiro
et al. 1998). In the core of the groups, the interactions were more frequent
and the galaxies evolved at a more rapid rate than in their halos.
