LATIN VERSE. 1. RHYTHMIC and METRIC are general terms, the former treating of the principles of Rhythm, the latter of the application of Rhythm to language. NOTE.-These terms arise from the Greek adjectives, just as do the terins Logic, Rhetoric, etc. 2. RHYTHM is harmonious movement; is, in grammar, the principle of proportion applied to language. METRE (μérpov, measure) is the embodiment of Rhythm in lan guage. NOTE.-For its specific meanings, see 18. REMARK. The regular recurrence of intoned syllables (Rhythm) was observed with great precision by the Greeks. The theory requires perfect regularity, but the materials that must be used, viz., words, interfere somewhat with this precision, while they must frequently be forced a little in pronunciation to meet the requirements of the rhythm. This is true of all languages when used metrically, but not equally true of all. (In music the rhythm is all-important, and is perfect; in poetry, recitative and even lyrical, it is theoretically so, but practically not, because the language has relatively more importance than in music.) For the forcing of language into correspondence with the rhythm, compare the following from Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner: How loudly his sweet voice he rears! He loves to talk with marinéres That come from a far countrée. See also under Elision (21, 2). Before the time of Ennius the Romans had a very loose metrical system. (See Introduction and 36 and 37.) That poet, by imitating the Greek, adopting its forms and rules, inaugurated the practice of more carefully regarding Quantity and Rhythm in Latin verse. Considerable liberties are taken by the dramatic writers, but the poets of the Augustan age very carefully conform to the essential principles of metrical composition. 3. FEET (called also Measures or Metres, 18) are combinations of syllables into metrical groups. Feet are the elements of verses, as bars are the elements of musical strains. 4. QUANTITY is properly the time used in pronouncing a syllable. Syllables are distinguished as long and short. See 5. REMARK.-Greek and Latin versification depends on Quantity, and is entirely independent of the accent of words. The alternation of long and short syllables produces the rhythm of the verse. Modern verse, including modern Greek and Latin, is based on accent, and Quantity is almost ignored. It is not, however, altogether without influence, since in English poetry it has some weight in determining the position of words, for a labored effect is produced by placing long syllables in unaccented positions. The old Latin comic writers indeed sought to bring the accent of words into conformity with rhythmical intonation, and this was one cause of their metrical irregularities (34, 35, 39). Regularity, the soul of poetry, was secured in early Latin, as in early English, by alliteration, and rhyme is freely introduced into modern Latin as in English. See 37, 38. For alliteration, compare with or, or, even, Deep in a dungeon was the captive cast, Deprived of day, and held in fetters fast. Dryden. O Tite, tute, Tati, tibi tanta tyranne tulisti. Ennius. Immortales mortales si foret fas flere. Naevius. Vivus, ut aiunt, est et videns cum victu ac vestitu suo publicatus. Cic. 5. 1. The short syllable is taken as the unit of measure, and is called mora, or tempus, and is marked thus, ~; or in musical notation,. The long syllable is equal to two short, and is marked, or=1. 2. Protraction consists in drawing out a long syllable so as to occupy the time of three morae, which is represented thus, , or *; or of four morae, thus, , or P. 3. Syncope is the omission of one or of two short syllables in the unaccented part of a foot, which omission, in the body of a verse, and sometimes at the end, is made up by protraction. See 22, 3. 4. A long syllable often has only the time-value of a short, with a heavier intonation, and is then represented thus, >. A short syllable may occupy less time than a mora. Dactyl, 7, 1. See cyclic NOTE.-This shortening is sometimes termed Correption. The shortened feet are said to be Irrational (7). The object is to adapt the language to the rhythmical series wherein it stands. The term Irrational signifies that a measure does not occupy its apparent time. For Resolution and Contraction, see 7, 2; for Pause, 15. 2. List of so-called Feet, not needed to explain Latin verse. 3. Groups of Feet. A Dipody is a group of two feet (see 18, Rem.); a Tripody, of three, etc. Three half feet are called Trihemimeris; five half feet, Penthemimeris; seven half feet, Hephthemimeris; nine half feet, Ennehemimeris, etc. REMARK. The second part of each compound (i. e., hemimeris) means one-half; the first part tells how many times it is taken. 7. Irrational Feet and Substitutions. 1. A series of Feet (Rhythmical Series) when adapted to language often suffers modification. The proper time is given to each foot, but the length of the syllables may be lessened in the adjustment. These modified feet are called irrational. See 5, 4, Note. The irrational Trochee is represented thus, >. This is a Spondee with the time-value of a Trochee, but with a heavier stress of voice on the last syllable. The irrational Iambus, > -. of the Iambus. This is a Spondee with the time-value The irrational Dactyl is represented thus, 31 The time-value of the first two syllables is reduced sufficiently to render the Dactyl equal to a Trochee. The musical notation best shows this: Ordinary Dactyl, -~~♪♫=1; Modified Dactyl, ~~~, ; = ŵ + i + 1 = †, thus reducing the whole so that it equals the time of the Trochee, = J. The modified foot is termed the cyclic Dactyl, and when it is introduced into a Trochaic series (Logaoedic, 27) greatly adds to the vivacity of the metre. The cyclic Anapaest is the reverse of the cyclic Dactyl, thus, 2. Substitution is frequent between feet of the same time-value. 1) Contraction is the use of one long syllable in the place of two short, and is indicated thus, 2) Resolution is the use of two short syllables in the place of one long, and is indicated thus,. If the long syllable that is thus resolved had the ictus (see 8), this belongs to both the substituted short syllables, but the mark is placed on the first; and, in general, substituted syllables receive the ictus of those for which they stand. NOTE.-Substitution is indicated by writing the optional over the regular form, thus, I, I, I, II, Y, O 3) Anaclasis (breaking up) is the substitution of a Ditrochee for an Ionic measure; thus, —— becomes 8. ICTUS (beat) is the intonation or rhythmical accent that is given to one part of a measure. There is also in the measure a secondary ictus, or "lowered " tone. The Arsis is the strongly intoned part of the measure. The Thesis is the lighter part of the measure. The Ictus is represented thus, L☺☺, REMARK.—The original signification of the terms Arsis and Thesis was the reverse of the one here given. The Greeks understood by Thesis the downward beat, by Arsis the upward beat. The modern practice has been to apply these terms to the raising (Arsis) and lowering (Thesis) of the tones of the voice. 9. 1. ANACRUSIS (back-stroke). —All measures in a series properly begin, as in music, with the intoned syllable, or arsis. When the thesis precedes the arsis, as in Iambic, Anapaestic, and Ionicus a minori measures, it is often treated as the prelude to the rhythmical series, and termed Anacrusis, designated thus, : . The anacrusis can not be greater than the arsis; is regularly equal to the thesis. An irrational syllable (>) can constitute the anacrusis. I am found not by secking, but him that shall seek I will find. Day. :~~~|-~~|~~~|~~~ | — ^ || An irrational syllable as anacrusis may be represented thus, ~:-~|-~| − ^ ||, or > : -~|-~|- ^II. (A means a pause, see 15.) 2. BASIS is a term applied to the Trochee (or irrational Spondee) which precedes the Dactyl in Logaoedic Metres (27). Two measures, or a double Basis, also occurs, when the second is usually an irrational Spondee; and this may be preceded by anacrusis. This basis arises from the fact that in lyric poetry a slight ictus only was given to the first measure, which then appears almost like anacrusis. Still it is not introductory merely to the rhythm, but an inherent part of it. (See 27, 2.) In recitative poetry, like that of Horace, the ictus on the basis was probably stronger, and would, |