The following measures are the most common:

(1) The Monopody, or the Monometer.

200

Wherever the monometer occurs, it is the resolution of the iambic basis, and therefore to be measured as an iamb, as Eur. Iph. Aul. 168.

The acatalectic dimeter is found in systems only; where

it occurs singly, it is logaoedic

The dimeter catalect. in disyllabum is the versus Adonius so called. It is frequently found single, especially as a closing rhythm, as Soph. Aj. 409.

Χειρὶ φονεύοι,

and so it serves as epode in the Sapphic strophe. It is also repeated, as Pind. Nem. II. 5.

Ἐν πολυυμνήτῳ Διὸς ἄλσει,

or joined with other rhythms, as Soph. Aj. 182.

Μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν.

It frequently receives the anacrusis :

as Soph. Oed. R. 896.

1

Τί δεῖ με χορεύειν.

The dimeter catal. in syllabam resembles the choriamb, from which it is distinguished by the pause alone, and by the circumstance that the iambic dipody can never be placed in its stead.

(3) The Tripody, or the Trimeter.

The acatalectic trimeter does not occur; where it seems

to occur, it is to be measured as logaoedic,

The dimeter cat. in disyllabum is very frequent in lyric and dramatic poets, both singly, as Pind. Olymp. X. Ep. 3. Αδυμελῆ κελαδήσω.

Soph. Trach. 96.

Αλιον Αλιον αἰτῶ.

and joined with other rhythms, as Eur. Med. 977.

Οὐκέτι· στείχουσι γὰρ ἐς φόνον ἤδη.

Sometimes it is repeated, as Soph. Trach. 112 and 122:

Πολλὰ γὰρ ὥστ ̓ ἀκάμαντος ἢ Νότου ἢ Βορέα τις.
ὧν ἐπιμεμφομένα σ' ἀδεῖα μὲν, ἀντία δ' οἴσω.

Pind. Olymp. VIII. Epod. 5.

Ἦν δ ̓ ἐςορᾶν καλὸς, ἔργῳ τ' οὐ κατὰ εἶδος ἐλέγχων,

apparently a dactylic hexameter; the third foot, however, can never be a dactyl.

The trimeter cat. in disyll. receives also the anacrusis:

as Soph. Oed. R. 154.

and the basis :

as Aesch. Suppl. 85.

Τήιε, Δάλι, Παιάν.

X-/

Εἰ θείη Διὸς εὖ παναληθῶς.

The trimeter cat. in syllab. (πενθημιμερές dactylicum) occurs partly as a single verse, as Pind. Olymp. VIII. 5.

Μαιομένων μεγάλων,

and the writers of epodes thus use it as an epode; partly joined with other rhythms, as

Choerilus made a peculiar use of this rhythm in the Satyr drama. But it occurs in other poets, also, as Aesch. Prom.

530.

Μηδ' ἐλινύσαιμι θεοὺς ὁσίαις θοίναις ποτινισσομένα.

The repetition of the cat. in syll. produces the elegiac pentameter so called:

-νν

which with the hexameter forms the elegiac distich. This combination does not occur in Pindar, but in dramatists, as Aesch. Agam. 1022..

Οὐδὲ τὸν ὀρθοδαῆ τῶν φθιμένων ἀνάγειν.

The trimet. cat. in syll. also receives the anacrusis, as Eur. Electr. 862.

Νίκας στεφανηφορίαν,

and the basis, as Aesch. Eum. 1033.

Νυκτὸς παῖδες ἄπαιδες, ὑπ ̓ εὐθύφρονι πομπᾷ.

(4) The Tetrapody, or the Tetrameter.

The acatalectic tetrameter occurs in the Aeolian lyric poets and the dramatists, repeated by systems. It frequently occurs in dramatists singly, or joined with other rhythms, as Soph. Phil. 827.

Υπν ̓, ὀδύνας ἀδαὴς, ὕπνε δ' ἀλγέων· in Latin, also, as Terent. Andr. IV. 1, 1. Hoccine credibile aut memorabile,

after which cretics follow.

The acatalectic tetrameter is also repeated, as Aesch. Pers. 852.

Ω πόποι, ή μεγάλας ἀγαθᾶς τε πολισσονόμου βιοτᾶς

ἐπεκύρσαμεν.

The tetramet. cat. in disyll. and in syll. occurs frequently in lyric and dramatic poets, as Soph. Oed. R. 175.

Αλλον δ ̓ ἂν ἄλλῳ προςίδοις ἅπερ εὔπτερον ὄρνιν. Pind. Pyth. IV. 6.

Χρῆσεν οἰκιστῆρα Βάττον καρποφόρου Λιβύας, ἱεράν. Both can receive the anacrusis and basis.

(5) The Pentapody, or the Pentameter.

acatalectus.

catalect. in disyllab.

catalect. in syllab.

It seems that the acatalectic pentameter does not occur. The pentameter cat. in disyll. occurs in dramatic and lyric poets, as Arist. Nub. 285.

Ὄμμα γὰρ αἰθέρος ἀκάματον σελαγεῖται,

Aesch. Agam. 121.

Αίλινον, αίλινον εἶπε, τὸ δ' εὖ νικάτω.

Soph. Phil. 837.

Καιρός τοι πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων.

The catal. in syll., too, is met with in lyric and dramatic poets, as Soph. Aj. 225.

Τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὅπο κληζομέναν,

with the anacrusis, Soph. Phil. 695.

Παρ' ᾧ στόνον ἀντίτυπον βαρυβρῶτ ̓ ἀποκλαύσειεν
αἱματηρόν.

(6) The Hexapody, or the Hexameter.

acatalectus.

catalect. in disyll.

-catalect. in syll.

The acatalectic hexameter is found in systems only.

The hexameter cat. in disyllab. is the most common metre. The epic poets use it by the line, whence it is called versus heroicus, or the epic hexameter.

The lyric and dramatic poets, too, make use of this verse, but singly among other rhythms. Sometimes several follow one another, as Soph. Trach. 1009-1013. Eurip. Troad. 590-599. Such a lyric hexameter usually has the caesura after the third arsis, as Soph. Oed. R. 159.

Πρωτά σε κεκλόμενος, θύγατερ Διὸς, ἄμβροτ' Αθάνα.

The caesura, however, is not indispensable, Eur. Suppl. 274.

Οὓς ὑπὸ τείχεσι Καδμείοισιν ἀπώλεσα κούρους.

This lyric hexameter usually admits the spondee in proper names only.