The acatalectic dimeter appears sometimes to be repeated by systems; but it commonly occurs intermingled with tetrameters, as Plaut. Capt. III. 2, 6. Rud. I. 5, 6. Lassúm reddidérunt. Puéllae sed únde. The catalectic resembles the dochmius. It occurs singly among tetrameters and other rhythms, as Plaut. Capt. III. 3; I. 9, 10 (according to Hermann's emendation). Quid est suavius. (2) The Tretrapody or the Tetrameter.-Tetrameter bac The former occurs very frequently, partly repeated several times, as Ennius Hect. Lustr. Quid hóc hic clamóris? quid hóc hic tumúlti est? Nomén qui usurpát meum? quid in castris strépiti est? partly singly among cretic, iambic, trochaic and anapaestic rhythms. The catalectic occurs in Plautus joined with the acatalectic in distichs, Menaechm. V. 6. Spectámen bonó servo id est, qui rem herilem Procurat, vidét, collocát, cogitát, Ut ábsente heró suo rem herí diligénter Tergum, quam gulám, crura, quám ventrem, opórtet Potióra esse, quoi cor modeste sitúmst. CHAPTER IV. RHYTHMS THE GROUND FOOT OF WHICH IS SIX-TIMED. THE CHORIAMBIC-IONIC KIND. A. Falling Rhythms. (a) Choriambs. The choriamb consists of six times, of which three are in the arsis, and three in the thesis. The subordinate relation in the thesis is rising, and contrasts, therefore, with the principal relation (P. 1. ch. 3. p. 13). The arrhythmy which hence arises is softened by transforming the choriamb either in a dimeter dactyl. cat. in syllab. or by substituting, according to a peculiar license, the iambic dipody (P. I. ch. 10. p. 37). 1531 The form is unquestionably choriambic when the iambic dipody corresponds to it as antistrophe, but dactylic when the single choriambs are strictly separated by the diaeresis. Thus Horace, who had the nicest sense for rhythmical harmony, separates almost always by the diaeresis the single choriambs in the asclepiadean verses, so called: X Maecenas atavis edite regibus. X/ 531 Nullam, Vare, sacra vite prius severis arborem. to indicate thereby that he took them as dactylic and supplied after each choriamb a pause of two shorts; but Alcaeus and Catullus seem to have measured these originally choriambic verses by choriambs, because with them the diaeresis after the choriambs is not essential. The character of the choriamb is different according as its form is dactylic or choriambic. The soft arrhythmy which belongs to the choriamb, renders it particularly suitable for the Aeolian poetry. The comic and later tragic poets, too, use it frequently: Pindar and Aeschylus more rarely. The choriamb of dactylic rhythm partakes of the character of the dactylic kind. The usual form of the choriamb is that in which both arses are contracted: -. The first arsis, however, occurs sometimes resolved, as Arist. Av. 1372. Ὑπό τε νόμων αργαλέων Ὑπό τε γερόντων ὀλέθρων. compare also Pind. Fragm. Dith. III. 10. The resolution of the second arsis is more rare, as Eur. Hel. 1489, 1506. X-/ (Glycon.) w Βᾶτε Πλειάδας ὑπὸ μέσας. Δύσκλειαν δ ̓ ἀπὸ συγγόνου. The resolution of both arses is still more rare. Hermann quotes as an example Eur. Bacch. 410, 425. The two shorts are not permitted to be contracted. Catullus only and Seneca have taken the liberty of using in glyconic and pherecratean verses the molossus for the choriamb. The choriamb is capable of one catalexis only, namely, in disyllabum: 1 (P. I. ch. 7. p. 27). Choriambic rhythms were sometimes provided with lagaoedic terminations: By a kind of paracataloge the long is sometimes used for the short in the first iamb in these logaoedic verses, in Aeolian lyric and in the dramatic poets. The choriamb receives frequently the cretic as a kind of close. Choriambic rhythms can be preceded by anacrusis and basis, both trochaic and iambic. On account of its terminating with the arsis the choriambic rhythm is more inclined to the diaeresis than to the caesura (P. I. ch. 11. p. 39). The following measures are the most common: (1) The Monopody or the Monometer.-Monometer It occurs often in connexion with other rhythms, as Pind. Olymp. VI. 2. Κίονας, ὡς ὅτε θαητὸν μέγαρον. Soph. Oed. R. 1090=1102. 1111 Τὰν αὔριον πανσέληνον. Τις θυγάτηρ, Λοξίου, τῷ. With a cretic following in Hephaestion: Ἱστοπόνοι μείρακες. With the anacrusis and cretic close, as Pind. Olymp. IV. 9. With the iambic basis: Soph. Aj. 605, 606. Χρόνῳ τρυχόμενος, The choriamb frequently receives a logaoedic ending: 1551 the versus Adonius, see above. It receives also the anacrusis, as Soph. Oed. R. 468-478. Of the dactylic pherecratean we have treated above. The choriambic ought, according to the analogy of the glyconics, to admit of a polyschematist form: It is to be doubted, however, whether the polyschematist form really exists; for the few passages in which it appears to correspond to the original form, prove nothing, being corrupt. In the Priapean verse alone the original form is sometimes exchanged for the polyschematist. Owing to the variations of the basis, the original form assumes the following shapes: |