METRES OF HORACE.

PREVIOUS to entering upon this subject, it will be necessary to explain a few of the leading features of metre in general.

I. Metre, in its most extensive sense, means an arrangement of syllables and feet in verse, according to certain rules; and, in this sense, applies not only to an entire verse, but to a part of a verse, or any number of verses. But a metre, in a specific sense, means a combination of two feet, and sometimes one foot only.

II. The Metres employed in Latin poetry are the Dactylic, Anapaestic, lambic, Trochaic, Choriambic and Ionic.

III. These have received their respective names from the frequent occurrence in each of them of some particular foot; and it has been thought that each species was originally composed of those feet only from which it is denominated, but that others, equal in time, were afterwards admitted under certain restrictions. They are often called, however, after the name of some celebrated poet, who either invented, or most frequently used, a particular species of verse; as, Sapphic, Alcaic, Anacreontic, Hipponactic, &c. They are sometimes also classed according to the number of feet or measures which they contain; as, Octonarius, Senarius, Hexameter, Pentameter, Tetrameter, Trimeter, Dimeter, Monometer.

IV. In Anapaestic, Iambic, and Trochaic verse, a metre consists of two feet; in the remainder one foot constitutes a metre. In Anapaestic, Iambic, and Trochaic verse, therefore, a monometer will contain two feet, a dimeter four, a trimeter six, &c.; whereas, in the other species of verse, a monometer will contain only one foot, a dimeter two feet, a trimeter three, &c. Some grammarians, in speaking of Anapaestic, Iambic, and Trochaic verse, use the term dipodia (diodía) instead of metre, and, in place of calling a verse monometer, describe it as consisting of one dipodia ;

instead of naming another dimeter, speak of it as containing two dipodiae, &c.

V. A Verse is a certain number of feet disposed in a regular order, and forming a line of poetry. The term verse (versus) is derived from the verb vertere, "to turn," because verses being arranged in lines, when the reader reaches the end of one, he must necessarily turn to the beginning of another. The Greeks term it orixos, "a rank," or "row," on account of the arrangement of the words; and from ἥμισυς, “ half,” and στίχος, comes nuorixion, hemistichium, "a hemistich," or "half verse;" from δις, στίχος, διστίχον, dis, "twice," and orixos, comes dirixov, distichon, "a distich," &c.

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VI. Scanning, or Scansion, is the dividing of a verse into the feet of which it is composed, and the assigning of their proper quantity to the respective syllables of each foot. The term is derived from the verb scandere, "to climb," (Diomed. 1. 3. Priscian, sup. 12. Æn. 1. vol. 2. p. 278. ed. Krehl.) Hence we have the following epigram in Claudian; (Ep. 29. In podagrum :)

Quae tibi cum pedibus ratio? quid carmina culpas ?
Scandere qui nescis, versiculos laceras.

VII. Verses are denominated Acatalectic, Catalectic, Brachycatalectic, Hypercatalectic or Hypermeter, and Acephalous.

VIII. An Acatalectic verse (oríxo's ȧzaráλnzros) is one which contains its exact number of feet and syllables. The term is derived from « prio: and xaraλyew, "to cease," or, " end ;" and implies that the verse does not stop before it reaches its destined end, but proceeds onwards, and arrives at it, and is therefore full and complete. A Catalectic verse (στίχος κατάληκτος) is one which wants a syllable at the end to perfect the measure. The term is derived from xaraλnye, "to cease," and implies that the verse does not reach its proper point of termination, but ceases or stops, as it were, by the way. A Brachycatalectic verse (oríxos Beaxuxaráλnzтog) is one which wants two syllables at the end to complete the measure. The derivation of the term is from ßgaxus, "short," and zaraλýyev, and the name implies that the verse ends too shortly. A Hypercatalectic or Hypermeter verse (στίχος ὑπερκατάληκτος, sive izégμergos) is one which has something more than its just measure, whether this surplus be a syllable, or an entire foot. The former of these terms is derived from izèg, "above," and zaraλnye, and denotes a ὑπὲρ, verse which goes beyond its proper resting-place: the latter comes from izèg, and μérgov, “ a measure." An Acephalous verse is one which wants μέτρον, a syllable at the beginning. The name is derived from a priv: and zepaλ, "a head," and implies that the verse wants a head, or initial κεφαλὴ, syllable.

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IX. A composition in verse which consists of only one kind of metre is called, by grammarians, Carmen povózwλov (from μóvos, solus, and xλos, membrum). If it contain two kinds of metre, it is termed dízwλov; if three, rgízwλov; if four, sergaxwhov. So again, if it consist of independent verses, which form no stanza, it is called μονόστροφον (μόνος and argo❤ń, versus); if it consist of stanzas containing each two verses it is termed δίστροφον ; if of stanzas of three verses, τρίστροφον ; if of stanzas of four verses, Tergάorgopov. The Latin stanza does not, except in a single instance in Catullus, exceed four verses. Neither are those verses regular, which consist of three, but only those which are composed of two or four verses. To apply these remarks; the first ode of the first book of Horace, is μονόκωλον μονόστροφον; the second of the same book, δίκωλον τετράστροφον ; the third, δίκωλον δίστροφον ; the fifth, τρίκωλον τετράστροφον ; &c.

X. With regard to the difference between Rhythm and Metre it may here suffice to observe, that the former relates to the quantity of the syllables in a foot, as far as respects the time required in the pronunciation of them, each long syllable being considered equal in time to two short ones; whereas metre includes both the time and the order of syllables, and does not admit the same interchange of feet as rhythm. If in the following dactylic line, for example,

Panditur interea domus omnipotentis Olympi,

the dactyls be confounded in this manner

Omnipotentis Olympi | panditur | interea domus,

the metre will be entirely destroyed, inasmuch as its laws require a dactyl in the fifth, and a spondee in the sixth place; and we shall have an anapaestic line in its stead. The rhythm, nevertheless, remains the same, because there is still the same space or quantity of times, and the same feet; but the metre is destroyed because there is no longer the same order.

XI. "Rhythm,* as it concerns language, is divided into certain portions, which are called feet. These feet correspond, in some degree, with bars in modern music; but the ancient music, besides common time and triple time, admitted of two other varieties of proportion, as will appear by the following scale :

First, as one to one, or two to two, which is equal, or as we now call it,

* Classical Journal, vol. 3. p. 38.

pyr

common time, consisting either of two or four crotchets to a bar, and capable of being divided into equal moieties. Of this nature are the rich, such as Deus, consisting of two short times; the spondee, such as võbis, consisting of two long, or four short times; the anapaest, and the dactyl, consisting also each of them of four short times.

The next division of rhythm is as one to two; this corresponds with our triple time, or three crotchets to a bar, containing a quantity of which one part is the double of the other. Of this nature are the feet called iambi, trochees, and tribrachs.

The third division of rhythm is as two to three. This division of time is not used in modern music, but may be expressed by five crotchets to a bar, of which three, as one part, would be as much and half as much again as the other. Of this nature is the foot called Paeon, such as tristitiă, consisting of one long, and three short times, or of five short times. This rhythm is called by the Greeks uókos, by the Latins sesquialter or sescuplex.

The fourth division of rhythm is as three to four, which is also unknown in modern music, but may be represented by seven crotchets to a bar, divided into four and three, where the greater quantity is to the less as the whole and one third over. This rhythm is called by the Greeks zirgiros, and by the Latins sesquitertius, or supertertius. Of this rhythm is the word rēfōrmīdō, consisting of one short and three long times, or of seven short times.

XII. It must be distinctly understood, however,* that words which have the same general rhythm, and are isochronous in collective value as words, are by no means also isochronous as feet, and interchangeable whenever the metre allows of isochronous interchanges. For instance, the iambus and trochee, as we have seen above, fall under the same rule of rhythm, are equally examples of double proportion, that is, of the proportion of one to two, and yet they not only cannot be substituted one for the other, but are said to have an antipathy (άvrizάox), or, in other words, to be of a nature directly opposite to each other. The reason appears to be this: as rhythm is divided into feet, so feet are again subdivided into what are called by the Greeks &gris and Jeris,† and by the

* Classical Journal, vol. 3. p. 39. seqq.

+ That part of a foot which receives the ictus, the stress of the rhythm, (the beat of the time) is called agris, or, elevation. The rest of the foot is called Firs, or, depression. Marius Victorinus informs us, that arsis was the raising of the foot (sublatio pedis sine sono,) and thesis the dropping of it, and striking the ground (positio pedis cum sono). Terentianus thus speaks of them;