2549. Some of the earliest remains of Latin literature are believed to
show a rhythmical structure. These are chiefly prayers, imprecations,
sacred songs and the like, couched in a set form of words. Of the rules
according to which these #carmina# were composed, almost nothing is
known. According to one theory, they are wholly accentual, and are
composed of rhythmical series, each series containing four theses.
Frequently an arsis is suppressed, and compensation for the omission is
made by dwelling longer upon the thesis. As an example is given the
prayer in Cato, _Dē Rē Rūsticā_, 141:
Mā́rs páter tḗ précor | quaésṓque útī síēs | vólēns própítiús
míhī́ dómṓ | fámiliaéque nóstraé, &c.