2550. THE SATURNIAN is the best known and most important of the old
Italian rhythms; but its nature long has been, and still is, matter of
high dispute. There are two principal theories as to its character, the
quantitative and the accentual, each of which is advocated by many
distinguished scholars.
2551. (1.) THE QUANTITATIVE THEORY. According to this theory, the
Saturnian is a verse of six feet, with an anacrusis (2529). There is a
break after the fourth arsis, or more rarely after the third thesis.
Each thesis may be either a long syllable or two shorts; each arsis may
be a short syllable, a long, or two shorts, but an arsis is not resolved
before the principal break or at the end of the verse. Hiatus is common,
especially at the principal break in the verse. A short final syllable
may be lengthened by the influence of the verse-ictus. An arsis is
frequently suppressed, especially the penultimate arsis. Two arses are
never suppressed in the same half-verse, and rarely two in the same
verse. Examples of the Saturnian, measured quantitatively, are:
Dabúnt malúm Metéllī # Naéviṓ poḗtae.
Novém Iovís concórdēs # fī́liaé sorṓrēs. (Naevius.)