2583. The IAMBIC TRIMETER is the verse most frequently used by the Roman
dramatists. It consists of six iambic feet, or three iambic dipodies.
The ictus on the second thesis of each dipody was probably weaker than
that upon the first thesis. Some ancient authorities, however, held that
the ictus on the second thesis was the stronger. The last foot is always
an iambus. The normal scheme is therefore:
⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | ⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | ⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇
Some prefer (see 2529) to regard this verse as a trochaic trimeter
catalectic with anacrusis. The normal scheme will then be:
⏑ ⁝ -́ ⏑ | -̇ ⏑ | -́ ⏑ | -̇ ⏑ | -́ ⏑ | -̇ ⌃
2584. The Latin poets differ widely in their treatment of the Senarius,
some (especially Plautus, Terence, and the other early dramatists)
handling it with great freedom, while others (especially Phaedrus and
Publilius Syrus) conform more closely to Greek models. We may therefore
distinguish two periods:
(A.) Early Period.
2585. Any one of the substitutions enumerated in 2581 is admitted in any
foot except the last. The scheme is therefore:
⏑͐ -́ | ⏑͐ -̇ | ⏑͐ -́ | ⏑͐ -̇ | ⏑͐ -́ | ⏑ -̇
⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑́ ⏑ |
> ⏑́ ⏑ | > ⏑̇ ⏑ | > ⏑́ ⏑ | > ⏑̇ ⏑ | [> ⏑́ ⏑] |
⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | ⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | ⏑ -́ |
⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ |
The main caesura is usually penthemimeral (2544); but it is sometimes
hephthemimeral, in which case there is generally a secondary caesura in,
or diaeresis after, the second foot.
The following passage may serve to show the rhythm:
Ubi vén|t(um) ad ae|dīs ‖ ést | Dromō | pultát | forēs;
anŭs quaé|dam prō|dit; ‖ haéc | ub(i) ape|rit ṓs|tium,
contínu(ō) | hic sē | coniḗ|cit ‖ in|tr(ō), ego cṓn|sequor;
anŭs fóri|bus ob|dit ‖ pés|sul(um), ad | lānám | redit.
Hīc scī́|rī potu|it ‖ aút | nusqu(am) ali|bī, Clī́|nia,
quō stúdi|ō vī|tam ‖ su͡ám | t(ē) absen|t(e) exḗ|gerit,
ubi d(ē) ín|prōvī|sōst ‖ ín|terven|tum múli|erī, &c.
T. _Hau._ 275.
⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | > ‖ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | > -́ | ⏑ -̇
⏑ -́ | > -̇ | ⏑ ‖ -́ | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇
> ⏑́ ⏑ | > -̇ | > -́ | ⏑ ‖ -̇ | ⏑ -́ | ⏑ -̇
⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑ -̇ | > ‖ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | > -́ | ⏑ -̇
> -́ | > ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑ ‖ -́ | > ⏑̇ ⏑ | > -́ | ⏑ -̇
> ⏑́ ⏑ | > -̇ | > ‖ -́ | > -̇ | > -́ | ⏑ -̇
⏑ -́ | > -̇ | > ‖ -́ | > -̇ | > ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑ -̇
2586. (1.) In the early dramatists, substitutions are very numerous, and
lines which follow the normal scheme are rare. Substitutions are most
frequent in the first foot.
2587. (2.) Four shorts rarely stand in succession unless they belong to
the same foot. Hence a dactyl or tribrach is seldom followed by an
anapaest.
2588. (3.) The dactyl and proceleusmatic are rare in the fifth foot. The
proceleusmatic occurs chiefly in the first foot.
2589. (4.) The fifth foot is very often a spondee. It must not be a pure
iambus except (_a._) when the line ends with a polysyllable of four or
more syllables; (_b._) when it ends with a word which forms a Cretic
(2521); (_c._) when it ends with an iambic word preceded by one which
forms a Fourth Paeon (2521), or by an anapaestic word which is itself
preceded by a final short syllable; (_d._) when there is a change of
speakers before the last foot; (_e._) when elision occurs in the fifth
or sixth foot.
2590. (5.) The main caesura is rarely preceded by a monosyllable.
2591. (6.) In the Senarius, and in the other iambic and trochaic verses
of the early dramatists, a resolved arsis or thesis is usually placed so
that its first syllable _begins a word_, or so that the two shorts of
the resolved arsis or thesis are _enclosed_ by other syllables belonging
to the same word. Hence a dactylic word with the ictus on the penult or
ultima (e.g. #tempóre#) rarely occurs. But there are occasional
exceptions to the rule, especially in the case of words that are closely
connected (e.g. a preposition with its case).
(B.) Later Period.
2592. Later writers conform more closely to Greek usage, but differ from
one another in the degree of strictness with which they follow it. The
general scheme is:
⏑͐ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | ⏑͐ ‖ -́ |⏑ -̇ | ⏑͐ -́ | ⏑ -̇
⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑ ‖ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑| ⏑́ ⏑
> ⏑́ ⏑ | | > ‖ ⏑́ ⏑ |
[⏑ -́] | [⏑ -̇] |
[⏑ ⏑́ ⏑] |
The main caesura is usually the penthemimeral (2544). The hephthemimeral
sometimes occurs, but usually in connection with the penthemimeral, or
with a diaeresis after the second foot. If the hephthemimeral is used
without either of these, the second and third trochees of the line must
form one word, as in
ut gaú|det īn|sitī́|va ‖ dē|cerpḗns | pira. (H. _Epod._ 2, 19.)
2593. (1.) The anapaest is rare in nearly all classical writers;
Catullus does not admit it at all, and Horace only five times in all.
The proceleusmatic is admitted in the first foot by Seneca, the author
of the _Octāvia_, Phaedrus, Publilius Syrus and Terentianus Maurus;
other writers exclude it altogether. Catullus keeps the fifth foot pure,
and Horace does not admit the tribrach in the fifth foot.
2594. (2.) Catullus (4 and 29), Horace (_Epod._ 16), Vergil (_Cat._ 3,
4, 8), and the authors of the _Priāpēa_ sometimes use the _pure_ iambic
trimeter, without resolutions or substitutions.
2595. (3.) Phaedrus follows in part the earlier usage, admitting the
spondee, dactyl, and anapaest, in every foot except the last. The dactyl
he employs chiefly in the first, third, and fifth feet, the anapaest in
the first and fifth. The proceleusmatic he admits only in the first.
2596. The rhythm of the Senarius may be illustrated by the following
lines:
But one amid the throng of eager listeners,
A sable form with scornful eye and look averse,
Out-stretched a lean fore-finger and bespake Haroun.
THE CHOLIAMBUS (or _Scazon_).
2597. The CHOLIAMBUS is an iambic trimeter in which a trochee has been
substituted for the final iambus. The penultimate syllable is therefore
long instead of short. The caesura is generally the penthemimeral
(2544). If it is hephthemimeral, there is regularly a diaeresis after
the second foot. The scheme is:
⏑͐ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | ⏑͐ -́ | ⏑ -̇ | ⏑ -́ | -́ ⏑
[⏑́ ⏑] | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑ |
> ⏑́ ⏑ | | > ⏑́ ⏑ | |
⏑ -́ |
An example is: