2628. These are descending rhythms in 3/8 time. The fundamental foot is
the trochee -́ ⏑, for which its metrical equivalent the tribrach ⏑́ ⏑, the
irrational spondee -́ >, the cyclic dactyl -́ ⏑, the irrational anapaest
⏑́ ⏑ >, and (rarely) the proceleusmatic ⏑́ ⏑ ⏑, are sometimes substituted.
[Erratum:
2628 ... the tribrach ⏑́ ⏑, the irrational spondee
⏑́ ⏑ the]
THE TROCHAIC TETRAMETER CATALECTIC (or _Septenarius_).
2629. The TROCHAIC TETRAMETER CATALECTIC is, next to the iambic
trimeter, the verse most frequently used by the early Roman dramatists.
It consists of seven and a half trochaic feet, or four trochaic dipodies
(the last one being incomplete). The ictus on the second thesis of each
dipody was probably weaker than that on the first thesis. The normal
scheme is:--
-́ ⏑ | -̇ ⏑ | -́ ⏑ | -̇ ⏑ | -́ ⏑ | -̇ ⏑ | -́ ⏑ | -̇ ⌃
As in the case of the senarius, we may distinguish two periods in the
usage:--
(A.) Early Period.
2630. The tribrach is admitted in any of the complete feet, and the
irrational spondee, cyclic dactyl, and irrational anapaest in any of the
first six feet. Terence does not admit the proceleusmatic in the
Septenarius (nor in any other kind of trochaic verse), but Plautus
admits it in the first foot. The seventh foot of the Septenarius is
usually a trochee, but the tribrach sometimes occurs there. The
principal break in the line is usually a diaeresis after the fourth foot
(which in that case must not be a dactyl), often accompanied by a
secondary diaeresis after the second foot. Sometimes, however, the
principal break is a diaeresis after the fifth foot, in which case there
is generally a secondary diaeresis after the third foot or a caesura in
the fourth. The full scheme of substitutions is:--
-́ ⏑͐ | -̇ ⏑͐ | -́ ⏑͐ | -̇ ⏑͐ | -́ ⏑͐ | -̇ ⏑͐ | -́ ⏑ | -̇ ⌃
⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑́ ⏑ |
-́ ⏖ | -̇ ⏖ | -́ ⏖ | -̇ ⏖ | -́ ⏖ | -̇ ⏖ | [-́ ⏖]
⏑́ ⏑ > | ⏑̇ ⏑ > | ⏑́ ⏑ > | ⏑̇ ⏑ > | ⏑́ ⏑ > | ⏑̇ ⏑ > |
[⏑́ ⏑ ⏖] |