2682. In these the fundamental foot is the anapaest ⏑ -́, for which its
metrical equivalents the spondee - -́, dactyl - ⏑́ ⏑ and proceleusmatic
⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ are sometimes substituted.
2683. The anapaestic verse of the early Latin comedy is extremely
irregular, and its limits are often hard to define. Spondees and
apparent bacchii (reduced to anapaests by the law of iambic shortening;
see 2470) are extremely common, and metrical irregularities of various
kinds abound. The Latin language has so few anapaestic words that it
does not lend itself readily to this rhythm. Terence wisely abstained
altogether from anapaestic verse. Varro, Seneca, and Prudentius and
other late writers wrote anapaests conforming more closely to Greek
models.
THE ANAPAESTIC TETRAMETER ACATALECTIC (or _Octonarius_).
2684. This consists of four anapaestic dipodies or eight complete
anapaestic feet. There is regularly a diaeresis after the fourth foot,
and the last thesis of the line is never resolved. Hiatus and _syllaba
anceps_ sometimes occur in the diaeresis, the verse being asynartetic
(2535). The scheme is:--
⏖ -́ | ⏖ -̇ | ⏖ -́ | ⏖ -̇ # ⏖ -́ | ⏖ -̇ | ⏖ -́ | ⏖ -̇
- -́ | - -̇ | - -́ | - -̇ # - -́ | - -̇ | - -́ | - -̇
- ⏑́ ⏑ | - ⏑̇ ⏑ | - ⏑́ ⏑ | - ⏑̇ ⏑ # - ⏑́ ⏑ | - ⏑̇ ⏑ | - ⏑́ ⏑ |
⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ | [⏖ ⏑̇ ⏑] # ⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ |