That which consists of two kinds of verse, and always after two lines returns to the first, is called Dicolon Distrěphon, as when a single pentameter is alternately placed after an hexameter, which is named Elegiac verse, because it was first applied to mournful subjects: thus, Flebilis indignos, Elegëia, solve capillos. Ah! nimis ex vero nunc tibi nomen erit.. Ovid. When a poem consists of two kinds of verse, and after three lines returns to the first, it is called Dicolon Trist: öphon; when after four lines, Dicolon Tetrastrophon; as, Auream quisquis mediocritatem Diligit, tutus caret obsoleti Sordibus tecti; caret invidendâ Sobrius aulâ. Hor. When a poem consists of three kinds of verse, and after three lines always returns to the first, it is called Tricolon Tristrophon ; but if it returns after four lines, it is called Tricolon Tetrastrophon; as when after two greater dactylic alcaic verses are subjoined an archilochian iambic and a lesser dactylic alcaic, which is named the Carmen Horatianum, or Horatian verse, because frequently used by Horace; thus, Virtus recludens immeritis mori Spernit humum fugiente pennâ. Any of these parts of a poem, in which the different kinds of verse are comprehended, when taken by itself, is called a Strophe, Stanza or Staff. SCANNING. The measuring of verse, or the resolving of it into the seve ral feet of which it is composed, is called Scanning; as, Spond. Dact. Spond. Spond. Dact. Spond, S. D. S. S. D. Illum non popů. | lifa, | scēs non purpură S. rēgām. D. S. D. S. D. S. Flexit, ět infi. | dōṣ ăgi- | tāns dīs- | cōrdiă [frātrēs. Lucret. FIGURES IN SCANNING. The several changes made upon words to adapt them to the verse, are called Figures in Scanning. The chief of these are the Synalapha, Ecthupsis, Synarīsis, Diæresis, Syst le and Diastole. 1. Synalapha is the cutting off of a vowel or diphthong, when the next word begins with a vowel; as, Conticuere omnes, intentique ora tenebant. to be scanned thus, Contier' om- | nës in- ¦ tēnti- | qu' ôră tě- | nebānt. Virg. The Synalapha is sometimes neglected; and seldom takes place in the interjections, ô, heu, ah, proh, va, vah, hei; as, O pater, o hominum, Divúmque æterna potestas. Virg. 2. Ecthlipsis is when m is cut off, with the vowel before it in the end of a word, because the following word begins with a vowel; as, O curas hominum! O quantum est in rebus inane ? Pers. thus, Ocūrās homi | n', ō quan | t' est in | rebus în | ārē. So ëï, in 3. Synaresis is the contraction of two syllables into one, which is likewise called Crasis; as, Phathon, for Phaethon. deinde, Pompei; öi, in proinde ; ëä in aure¤; thus, Aured percussum virgâ, versumque venenis. Virg. 4. Diaresis divides one syllable into two; as, Troia, for Troja, Perseus, millitus, for milvus. 5. Systole is when a long syllable is made short; as the penult in tulerunt; thus, Matri longa decem tulerunt fastidia menses. Virg. 6. Diastole is when a syllable usually short is made long; as, the last syllable in amor in the following verse; Confidant, si tantus amōr, et mænia condant. To these may be subjoined the Figures of Diction, as they are called, which are chiefly used by the poets, though some of them likewise frequently occur in prose. 1. When a letter or syllable is added to the beginning of a word, it is called Prosthesis; as, gnavus, for navus; tetuli, for tuli. When a letter or syllable is interposed in the middle of a word, it is called Epenthesis; as, relligio, for religio; induperator, for imperator. When a letter or syllable is added to the end, it is called Paragōge; as, dicier, for dici. 2. If a letter or syllable be taken from the beginning of a word it is called Apheresis; as natus, for gnatus; tenderant, for tetenderant. If from the middle of a word, it is called Syncope; as, dixti, for dixisti; dcúm, for deorum: If from the end Apocope; as, viden', for videsne; Antōnî, for Antonii. 3. When a letter or syllable is transposed, it is called Metathesis; as, pistris, for pristis; Lybia, for Libya. When one letter is put for another, it is called Antithesis; as, faciundum, for faciendum; olli, for illi; voltis, for vultis. But what particularly deserves attention in scanning verse, especially hexameter, is the Casura. Casura is, when after a foot is completed there remains a syllable at the end of the word to begin a new foot; as, The Casura is variously named, according to the different parts of the hexameter verse in which it is found. When it comes after the first foot, or falls on the third half foot, it is called by a Greek name Triemimeris. When on the fifth halffoot, or the syllable after the second foot, it is called Penthemimeris: When it happens on the first syllable of the fourth foot, or the seventh half-foot, it is called Hepthemimeris: And when on the ninth half-foot, or the first syllable of the fifth foot, it is called Ennëemimeris. All these different species of the Casūra sometimes occur in the same verse; as, Ille lătūs nive-ūm mōll-li fül-tus hya-cintho. Virg. But the most common and beautiful Casura is the penthemim; on which some lay a particular accent or stress of the voice in reading an hexameter verse thus composed, whence they call it the Casural pause; as, Tityre dum rede-O, brevis est via, pasce capellas. Virg. When the Casura falls on a syllable naturally short, it renders it long; as the last syllable of fultus in the foregoing example. The chief melody of an hexameter verse in a great measure depends on the proper disposition of the Casura. Without this, a line consisting of the number of feet requisite will be little else than mere prose; as, Rôma mœniă terruit impiger Hannibal armis.....Ennius. The ancient Romans in pronouncing verse paid a particular attention to its melody. They not only observed the quantity and accents of the several syllables, but also the different stops and pauses which the particular turn of the verse required. În modern times we do not fully perceive the melody of Latin verse, because we have now lost the just pronunciation of that language, the people of every country pronouncing it in a manner similar to their own. In reading Latin verse, therefore, we are directed by the same rules which take place with respect to English verse. The tone of the voice ought to be chiefly regulated by the sense. All the words should be pronounced fully; and the cadence of the verse ought only to be observed, so far as it corresponds with the natural expression of the words. At the end of each line there should be no fall of the voice, unless the sense requires it; but a small pause, half of that which we usually make at a cómma. N DICTA SAPIENTUM E GRÆCIS. D. ERASMO ROTEROD. INTERPRETE. Aurea dicta, puer, quæ sunt hic, mente reconde ; Semper voluptates sunt morta- Audi quæ ad te pertinent. les : Honores autem immortales. Amicis adversâ fortunâ utenti bus idem esto. Age quæ justa sunt. Sapientum utere consuetudine. Bonos in pretio habeto. Cede magnis. Largire cum utilitate Probrum fugito. Responde in tempore. Ea facito quorum te non possit Ne cui invideas. Calumniam oderis. Cum errâris, muta consilium. Concordiam sectare. Diuturnam amicitiam custodi. Magistratus metue. Consule inculpatè. |