FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY / THE QUANTITATIVE OF LATIN POETOfeisE^ OF bum** BY J/ CHARLES E. BENNETT PROFESSOR OF LATIN IN CORNELL UNIVERSITY •Boston ALLYN AND BACON 1899 COPYRIGHT, 1S9 9, BY CHARLES E. BENNETT. J. S. Cushing & Co. - Berwick k Smith Norwood Mass. U.S.A. PREFACE This pamphlet is published in accordance with a plan formed several years ago. Few pupils learn to read Latin poetry with ease and enjoyment. What ought to be a pleasure seldom rises above the dreary routine of a mechanical task. The writer feels justified by his own experience in asserting that something more than this — much more in fact — is easily within the reach of all who will faithfully carry out the simple precepts laid down in the following pages. It is this conviction which has led to the publication of this little book. The rules for quantity, along with nearly all the definitions of the leading terms of metre and prosody, have designedly been omitted. These are easily accessi- ble in any Latin grammar. C. E. B. Ithaca, March, 1899. ill Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://archive.org/details/quantitativeOObenn THE QUANTITATIVE READING OF LATIN POETRY. ■OO^OC- PART I. TEE DACTYLIC HEXAMETER. § 1. GENERAL CHARACTER OF LATIN POETRY. English poetry, as a rule, is based on stress, i.e. on a regular succession of accented and unaccented syllables. The versification of This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines and the hemlocks, depends entirely upon this alternation of accented and unaccented syllables, and the same thing is true of all ordinary English verse. This basis of English poetry, moreover, is a result of the very nature of the English language. Like all languages of the Teutonic group, our English speech is characterized by a strong word- accent. Latin verse, on the other hand, was based on quantity; a line of Latin poetry consisted of a regular succession of long and short syllables, i.e. of syllables which it took 1 2 General Character of Latin Poetry. a long or short time to pronounce. This basis of Latin poetry, as in the case of English poetry, is strictly in conformity with the character of the spoken language. For classical Latin was not a language in which there was a strong word-accent. The word-accent, in fact, must have been extremely weak. Different languages differ very greatly in this respect, and we ought to bear *this fact in mind in thinking of Latin. In Latin, word- accent was so weak that it could not be made the basis of versification as it is in English, while, on the other hand, quantity was a strongly marked feature of the spoken language. Thus we see how it came about that quantity was made the basis of Latin verse, and why accent was not. We are, then, to conceive of a line of Latin poetry as consisting simply of a regular arrangement of long and short syllables, — nothing else. To read Latin poetry, therefore, it is necessary simply to pronounce the words with the proper quantity. This takes some patience and practice, but it is easily within the power of every pupil of Latin who can read Latin prose with quantitative accuracy. It is in Latin as in English : Any one who can read prose with accuracy and fluency has no difficulty in reading poetry. The poet arranges the words in such wise that they make poetry of themselves, if they are only properly pronounced. No other kind of poetry was ever known in any language. No other is conceivable. Of course it necessarily takes time for the student's ear to become sensitive to quantitative differences and to acquire a feeling for the quantitative swing of Latin Ictus. 3 verse. Yet, with patience and abundant practice in care- ful pronunciation, the quantitative sense is bound to develop. At all events, no other method of reading should be attempted, for no other is right. § 2. ICTUS. In Latin there are four chief kinds of feet : __ \j Trochee, _ \j \j Dactyl, \j _ Iambus, \j \j _ Anapaest. In every one of these feet the long syllable naturally stands out with greater prominence. This quantitative prominence is called ictus. 1 Thus in the Dactyl the ictus or quantitative prominence rests upon the first syllable. Whenever a Spondee is substituted for the Dactyl, as is often the case, the ictus or quantitative prominence is naturally felt as resting upon the first long of the Spondee. Let the pupil, then, remember that ictus is not an accent, as sometimes taught, but is simply the quantita- tive prominence of a certain syllable of every foot. It may take time for the pupil to appreciate the full force of this definition; but just so soon as a sense is acquired for the quantitative character of Latin poetry, the natu- ralness of the above conception of ictus will be sufficiently apparent. 1 The justification of this definition may be found in an article by the writer, published in the American Journal of Philology, Vol. XIX, No. 76. 4 Word-Accent. § 3. WORD-ACCENT. In reading Latin poetry, the ordinary accent of the words should not be neglected. But, as we have already seen above, in § 1, the word-accent in Latin was exceed- ingly slight. We almost invariably accent Latin words altogether too strongly. As a result we destroy the quantity of the remaining syllables of a word. Thus, in a word like evitabatur, we are inclined to stress the penultimate syllable with such energy as to reduce the quantity of the vowel in each of the three preceding syllables. In this way, the pupil says e-vl-ta-ba-tur. Such a pronunciation is a fatal defect in reading. What we ought to do is to make the quantity prominent and the accent very slight. Where this is done, the accent will be felt to be subordinate to the quantity, as it ought to be, and as it must be if one is ever to acquire a feeling for the quantitative character of Latin poetry. If the quantity is not made more prominent than the accent, the accent is bound to be more prominent than the quan- tity, which will be fatal to the acquisition of a quantita- tive sense for the verse. § 4. SPECIAL CAUTIONS TO BE OBSERVED IN ORDER TO SECURE CORRECT SYLLABIC QUANTITY IN READING. Inasmuch as Latin poetry was based on the quantity of syllables, it is obvious that the greatest care must be taken in the pronunciation of the words with a view to securing an absolutely correct syllabic quantity. Other- Special Cautions in Reading. 5 wise the metrical (i.e. quantitative) character of the verse is violated, and the effect intended by the poet is lost. To ignore the proper quantity of the syllables is as disastrous in a line of Latin poetry as it would be in English poetry to misplace the word-accent. If one were to read the opening line of Longfellow's Evangeline, for example, as follows : This is the fore*st primeval, the result would be no more disastrous than to read a line of Latin poetry with neglect of the quantity. In reading Latin verse, there are two classes of errors to which the student is particularly liable, either one of which results in giving a wrong syllabic quantity. Class First. In ' Open ' * Syllables. Here the quantity of the syllable is always the same as the quantity of the vowel. Thus, in ma-ter the first syllable is long; in pa-ter, the first syllable is short. This being so, it is imperative that the pupil should in -open' syllables scrupulously observe the quantity of the vowel. If he pronounces a short vowel long, or a long vowel short, he thereby gives a false quantity to the syllable, and thus wrecks the line completely. The 1 An ■ open ' syllable is one whose vowel is followed by a single con- sonant (or by a mute with 1 or r). This single consonant (or the mute with 1 or r) is joined with the vowel of the following syllable, thus leaving the previous syllable 'open.' 6 Special Cautions in Reading. pupil, therefore, must know the quantity of every vowel, and must pronounce in the light of his knowledge. He must not say gero, tero, sero (for gero, tero, sero) ; nor must he say pater, ager, nisi, quod, quibus, ingenium, es ('thou art'), etc. One such error in a verse is fatal to its met- rical structure, and the pupil who habitually commits such errors in reading is simply wasting valuable time. Class Second. In 'Closed' 1 Syllables. It is a fundamental fact that a ' closed ' syllable is long. But in order to be long it must be actually closed in pro- nunciation. Eight here is where the pupil is apt to err. He fails to make the syllable ' closed,' i.e. he does not join the first of the two or more consonants to the pre- ceding vowel, but joins all of the consonants with the following vowel. He thus leaves the preceding syllable 'open.' Hence, if the vowel itself is short, the syllable by this incorrect pronunciation is made short, where it ought to be made long. Thus the student is apt to say tem-pe-sta-ti-bus where he ought to say tem-pes-ta-ti-bus, i.e. he joins both the s and the t with the following vowel, where he ought to join the s with the preceding 1 A ' closed ' syllable is one whose vowel is followed by two or more consonants (except a mute with 1 or r) . The first of the two (or more) consonants is regularly joined in pronunciation with the preceding vowel, thus closing the preceding syllable. This is the real significance of the common rule that a syllable is long when a short vowel is fol- lowed by two consonants. It is because one of the consonants is joined to the preceding vowel, thus closing the syllable. Special Cautions in Reading. 7 vowel (thus making a ' closed' syllable), and only the t with the following vowel. 1 Errors of the kind referred to are so liable to occur that it seems best to classify them by groups : (a) The commonest class consists of those words which contain a short vowel followed by doubled consonants (pp, cc, tt, etc.), — words of the type of ap-parabat, ac-cipiebam, at-tigerant, ges-serunt, ter-ra-rum, an-norum, ad-diderat, flam- marnm, excel-lentia, ag-gerimus, etc. In Latin, both of the doubled consonants were pronounced, one being com- bined with the previous vowel (thus closing the syllable and making it long), one with the following vowel. But in English we practically never have doubled consonants. We write them and print them, but we do not pronounce them. Thus, we write and print kit-ty, fer-ry, etc., but we do not pronounce two t's or two r's in these words any more than in pity, which we write with one t, or in very, which we write with one r. Now, in pronouncing Latin the pupil is very apt to pronounce the doubled consonants of that language as single consonants, just as he does in English. Thus he naturally pronounces the words above given, not ap-pa-ra-bat, etc., but a-pa-rabat, a-cipiebam, a-tige-rant, ge-serunt, te-rarum, a-norum, a-diderat, fla-marum, exce-lentia, a-gerimus. In other words, the pupil pro- nounces only one consonant, where he ought to pro- nounce two, and that one consonant he joins with the following vowel. He thus leaves the preceding syllable 1 This doctrine, to be sure, contradicts the rules given in grammars for division of words into syllables ; but those rules apply only to writ- ing, not to actual utterance. See Bennett, Appendix to Lat. G?\, § 35. 8 Special Cautions in Beading. 'open/ i.e. he makes it short where it ought to be long. The effects of this pronunciation are disastrous in reading Latin poetry, for these doubled consonants occur on an average in every other line of Latin poetry. (6) The second group consists of words in which a short vowel is followed by sp, sc, st ; also by scl, scr, str. In English, when the vowel following these combinations is accented, we usually combine the consonants with the following vowel. Thus, we say a-scribe, a-stoiinding, etc. Xow, the Latin pupil is almost certain to do the same thing in pronouncing Latin, unless he is on his guard, i.e. he is likely to say a-spersus, i-storum, tempe-stivus, coru-scabat, mi-scuerat, magi-stronim, a-scripsit, etc. What lie ought to do is to join the s with the preceding vowel (thus making the syllable closed, and long), pronouncing as-persus, is-torum, tempes-tivus, corus-cabat, mis-cuerat, magis- trorum, as-cnpsit, etc. By joining all the consonants to the following vowel he leaves the preceding syllable open. Hence, when the preceding vowel is short, the syllable also becomes short. This destroys the metre of the line. (c) The third group consists of words containing a short vowel followed by r and some consonant. In our common English utterance we are very apt to neglect the r. This tendency is all but universal in New Eng- land, and is widely prevalent in the Middle States. As a result, the pupil is apt to pronounce Latin with the same neglect of the r as he habitually practises in the vernacular. This omission occurs particularly where Special Cautions in Reading. 9 the preceding vowel is unaccented, e.g. in portarum, ter- minorum, etc. The pupil is likely to say po(r)-tarum, te(r)-minorum, i.e. he makes the preceding syllable 'open' and short, where it ought to be ' closed' and long. In order to close the syllable, a distinct articulation of the r is necessary. When this is overlooked, the quantity of the syllable is lost and the metrical character of the line is destroyed. (d) The fourth group of words consists of those ending in s, preceded by a short vowel and followed by words beginning with c, p, t, v, m, n, f. In English we are very apt to join the final s to the initial consonant of the following word. Thus we habitually say grievou stale for grievous tale ; Lewi sTaylor for Lewis Taylor, etc. There is great danger of doing the same thing in Latin. Expe- rience teaches that pupils often say urbl sportas for nrbis portas; cap! scanem for capis canem; even urbi svici for urbis vici, etc. Care must be taken to join the final s clearly with the preceding vowel. Otherwise the pre- ceding syllable will be left 'open' and short where it ought to be ' closed' and long. The foregoing cautions are not mere theoretical inven- tions. They are vital, and are based on experience of the errors which we as English-speaking people natu- rally commit when we pronounce Latin. It is only by a conscientious observance of the principles above laid down that any one can read Latin poetry quantitatively ; and unless we do so read it, we necessarily fail to repro- duce its true character. 10 Common Syllables. — Elision. § 5. COMMON SYLLABLES. As is well known, when a short vowel is followed by a mute with 1 or r (pi, cl, tl ; pr, cr, tr ; etc.), the syllable is common, i.e. it may be either long or short in verse at the option of the poet. The explanation of this pecu- liarity is as follows : In a word like patrem, for example, it was recognized as legitimate to pronounce in two ways ; either to com- bine the tr with the following vowel (pa-trem), thus leaving the preceding syllable 'open' and short, or to join the t with the preceding vowel (pat-rem), thus closing the preceding syllable and making it long. Hence, in the case of common syllables, the quantity in each indi- vidual instance depends upon the mode of pronunciation, i.e. the mode in which we divide the syllable. In read- ing Latin poetry, therefore, it will be necessary for the pupil to observe how the poet treats each common syl- lable, and to pronounce accordingly. § 6. ELISION. The rule for Elision, as stated in our Latin grammars, is in substance as follows: "A final vowel, a final diph- thong, or m with a preceding vowel, 1 is regularly elided before a word beginning with a vowel or h." The exact nature of Elision, as observed by the ancients in reading Latin verse, is still very uncertain. The Romans may have slurred the words together in some 1 The elision of final m with a preceding vowel is sometimes called Ecthlipsis. Verses for Practice. 11 way, or they may have omitted the elided part entirely. In practice, the latter procedure is probably the wiser one to follow. 1 § 7. VERSES FOR PRACTICE. In arranging the following examples for practice, the aim has been to proceed from the easier to the more difficult types of verse. The pupil is advised to bear in mind the four following fundamental principles : 1. Observe the quantity of each syllable scrupulously, taking care to observe the division of the syllables as indicated by the hyphens, joining the consonant before the hyphen with the preceding vowel, and so closing the syllable. 2. Make the word-accent light ; subordinate it care- fully to quantity. 3. Endeavor to cultivate the quantitative sense, i.e. to feel the verse as consisting of a succession of long and short intervals. 4. Do not attempt to give special expression to the ictus in any way. The ictus will care for itself if the syllables are properly pronounced. 1 The writer of this little pamphlet has frequently been favored by prominent advocates of 'slurring,' with practical illustrations of the method of reading recommended by them ; but these experiments have invariably seemed to result in producing more syllables than the verse demands. For example, in a verse like Vix a-dejo ag-no|vit, the second foot has inevitably taken the form u , where slurring was attempted, while in a verse like Tan-dem | cor-ri-pu|it se|se atque i-ni|mi-ca re|fu-git, the fourth foot, by slurring, has become u_ u u o. 12 Verses for Practice. A. VERSES CONTAINING NO ELISIONS. I. The ' ictus * falls upon an accented syllable in all the feet. 1 Dig-num | men-te do mo-que le|gen-tis ho'nes-ta M"e|ro-nis La-bi-tur | unc-ta ca:ri-na per | ae-quo-ra | ca-na cejlo-cis Ster-ni-tur | ae-quo-ris j un-da re |sol-vi-tur | ae-the-ris | um-bra Sed ta-men | an-ni j iam lajbun-tur | tem-po-re | to-to II. The ; ictus' falls upon an accented syllable in all the feet but one (usually the third). Tan-tae j mo-lis e rat Eo|ma-nam J con-de-re | gen-tem Ta-li-a | vo-ce revert : i ter-que qua|ter-que beat! Ae-quo-ra | tti-ta si .lent ; turn | sil-vis j scae-na co|rns-cis Oon-sti-tit j hie ar|cum-que ma|nu ce-le'ns-qne sa'git-tas Pars in | fm-sta se cant ve-rijbns-que tre|men-ti-a | fi-gunt. Hie pi-e ta-tis ho nos ? Sic | nos in | scep-tra re po-nis ? Et jam | jus-sa fa,cit, po nunt-que fe |ro-ci-a | Poe-ni. Con-ju-gis, o-ra mo dis at,tol-lens pal-li-da | mi-ris Tro-jae | no-men i,it di|ver-sa per | ae-quo-ra | vec-tos Nam-que vi debat nti bel ( lan-tes | Per-ga-ma | cir-cum Lo-ra te'nens ta-men ; huic cer vix-que co mae-que tra|hun-tur An-the-a | Ser-ges tum-que vi|det for tem-que Olojan-thum regl-na 7 novam cui || con-de-re | Jup-pi-ter | ur-bem Nee pi-e ta-te fu';it ? nee | bel-lo | ma-jor et | ar-mis. Scin-dit | se nu^bes et in | ae-the-ra | pur-gat a'per-tum Prae-mi-a | dig-na fe rant. Quae | te tarn | lae-ta tujlerunt Quis te na-te de a, per | tan-ta pe ri-cu-la | ca-sus 1 Verses of this type are extremely rare. Verses Containing No Elisions. 13 Vo-ci-bus I et ve-reor, quo | se Juno-ni-a | ver-tant In-star | mon-tis e quum di vi-na | Pal-la-dis || ar-te Hue de lec-ta vi rum sor ti-ti | cor-po-ra | fur-tim Olas-si-bus | hie lo-cus ; hie a-ci e cer ta-re sojle-bant Et, si | fa-ta dejum, si | mens non | laeva fujisset Vel-li-tur | huic atro liquun-tur | san-gui-ne | gut-tae Ac-ci-pit | e-gres si ve-ne|ra-mur A pol-li-nis | ur-bem Glo-ri-a, | quern falsa sub | pro-di-ti one Pe las-gi Pro-tra-hit | in me-di os ; quae | sint e-a | nti-mi-na | di-vom Dix-e-rat. | Il-le do lis in struc-tus et | ar-te Pe|las-ga Nam si | ves-tra manus vi-o las-set | do-na Miner-vae Ore-di-ta | res, capti-que do lis la-cri|mis-que coac-tis Sub pe-dibus-que de^ae cli-pei-que sub | or-be tegun-tur Et Me-ne la-us, et | ip-se dojli fa-bri|ca-tor Epe-os Pul-ve-re ? per-que pe des trajjec-tus | lo-ra tujmen-tis Il-le nijhil, nee | me quae|ren-tem | va-na mora-tur Sac-ra su os-que ti;bi com|men-dat | Tro-ja pena-tis In-ci-dit |[ aut ra-pi|dus mon|ta-no | flu-mi-ne | tor-rens Strio-ta pajra-ta ne|ci ; vix | pri-mi | proe-li-a | temp-tant Plu-ri-ma | per-que vijas ster |nun-tur inler-ti-a | pas-sim Lu-mi-na | nam te-ne'ras arjee-bant vin-cu-la | pal-mas As-pi-ce | bis se nos lae tan-tis | ag-mi-ne | cyc-nos Vir-gi-nis j os ha-bitum-que gelrens et | vir-gi-nis | ar-ma. As-pe-ra | turn po-si|tis mi tes-cent | sae-cu-la | bel-lis. Ju-li-us I a mag no de| mis-sum | no-men I ti-lus. Ter-ti-a I dum La-ti o ree:!nan-tem I vi-de-rit I aes-tas I I O I I i Tem-pe-ret | a la-cri'mis ? Et | jam nox j ii-mi-da | cae-lo Quo fre-mi^us vo-cat | et subla-tus ad j ae-the-ra | cla-mor 14 Ve?*ses for Practice. Fla-gi-tat | et nii-hi | jam mul|ti cru|de-le ca|ne-bant Nee non | et Ty-ri|i per | ll-mi-na | lae-ta fre|quen-tes StI-pant | et dul|cl dis|ten-dunt | nec-ta-re | eel-las Con-sti-tit J et Li-by|ae dejfix-it | lti-mi-na | reg-nis. Di-vi-dit J et dic|tis mae|ren-ti-a | pec-to-ra | mul-cet Lu-na pre|mit sua|dent-que ca|den-ti-a | si-de-ra | som-nos III. The 'ictus' falls upon an accented syllable in all the feet but two. Un-de per | o-ra no|vem vas|to cum | mur-mu-re | mon-tis Trans-fe-ret | et Lonjgam mul|ta vi | mti-iii-et | Al-bam Hos-pi-ti|o Teujcris, ne || fa-ti | nes-ci-a | Di-do Ac-ci-pit | in Teujcros a-ni|mum men|tem-que be|mg-nam Pol-lu-it | o-re da|pes. So-ci|is tunc | ar-ma ca|pes-sant Nu-da ge|nti no|do-que si|nus col|lec-ta flu|en-tis Et quo | sub cae|lo tan|dem qui-bus | or-bis in | o-ris Turn Ve-nus : ^Haud e-qui|dem ta|li me | dig-nor ho|no-re Vir-gi-ni|bus Ty-rijls mos | est ges|ta-re pba|ret-ram Sed fi|nes Li-by|ci, ge-nus | in-trac|ta-bi-le | bel-lo In-ci-pit | et do|no di|vom gra|tis-si-ma | ser-pit Et ma-gis | at-que ma|gis, quam|quam se|cre-ta pa|ren-tis In se-ge|tem ve-lu|ti cum | flam-ma fu|ren-ti-bus | aus-tris Prae-ci-pi|tls-que tra|hit sil|vas, stu-pet | In-sci-us j al-to Sac-ra majnu vic|tos-que de|os par|vum-que ne|po-tem Quo res | sum-ma lo|co Pan|thu? Quam | pren-di-mus | ar-cem Glo-ri-a | Teu-cro|rum; fe-rus | om-nia | Jup-pi-ter | Ar-gos Fun-dit e|quus vic|tor-que Sijnon in|cen-di-a | mis-cet Ml-li-a | quot mag|nis um|quam vejne-re My|ce-ms Verses Containing No Elisions. 15 Por-ta|rum vi-gi|les et | cae-co [ Mar-te re|sis-tunt Lae-ta fajcit ; spo-lijis se | quis-que re|cen-ti-bus | ar-mat Ad caelum ten|dens ar|den-ti-a | lu-mi-na | frus-tra Li-men e|rat caejcae-que fojres et | per-vi-us | u-sus Nos pa-vi,di tre-pi|da-re mejtu cri|nem-que flajgran-tem IV. The 'ictus' fails in three feet to fall upon an accented syllable. Tri-ginjta magjnos voljven-dls | men-si-bus | or-bis Cum so-ci|is arjdent a-ni|mi ; fu-ror | I-ra-que | men-tem Trans-tu-lit | in-cen|sa Da-nai do-mi |nan-tur in | ur-be Ar-du-us | ar-ma]tos me-dils in | moe-ni-bus | ad-stans In-felix qui | non sponjsae prae|cep-ta fu|ren-tis Et ge-ner | aux-i-li|um Pri-a|mo Phry-gi bus-que fejre-bat In-ci-pi|o su-per | his : Ju-ve|nes, for|tis-si-ma | frus-tra U-na sa|lus vicjtis ntil|lam spera-re sajlu-tem Fau-ci-bus || ex-spec|tant sicjcis, per | te-la, per | hos-tis Pi-da sajtis, sen|sit me-di|os d^lap-sus in | hos-tis Ob-sti-pu|it ret|ro-que pejdem cum | vo-ce re|pres-sit Ster-ni-mus. As-pirat pri|mo for|tii-na lajbo-ri Ap-te|mus : do-lus | an virtus, quis in | hos-te requi-rat? Va-di-mus | im-mix'ti Da-najis baud | nti-mi-ne | nos-tro Ec-ce tra|he-ba1tur pasjsis Pri-a|me-i-a | vir-go Ad-versi rupjto ceu | quon-dam | tur-bi-ne | ven-ti Et Da-na|um so-lijtae najves et Ajcha-i-a | cas-tra Junc-tu|ras ta-bu|la-ta da|bant con|vel-li-mus | al-tis Ex-suljtat te|lis et | lti-ce co|rus-cus a|e-na Nunc po-sijtis no-vus | ex-u-viis ni-ti|dus-que juiven-ta 16 Verses for Practice. V. The 'ictus' fails in four feet to fall upon an accented syllable. Ac-ci-pijens so-nijtum saxji de | ver-ti-ce | pas-tor In-si-di ae jam | De-i-pho|bi de-dit | am-pla ruii-nam Ex-egit cae|cos ra-bi|es ca-tu|li-que re|lic-ti Ap-pa|rent prl|ml cli-pejos men|tl-ta-que | te-la Ag-gres|si fer|ro cir|cnm qua | sum-ma la|ban-tis Bar-ba-rijco posjtes au|ro spo-lijls-que su|per-bi Per-sol|vant gra|tis dig|nas et | prae-mi-a | red-dant Op-ta|bam pri|mum mon|tis pri|mum-que pejte-bam De-vol|Vtint a-li|i stric|tis mtic|ron-i-bus | I-mas Im-me-ri|tam vi|sum su-pe|rls ce-ci|dit-que su|per-bum B. VERSES CONTAINING ONE ELISIONS I. One Conflict. 2 Lon-gi-us | et volvens fator um ar|can-a mo|ve-bo Nul-la tu a-r um au|di-ta mi'hi ne-que | vi-sa sojro-rum Turn ce-lejra-re fujgam pa-tri|a-qu e ex|ce-de-re sua-det Im-mi-net | ad-ver|sas-qu e as|pec-tat | de-su-per | ar-ces Sic a-it | at-qu e a-m mum pic|tu-ra | pas-cit i|na-ni Mul-ta ge|mens largo-qu e u|mec-tat | fltl-mi-ne | vol-tum Us-quam | jus-ti-ti a | est et | mens si-bi | con-sci-a | rec-ti Per tot | duc-ta vi|ros an|ti-qu a ab o|ri-gi-ne | gen-tis U-rit a'trox Jun° | et sub | noc-tem | cu-ra re | cur- sat 1 On the method of reading elided syllables, see above, p. 10. 2 The expressions 'one conflict,' 'two conflicts,' etc., are used as briefer ways of indicating that the ' ictus ' fails in one or more feet to fall upon an accented syllable. Verses Containing One Elision. 17 Me qua | sci-re do;los me-di us-v e oc;cur-re-re | pos-sit Ant te-re bra-re ca'vas u-ter 1 et temp ta-re lateb-ras Aut haec | in nos|tr6s fa-bri ca-t a est | ma-chi-na | mu-ros Seu verjsa-re dojlos, seu | cer-t ae oc cum-be-re | mor-ti Id-qu e audi-re sat | est? Jam | du-dum | sti-mi-te | poe-nas Mit-ti-mus | is-qu e a-dy tis haec | tns-ti-a | dic-ta re por-tat Pro-de-re | vo-ce su'a quern ;qu am aut op po-ne-re | mor-ti Vos aeter-n 1 12; nes et I non vi-o la-bi-le I ves-trum 'Tes-tor | nu-men' ait 'vos | a-^ enses-que nefan-di Fas dis-se vi^ros at qu e om-ni-a | fer-re sub | au-ras Po-ne le git si-nu at-qu e im'mensa vo|lu-mi-ne | ter-ga Lae-se-rit | et ter go sce-le ra-t am in tor-se-rit has-tam Vi-sus ad|es-se mi|hi largos-qu e efjfun-de-re | fle-tus Vol-ne-ralqu 6 il-la gejrens quae | cir-cum | plu-ri-ma | mti-ros Fti-ne-ra | post va-ri os ho-mi num-qu e ur bis-que la bo-res Pec-to-ra | si vobis au|den-t em extre-ma cupi-do II. Two Conflicts. Eo-mu-lus J ex-ci-pi]et gen't em et Ma vor-ti-a | con-det In-sci-us I at-qu e ulltro verbis compel-lat ami-cis Oon-fli'gunt Ze-phy rus-que N"otus-qu e et | lae-tus E|o-is Spti-me-us | at-qu e Ijmo Ne reus ci-et || ae-quo-ra | fun-do Fii-di-mus | in-si-di|is to ta-qu e a-gi ta-vi-mus | ur-be Tec-to r lim in-ter | se Pri-a ml pos tes-que re lic-ti Sup-pli-cis J e-ru-bu it cor|pus-qu e ex san-gue se pul-chro Eed-di-dit || Hec-to-relum me|qu e in me-a | reg-na re'mi-sit E sum mo cli-pe'i nequi-qu am umbo-ne pepen-dit Oui Pyr rhus: 're-fe|res erg 5 haec et | nun-ti-us ( I-bis 18 Verse* for Practice. Haec finis Pri-a]ml fajto-r um ; hie | ex-i-tus | il-lum A-vol|sum-qu e u-me|ris ca-put | et si-ne | no-mi-ne | cor-pus Ut re|g cm ae-quae|vum cru|de-ll | vol-ne-re J vl-di III. Three Conflicts. Qiiis cla|d em il-li|us nocjtis qiiis fii-ne-ra | fan-do? Mu-te nms cli-pe|os Da-na|nm-qn e lnjsig-ni-a | no-bis Con-se-quimur cunclt 1 et denlsis in|cur-ri-mus I ar-mis j- i i ii i Un-di-que | col-lecjt T in-va|dunt a|cer-ri-mus | A-jax Ag-nos cunt at|qu e o-ra sojno dis|cor-di-a | sig-nant I-li-a ci ci-ne|res et | flam-m a ex|tre-ma me|o-rum Ni-tun|tur gra-di|bus cli-pe|os-qn e ad | te-la si|nis-tris Ex-tre ma j aiu in | mor-te pa|rant de|fen-de-re | te-lis E-duc|tam tec tis un|d e om-iris | Tro-ja vi|de-ri Suc-ce:dunt tec't 5 et flam | mas ad | cul-mi-na | jac-tant Am-plex'ae-qne te|nent pos|tis at|qu e os-cn-la | fi-gunt Im-mis si Da-na T et la|te lo-ca | mi-li-te | com-plent Oir-ciim|dat ne qm-qu am u-meris et inju-ti-le | fer-rum Ip-s um an tern stimpjtis Pri-a|mum jn-ve|na-li-bus | ar-mis Pe-ll|dae ge-ni|to-r T il|li me-a | tris-ti-a | fac-ta IV. Four Conflicts. This type of verse is rare. Instances are : Pro-teC|t T ob-(j)i-ci unt prenjsant fas|ti-gi-a | dex-tris Ae-ratos jam|qu e ex-ci;sa tra-be | fir-ma ca|va-vit Vei'ses Containing Two Elisions. 19 C. VERSES CONTAINING TWO ELISIONS. I. One Conflict. Hie He-cu|b a et na tae ne|qul-qu am al ta-ri-a | cir-cum Nunc mo-reT e - Hoc dlcens al,ta-ri- a ad | ip-sa tre men-tern De-se-rue-r e omnes defes-s 1 et | cor-po-ra | sal-tli At-qu e u-bi | jam pa-trijae per|ven-t um ad | li-mi-na | se-dis Oiinc-ta pater ia ; to-qu e ur'gen-t 1 incum-be-re vel-let In-serjta-b am ap tans me|qu e ex-tra | tec-ta fe re-bam Er-g° a-ge | ca-re pater cer'vi-c impo-ne-re | nos-trae Me bel|P e tanto di|gres-s um et | cae-de rejcen-tl Om-ni-bus | i-d em a-ni|mus sce-le^ra-t^ ex ce-de-re | ter-ra Mons cir|c um et mugi-r e a-dytis corti-na re|clu-sis II. Two Conflicts. Sor-te tulit Tro]j am in-cens am et prolap-sa viden-tem Nus-qu ara a-be|r° et til turn pa-tri o te | li-mi-ne | sis-tarn Turn vejr° om-ne mi|hi visum consi-de-r e in | Ig-nis De-scen d 5 ac du cen-te deio flam'm am in-ter et I hos-tis i i i i i Te-la ne qu e ad-ver so glo-mejra-t ex | ag-mi-ne | Gra-I Sus-pen|s um et pa-rijter co-mi|ti-qu e o-ne|ri-que ti men-tem Ip-s e urbem re-pe|t° et cingor ful gen-ti-bus | ar-mis Qua gres ( s um ex-tu-leram re-pe|t 6 et ve^sti-gi-a | ret-ro III. Three Conflicts. In-cumjbens a|r ae at-qu e urn, bra com|plex-a Pe[na-tis Oon-den|s ae et dtv om am-plex|ae si-mula-cra se de-bant Ec-c e au|t em e-lap!sus Pyrrhi de | cae-de Poli-tes Oon-ge-ri^ur pu-ejr 1 et pa-vi|dae long 5 or-di-ne | ma-tres 20 Verses for Practice. TV. Four Conflicts. Con-fii|s am e-ri-pu|it mensem. Nam|qu c a-vi-a | cur-su D. THREE ELISIONS. Verses of this type are rare. Examples are : E-ru-er e ag-ri-colae cer|ta-t im il|l a us-que miha-tur Pro-mils 1 ul-tojr em et verjbis o-di| a as-pe-ra | mo-vi Na-t um an|t e o-ra pa|tris pat|rem qu 1 objtrun-cat ad | a-ras Ves-tr um hoc | au-gu-rium veS|tro-qu e in | nti-mi-ne | Tro-j a est Me re-fer 5 ir-ru-e|rant Da-na 1 et tec|t um om-ne te|ne-bant E. SPONDAIC VERSES. 1 Ar-ma|tum-qu e au|ro cir|cum-spi-cit | 0-ri'jO-na Oa-ra de um su-boles, mag^num Jo-vis | in-cre| men-turn Oor-nu-a I ve-lata-r um obver-ti-mus I an-temna-rum i iii Prox-i-mus | huic lon'go sed j prox-i-mus | in-terjval-lo Quae ca-put | a cae|li re-gi|o-ni-bus | os-ten| de-bat In-vl'tum qui | ser-vat, i|dem fa-cit | oc-ci|den-ti Oon-sti-tit | at-qu e o-cu|lis Phry-gi- a | ag-mi-na | cir-cum|spex-it Aut levis o-creas len|to dujcunt ar'gen-to Quae quon|d am in biis|tls aut | cul-mi-ni bus dejser-tls In val|l em E-ge-ri|ae de|scen-di-mus | et spelun-cas Oum pa-tri bus po-pu ! lo-que peha-ti-bus [ et magnis dis 1 Spondaic verses more commonly end with a quadrisyllabic word, as illustrated in the first seven examples. The last four verses exem- plify other methods of terminating the line. Verses Ending in a Monosyllable. 21 F. SYNIZESIS. An-tehac | ad ni|lum pe-nitns res | quae-que rejdis-sent In-film-t 1 ae|tas an|teac-ti | tem-po-ris | om-nis Dein-de quod | ob-scu|ra de | re tarn | lu-ci-da | pan-go He-re |des vo-ln|it. Quoad | vix-it | cre-di-dit | in-gens Eu-r um ad | se Ze-phy[rum-que vo|cat, de-hinc | ta-li-a | fa-tur Ta-li-bus | I-li-o|nei dic|tis de|fix-a La|ti-nus De-tur|bat lax|at-que fo|ros si-mul | ac-ci-pit | al-veo Au-rea | com-po-su|it spon da me-di|am-que lojca-vit Hoc sat e|rit. Scio | me Da-na|is e | clas-si-bus J ii-num Os-cu-la I li-balvit naltae dehinc I ta-li-a I fa-tur G. VERSES ENDING IN A MONOSYLLABLE.! Ae-o-le | nam-que ti|bi di|vum pa-ter | at-qu e ho-mi|num rex Ex-plo|ra-re la|bor, mi-hi | jus-sa ca|pes-se-re | fas est Di ti-bi I si qua pi|os res|pec-tant | nu-mi-na | si quid Pal-la-dis | aux-i-li|is sem|per ste-tit. Im-pi-us | ex quo Par-tu-ri|unt mon|tes, nas|ce-tur | n-di-cu|lus mus In som|nis> mul|to ma-ni|fes-ti | lu-mi-ne, qua se Aus-pi-ci|is ma-ni|fes-ta fijdes : sic |! fa-ta de|um rex Li-to-re|is in|gens in|ven-ta sub | i-li-ci|bus sus Mas-sy|li-que ru|unt e-qui|tes et o|do-ra canum vis Dar-da-ni|um-que dujcem Ty-ri|a Oar|tha-gi-ne | qui nunc 1 Verses ending in a monosyllable are relatively rare in dactylic poetry. Their metrical quality is peculiar, and somewhat difficult of apprehension until the ear is thoroughly trained. 22 Verses for Practice. H. WORDS IN WHICH i AND u BECOME j AND v. Hae-rent par-je-tijbus scajlae pos tis-que sub | ip-sos Cus-to des suf |fer-re va lent ; la-bat | ar-je-te | cre-bro Ae-di-fi cant sec^a-qu 6 injtex-unt | ab-je-te | cos-tas Bis pa-tri ae ce-ci|de-re mantis. Quin pro-ti-nus om-nja Prae-fe-ri nius ma-nibus vittas ac | ver-ba precan-tja Gen-va la bant, vastos qua-tit | ae-ger an : he-li-tus || ar-tiis Ten-vi-a | nee lajnae per | cae-lum | vel-le-ra | fer-ri Nam quae || ten-vi-a | sunt his|cen-dlst | niil-la po|tes-tas Fluv-jorum rex ( E-ri-danus cam|pos-que per | om-nes Sem-ja-ni mem-que si nti ger|ma-n am amjplex-a fojve-bat Fa-m a est | En-ce-lajdl sem|jus-tum j ful-mi-ne | cor-pus I. SYSTOLE AND DIASTOLE. a. Systole. 1 Ob-sti-pui ste-te|runt-que com ae et vox | fau-ci-bus hae-sit Oon-sti-te runt, sil v a al-ta Jo|vis lucus-ve Di!a-nae Tor-se-rit | in Ku-tulos, ste-tejrunt qu ae in | cor-po-re j Gra-jum b. Diastole. 2 Ltic-tus u bi-que pa|vor et | plu-ri-ma j mor-tis i|ma-go Os-ten tans ar tem-que pater ar|cum-que sonan-tem 1 This is the employment as short of a syllable usually long. 2 This is the employment as long of a syllable usually short. Systole and Diastole are not mere arbitrary processes. They fre- quently represent an earlier pronunciation which had passed out of vogue in the ordinary speech. This is true in all the examples given except the last three under b. Miscellaneous Peculiarities. 28 Hus-qu am a|mit-te:bat o-cu|los-que sub | as-tra te|ne-bat Per-ga-ma ] cum pe-teret in con-ces!sos-qu e hy-me|nae-os Qui te-ne|ant (n am injcul-ta vijdet) ho-mijnes-ne fe|rae-ne Pec-to-rijbus in-hi,ans spl|ran-ti-a | con-su-lit | ex-ta Non te j nul-lius ex|er-cent | nu-mi-nis | I-rae Li-to-ra | jac-te|tur o-di|Is Jilno-nis a|cer-bae J. HYPERMETER VERSES. Jac-te|mur do-ce as ; igjna-r ho-mijnum-que lo'co-rum | que^ Er-rajmus. Ae-re-a | cui gra-di|bus sur ge-bant | li-mi-na | nex-ae | que^ Aere. Et magnos mem|bro-r um ar|tus, mag|n a os-sa la'cer-tos que^ Ex-u-it. Aut dul cis musjti Vol;ca-no de-co-quit | u-mo|rem^ Et. K. MISCELLANEOUS PECULIARITIES. 1. When -que . . . que occurs, the first -que not infre- quently makes a long syllable ; e.g., Spi-cu-laque 1 cli-peji-qu e erep-ta-que | ros-tra cari-nls Bron-tesque 1 Ste-ro|pes-qu e et | nu-dus | mem-bra Palae-mon 1 In nearly all cases where this lengthening occurs, the following word begins with two consonants. It is, therefore, probable that one of the consonants was joined in pronunciation with the e of -que, thus making a closed {i.e. long) syllable ; thus, Spi-cu-la | quec-li-pe | I-que Bron-tes ! queS-te-ro|pes-que. By this theory, of course, the quantity of the vowel was not changed. 24 Verses for Practice. 2. Hiatus occurs with some frequency ; e.g., Post-ha-bi|ta co-lujis-se Sa|mo ; hie | il-li-us | ar-ma Ne-re-idum majtri et | Nep-tuino Ae^gae-o Tu-n e ill e Ae-n^as, quern j Dar-da-nijo An^chl-sae Oon-ci-li a E-ly-si uni-que co|lo. Hue j cas-ta Si|byl-la La-men!tis ge-mijtii-qu 6 et | fe-mi-ne|o u-lu|la-tu 3. A long final vowel or a final diphthong is sometimes shortened (instead of being elided) before a following vowel. This is called semi-hiatus ; e.g., In-su-lae I-o-ni|° in magjno quas | dl-ra Oejlae-no Vic-tor a|pud ra-pi|dum Si-mojen-ta sub | I-li-o | al-to No-men et | ar-ma lo|cum servant : te a ml-ce ne|qui-vi 1 These two verses are also spondaic lines. PART II. LYRIC METRES. § 1. INTRODUCTORY. The various lyric metres employed by the Latin poets are, like the dactylic hexameter, imitated from the lyric metres of the Greeks. Greek lyric poetry, as its name implies, was primarily written for musical performance, i.e. for singing to the accompaniment of the lyre. There- fore, in the rendition of such poetry, the utterance of the words naturally conformed to the musical tempo. It accordingly not infrequently happened that the normal quantity of the syllables was either shortened or length- ened in order to secure such conformity. The perform- ance of Greek lyric poetry, in other words, was entirely analogous to the performance of a modern song, in which a single syllable often extends in time over an entire measure, or even more. 1 Now, there is nothing to show that the Roman poets, in borrowing the lyric measures of the Greeks, employed them for the composition of poetry which icas intended to be sung to a musical accompaniment. In fact, everything 1 Witness, for example, the opening measures of Gounod's Ave Maria. 25 26 Lyric Metres. seems to point the other way, viz. to the fact that Roman lyric poetry was primarily intended for oral reading. 1 At all events, for the student the only practical thing is to read snch poetry. He cannot sing it to a musical accompaniment, and the problem which confronts him is : How to read it. .Most of our American grammarians who tonch on Latin prosody make Latin lyric metres conform to a strict musical notation. In carrying ont this principle, they inculcate the frequent necessity of abnormally shortening some syllables and of abnormally lengthening others, as was above explained to be the regular practice in the rendition of Greek lyric poetry. Thus, the opening line of Horace's first ode, in accord- ance with the doctrine alluded to, is divided as follows : Mae-ce|nas a-tajvis || e-di-te | re-gi|bus That is, the musical tempo of f- time is assumed as the basis of the construction of this poem, and the words are supposed to be artificially adapted to that movement. This is indicated by the notation above printed. The sign _ > (the irrational spondee) indicates a spondee (really f ) shortened to f ; -^ \j (the cyclic dactyl) indi- cates a dactyl (really f ), likewise shortened to f ; 2 l_ is used to indicate that the long syllable (ordinarily 1 The article by Otto Jahn in Hermes, ii, Wie wurden die Oden des Horaz vorgetragen? does not succeed in disproving this. 2 The exact distribution of the syllables is often explained by the musical notation * fi m, 4 Introductory. 27 |) is here equivalent to f; while the sign A indicates a pause sufficient to prolong -bus, the final syllable (equal -i-), to the time of -§. That is, in order in reading to make the verse conform to the prescribed musical nota- tion, the student is obliged in every foot but one to introduce an artificial pronunciation at variance with the natural employment of the same words in everyday speech. Were the pupil singing the ode to musical accompaniment, such an artificiality would seem per- fectly natural, since in singing the text is habitually made subordinate to the notes ; but that in the reading of Latin lyric poetry there was aDy such artificial adap- tation to a musical tempo is a priori inconceivable. Xo such process ever occurs in the poetry of any language. The poet simply takes the choicer words of familiar speech and employs them in their ordinary equivalence with their regular pronunciation. He must do so, for his appeal is to the many, not to a select handful who may have been initiated into the secret trick of his versification. In reading poetry in any language the reader gains sufficient consciousness of the metrical structure of the verse by pronouncing the words with their ordinary everyday values ; he does not first hunt up the metrical scheme, and in his reading adapt the words to the scheme. So, too, one would naturally assume, it must have been in Latin. ^Moreover, there is no evidence of any kind which intimates that the Romans did otherwise. The ancient grammarians, in fact, who wrote extensively on the sub- ject of lyric poetry, particularly on the lyric metres of 28 Verses for Practice. Horace, so far from suggesting a musical tempo as the basis of lyric verse, group the syllables on entirely different principles. It would seem plain, therefore, that the Latin lyric poets, in adopting the form of Greek lyric poetry, did not also adopt the specifically musical tempo which, as above explained, was inherent in the musical lyric poetry of the Greeks. Latin lyric poetry, accordingly, is to be read like poetry in any language. The reader is to pronounce the words with accuracy, following the principles explained in Part I of this pamphlet. If he does that, the metre will take care of itself, and an ear already accustomed to a correct quantitative reading of the dactylic hexameter will have no difficulty in at once apprehending the form of a Latin lyric even without the help of a metrical key ; i.e. a correct pronunciation of the words in Latin, as in English, itself reveals the metrical structure of the verse ; and the student who is curious to see the verse-scheme set down in long and short syllables c?„n easily deduce the scheme himself, and group the syllables into appropriate feet. § 2. VERSES FOR PRACTICE. A. SAPPHIC METRE. Horace, Odes, i, 2. Jam sa-tis ter-ris ni-vis at-que dl-rae Gran-di-nis mi-sit pa-ter et ru-ben-te Dex-te-ra sac-ras ja-cu-la-tus ar-ces Ter-ru-it ur-bem, Sapphic Metre. 29 The pupil who correctly pronounces the words of this stanza will apprehend at once that each of the first three verses consists of : Trochee, Spondee, Dactyl, Trochee, Spondee, 1 while the fourth line will be seen to consist of : Dactyl, Spondee, 1 O KJ | is£. He will therefore naturally group the words of the remaining stanzas with reference to this consciousness, as he goes on to read the rest of the poem, part of which here follows : Ter-rn|it gen|tes, gra-ve | ne re|di-ret Sae-cu|lum Pyr|rhae no-va | mon-stra | ques-tae Om-ne | cum Pro|teus pe-cus | e-git | al-tos Vi-se-re | mon-tis, Pis-ci| um et sum|ma ge-nus | hae-sit | nl-mo No-ta | quae se|des fu-e|rat co|lum-bls Et su|per-jec|to pa-vi|dae na|ta-runt Ae-quo-re | dam-mae. Vi-di|mus flajvom Ti-be|rim re|tor-tis Li-to|r e Et-ru|sco vi-o len-ter | un-dis I-re | de-jec|tum mo-nu|meii-ta | re-gis Tem-pla-que | Ves-tae. 1 The final syllable of a verse is, of course, either long or short, so that a trochee may alternate with the spondee in the last foot. 30 Verses for Practice. Au-di|et ci|vis a-cu|is-se | fer-rum Quo gra|ves Per|sae me-liiis pe|ri-rent Au-di|et ptig|nas vi-ti|o pa|ren-tum Ea-ra ju|ven-tus. Quem vo|cet di|vom po-pu|lus ru|en-tis Im-pe|ri re|bus ? Pre-ce qua fa|ti-gent Vir-gi|nes sanc|tae mi-nus | au-di|en-tem Oar-mi-na I Ves-tam ? Oui da | bit par|tis sce-lus | ex-pi |an-di Jup-pi|ter ? Tan|dem ve-ni|as pre|ca-mur, Nu-be | can-den|tis u-me|ros a|mic-tus, Au-gur A|pol-lo ; Si-ve I tu ma|vis, E-ry|ci-na | ri-dens, Quam Jo|cus cir|cum vo-lat | et Ou|pi-do Si-ve I neg-lec|tum ge-nus || et nejpo-tes Kes-pi-cis | auc-tor ? Heu ni'mis lon'go sa-ti|a-te | lti-do, Quern jujvat cla|mor ga-le|ae-que | le-ves A-cer I et Mar|si pe-di|tis cru|en-tum Vol-tus in | hos-tem ; Si-ve | mu-ta|ta ju-ve|nem fi|gu-ra A-les | in ter|ris i-mi|ta-ris | al-mae Fi-li|us Ma|jae 7 pa-ti|ens vo|ca-ri Oae-sa-ris I ul-tor, Phalaecian or Hendecasyllabic. 31 -rus | in caejlum re-deas di|u-que Lae-tus | in-ter|sis po-pu|lo Qui|ri-ni ? Ne-ve | te nos|tns vi-ti|is i|ni-quom O-ci-or | au-ra Tol-lat ; hie magjnos po-ti|us tri|um-phos, Hie a|mes di|ci pa-ter | at-que | prln-ceps, Neu si|nas Me|dos e-qui|ta-r e in|ul-tos Te du-ce | Oae-sar. B. PHALAECIAN OR HENDECASYLLABIC. Martial, vi, 82. Qui-dam me mo-do Eti-fe dl-li-gen-ter In-spec-tum ve-lut emp-tor ant la-nis-ta Cum vul-tti di-gi-to-que sub-no-tas-set. A few lines of this, properly read, are sufficient to reveal to the pupil that each verse consists of: Spondee, 1 Dactyl, Trochee, Trochee, Spondee. Impressed with this consciousness, the pupil .will then go on to read the remaining verses of the poem in the light of this observation, as follows :