No More Learning

To write Latin verse is certainly an arduous task to
a young boy; but the authority of his master, and
a spirit of emulation, urge him to attempt with
alacrity, what his own indolence would have led him
to neglect. Long practice gives facility. He finds
he has overcome what he once thought insur-
mountable. When any new undertaking offers
itself in future with a difficult and forbidding aspect,
he is not affrighted, for he recollects that, he has
already performed that, which appeared to ? him
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? PREFACE.
impracticable. The exertion necessary to accomplish
that which is not easy, has a natural tendency to
give the mind fresh vigor. "
The present attempt to promote this useful
branch of instruction is obviously not intended for
the assistance of the advanced student. It has
been the design of the Author to illustrate, for the
use of the lower and middle classes, the rules of
quantity, to afford a brief view of the construction
of the hexameter and pentameter verse, and to
point out some of the means, by which poetical
language may be brought within the measures of
regular versification. In the Appendix, with which
the present edition of the work is enlarged, he has
attempted to elucidate the feet and metres in the
most common use in Lyric Poetry.
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? EXERCISES
IN
latin $roaotJ|>-
PART I.
QUANTITY.
CHAPTER I. --Definitions.
The quantity of a syllable is the length of time, which
is occupied in pronouncing it.
A syllable is either short, long, or common.
A syllable is short when it is pronounced rapidly; as
the English words Hat, her, fin, not, us; or as the first
syllable in Baron, level, city.
A long syllable is slowly pronounced, and generally re-
quires double the time used in the pronunciation of a short
one; as Hate, here, fine, note, use ; or as the first syl-
lable in the words Basis, lever, bible.
Common syllables are those, which may be made in
poetry either long or short; as the middle syllable of the
words Tenebra, volucris.
Lat. Pr. A
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? 2 EXERCISES IN
A short syllable is marked thus w; a long one thus --;
and a common syllable thus --, or sometimes thus -- ~-^.
The quantity of syllables is determined either by estab-
lished rules, or by the authority of the poets.
Quantity is distinct from accent, though not inconsistent with
it. The former denotes the period of time occupied in pro-
nouncing a syllable; the latter is used to signify a peculiar stress
of the voice, by which one syllable in a word is distinguished
from the others. The one is length or continuance, the other
height or elevation, of sound. This distinction, however, accord-
ing to the usual mode of reading the ancient languages in our
own country, is generally disregarded.
The Latin is not pronounced by us agreeably to the laws estab-
lished by the ancients for its pronunciation, but nearly as we
pronounce our own language; and we are consequently accus-
tomed to violate all the rules of quantity, and to confound it, in
innumerable instances, with accent. Syllables are made long or
short without any regard to their natural length, but solely be-
cause from our mode of accentuation they would probably be so
pronounced, if they occurred in similar situations in English
words. Hence the first syllable of dissyllables, being always
accented, is uniformly pronounced long, while the first syllable
of trisyllables, when accented, is almost as generally made short.
We pronounce Opus,eques, miser, and rego, as though their first
syllable were long; but when these words become in their in-
flexions trisyllables, the proper quantity of the first vowel is
restored, and we say operis, Squitis, miseri, regere. In other
substantives and verbs, the roots are correctly pronounced, and
the quantity is violated in their increments; thus in our pro-
nunciation of Scribo, nomen, and sidus, the first syllable is
properly made long, but as soon as these words become trisylla-
bles, we shorten the long vowel and say Scribere, nominis, sidera.
It is obvious that by this frequent disregard of its rules of quan-
tity, much of the beauty and harmony of the language must be
sacrificed. Nor is this the only disadvantage resulting from our
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? QUANTITY. . 3
corrupt pronunciation. It destroys a plain and useful mark of
distinction. The signification of a word often depends on the
quantity of one of its syllables. A lengthened vowel distinguishes
the ablative case of every noun in the first declension from the
nominative, the preterperfect tense of several verbs from the
present; and it sometimes determines what signification is to
be assigned to a word, which is susceptible of two different
meanings; thus Malus, a fruit-tree, is distinguished by the quan-
tity of its first syllable from the adjective Malus, wicked; Popu-
lus, a poplar tree, from Pdpulus, a people; Venir, he came, from
Vfinit, he comes.
A mode of pronunciation thus erroneous, and prejudicial to the
harmony and perspicuity of a language, cannot be too strongly
censured nor too soon abandoned. Any attempt to recover the
exact pronunciation of the ancients would certainly be fruitless;
but it is not perhaps altogether impracticable to observe those
laws both of accent and prosody, which they have left us. If,
however, one must be sacrificed to the other, there can be little
difficulty in deciding which should give place. Quantity is in
most cases fixed and known, while the nature of accent is but
little understood; it cannot then be doubtful to which the pre-
ference should be given. Accent should not indeed be neglected,
but quantity is of much greater importance, and nothing but ne-
cessity should occasion a violation of its rules.
The student, who is desirous of seeing this subject fully elu-
cidated,may consult Foster's Essay on Greek Accent, Pickbourn's
Dissertation on Metrical Pauses, and Valpy's Greek Grammar.
The Exercises affixed to this chapter consist of Ques-
tions designed to exemplify the preceding observations, the
answers to which are to be given by the pupil.
EXERCISES.
1.
What is quantity?
What is accent I
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? * >> EXERCISES IN
What syllables are considered long?
By what mark is a long syllable distinguished?
2.
When is a syllable considered short?
How is a short syllable marked?
What is a common syllable?
By what mark is a common syllable known?
3.
Is the English word Made a long or a short syllable?
What is the quantity of Mad and name?
Are the words Met, them, men, long or short?
Mark over their vowels the quantity of the monosylla-
bles Theme, mete, glebe.
4.
Mark the quantity of the monosyllable Then.
What is the quantity of Hid, dim, ride?
What is the quantity of Rob and hope?
Mark the quantity of the words Robe, hops, sod.
S.
Are the words Tune and tube long or short?
Mark the quantity of Tun, cure, sung.
What is the quantity of the words Plume, give, hut?
Mark the length of the vowels In Plum and grape.
6.
Mark the quantity of the words Gold, live, roll.
What is the quantity of the middle syllable in the word
Confidence?
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? QUANTITY. 5
Is the middle syllable long or short in the participles
Confiding and abusing?
Mark the quantity of the first syllable in the words
Cabin, cable, ruby.
', . 7.
What is the quantity of the first syllable in Sober, solid,
cadence, tenor?
Is the Latin language pronounced by us, as it was by
the ancient Romans?
What distinguishes the ablative of a noun of the first
declension from its nominative case?
How is the adjective Malus, wicked, distinguished
from Malus, a fruit-tree?
'8.
How is the preterperfect tense of a verb distinguished
from the present, when the word is the same in both
tenses? .
By what is the ablative Pugna distinguished from its
nominative Pugna?
What is the meaning of the noun Populus?
How is the quantity of a syllable determined?
CHAPTER II. --Vowels.
A vowel before another vowel is short; as Puer.
To this rule there are some exceptions. The vowel e is long
before >> in the genitive and dStive singular of nouns of the fifth
declension ? as Diei; but in Spei it is found short, and in Rei
and fidei it is common. 1 is long in all the tenses of the verb
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? 6 EXERCISES IN
Fio, except in those, in Which it is followed by er; as Flam, fieri.
The first syllable in Aer, dius, and eheu, and the penultimate of
the ancient genitive in ax and vocative in ei are always long; as
Pompei, aulai.
In genitives in ius the vowel i is considered common in poetry,
though it is generally made long in prose; as Unlus or un'ius; but
in Alius, formed by cfasis or contraction from Aliius, the i is
always long, and in Alterius always short. The first syllable in
Diana, ohe, and Io is common.
The aspirate h is not in any instance considered as a letter in
prosody; so that if it stands between two vowels, the preceding
vowel remains shertj agreeably to the rule; as Nihil.
A vowel before two or more consonants, or a double
letter, of the consonant j, is long; as Tendens, gaza,
major.
As the quantity of the vowel in this case is determined by its
situation, it is said to be long by position.
Whether both or only one of the consonants which follow a
vowel, are in the same word with it, the vowel is equally length-
ened; as " Semper nocuit differre paratis. " If both the conso-
nants are in the following word, the vowel, when naturally short,
generally retains its original quantity, though it may perhaps be
considered common; as "Immensaqufi stagna; tela scandite. "
A vowel naturally short is also rendered common in poetry,
when it comes before a mute and a liquid, both of which are in the
following syllable; as Patris or patris; but if the mute and
liquid belong to different syllables, or if the liquid precedes the
mate, the vowel is lengthened; as obruo, fertis.
In the compounds of Jugum i before j is short; as Bijugus.
A diphthong is long; as Audio, ssvus.
Two vowels pronounced in one syllable are not always con-
sidered in prosody as a diphthong. The letter u, though uni-
formly included in the number of the vowels, appears to have
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? ,? ? QBAKTITT. 1
sometimes the force of the old consonant v or vau, which an-,
swers to the w iu the English alphabet. Hence it does not
always lengthen the vowel, with which it is connected in pro-
nunciation: thus Lingua, sanguis, and requor have their last, and
Quatio and queror their first syllable short. The preceding rule
must consequently be restricted to the diphthongs <c, at, an, ti,
eu, a, oi.
Prse in composition is short before a rowel; as PnGeunt.
The vowel a at the end of a word is long; as Ami.
Eja, ita, quia, and all cases, except the ablative, have a final
short. l ? ? ?
Contra, juxta, ultra, and numerals in ginta, are sometimes
found with a short, but the most approved poets generally lengthen
the final vowel in these words.
The a in Postea is common.
E final is short; as Patre.
E final is long in the ablative of the fifth declension; as Ho,
die, and their compounds; as Quare, hodie; in nouns, which
have not a singular number; as Cete; in the imperative singular
of the second conjugation, except Cave, vale, vide, salve, which
have the e final common; in all monosyllables, except the en-
clitics que, ne, ve,pte, ce, te, de; as Atque", suaptg; in adverbs de-
rived from adjectives of three terminations, except Bene, male,
superne, inferne,"and also in Fame, ferme, fere, ohe.
/ final is long; as Belli.
Mihi, tibi, sibi, ibi, ubi, nisi, quasi, and oui when a dissyllable,
have the final vowel common; bnt in the three last of these
words, it is generally made short.
Neuter nouns in t have the final syllable short; as Gummi.
O final is common; as Leo or Leo.
Although the final o in verbs and gerunds is considered com-
mon, agreeably to the preceding rule, the poets of the Augustan
age generally lengthen it, except in Puto, scio, and nescio, which
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?
8
EXERCISES IN
have their final syllable most commonly made short.
? final is long in monosyllables; as Pro, sto? ; and in dative
and ablative cases; as Libro. Adverbs derived from nouns, pro-
nouns, and adjectives, have in general the final ? long, but in the
following words it is usually short, Cita`, the compounds of modo,
ambo, duo, i mo, illico, the imperative cedo, ego, and homo: in
the following indeclinable words it is considered common, but is
most frequently made long, Denuo, sero? , profecto? , postremo, vero^,
porro, idcirco, ultro, retro, adeo, ideo. Ergo, for the sake of,
lengthens the o, but in Ergo, therefore, it is common.
U final is long; as Vultu^.
Indu, menu, and words in ut with the s elided, as Nunciu' fur
nuncius, have the final vowel short.
EXERCISES.
1.
What is the quantity of a vowel, when another vowel
immediately follows it in the same word?
Of what quantity is a vowel followed by two conso-
nants or a double letter?
Which of the consonants are denominated double let-
ters? . ?
Is a diphthong long, or short?
2.
What is the quantity of the monosyllable Haud?
Mark over its vowel the quantity of each syllable in the
words insultant and audax.
Has the aspirate k the power of a consonant in prosody?
Mention the quantity of each syllable in the words
Euns, accendant, dehiscens.
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? QUANTITY.
9
3.
Is a vowel before another vowel long in every instance?
What is generally the quantity of the letter e when fol-
lowed by the vowel ? in a noun of the fifth declension?
Mention the quantity of the vowel e in Spei, rei, fidei.
Why is each syllable of the word Tingunt long?
4.
In what tenses of the? verb Fio is i lengthened before
another vowel? .
Of what quantity is the vowel i in the genitive case of
pronouns and adjectives in ius?
In what genitive in ius is the vowel i always lengthened?
What genitive in ius has the letter i always short?
5.
Mark the quantity of the first syllable in Aer, lo,
Diana, via, dius.
Of what quantity is each syllable in Fiunt, and eheu?
What is the quantity of the penultimate in Alterius,
solius, fugio, nullius?
Mark the quantity of the two first syllables in the
ancient genitives Terrai, pictai, aurai.
6.
When is a vowel said to be long by position?
What is the quantity of a vowel before two consonants,
one of which is in the following word?
Is a short vowel generally lengthened at the end of a
word, when the next word begins with two consonants?
Mark the quantity of the syllables in the three first
words of the sentence "Nec myrtua vincat corylos. "
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? 10 EXERCISES IN
7.
Which of the consonants are mutes?
Which of the consonants are liquids?
When may a short vowel followed by two consonants
be considered common?
In what cases must a short vowel followed by a mute
and a liquid necessarily be lengthened?
8.
Mention the quantity of the middle syllable of Volucris
from voliicer, and Effertis from effero.
What is the quantity of the two first vowels in Abluo,
pronounced ab-luo?
In what words is the vowel i short before the letter j?
Mention the diphthongs, to which the rules of prosody
apply. ;
9.
Is Prae in composition long or short before a vowel?
Mark the quantity of the first syllable in Axis, cujus,
praeacutus, fierem.
Of what quantity is the second vowel in Quadri-
jugus?
By what rule is the first syllable in Ccelum long?
io. . . ,. . ? ?
Of what quantity is the vowel a when it ends a word?
Is the vowel a always lengthened at the end of a
word?
What cases have a final short?
Mark the quantity of the syllables in the verbs Pratsta,
lauda, and the nouns Industrie, arma. ,
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? ; QUANTITY. 11
11.
Mention the indeclinable words, in which a final is
always short.
In what words is a final sometimes found short, though
generally long?
"What is the quantity of the vowel e at the end of a
word? . .
In what ablative is e final long?
12.
Are monosyllables ending in e long or short?
Of what quantity are all enclitics?
In what adverbs is e final long?
What adverbs derived from adjectives of three termi-
nations have e final short?
13.
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Ohe, ferme, coc-
lestisque, ante.
What is generally the quantity of e final in the impe-
rative singular of the second conjugation?
Mention the imperatives singular, which have the e final
common.
Mark the quantity of the final vowel in Doce, monete,
fame, fide from fides.
14.
Mark the quantity of the last syllable in Cete, a noun
which has not the singular number; Pulchre, an adverb
from pulcher; Quotidie, a compound of dies.
Of what quantity is the pronoun Te?
Why is the first vowel common in the adjective Ni-
grum, the accusative of niger?
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? 12 EXERCISES IN
By what rule is the first syllable of Nihilum made
short?
15.
Is the vowel i at the end of a word long, or short?
Mention the words, which have i final common.
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Anni, mortui.
Why is the last vowel of the noun Nomina made
short?
16.
What is the quantity of o final?
Are verbs and gerunds in o generally made long or short
by the best poets?
Mention the verbs, which have the final o generally
short.
What words in o are always long?
17.
In what words is o final generally made short?
Mention the adverbs and conjunctions, in which o final
is usually lengthened.
Mark the quantity of the syllables in Torreo, somno,
vulgo, an adverb derived from vulgusi
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Quando, templo,
ergo, for the sake of, and ergo, therefore.
18.
What is the quantity of Do, proh, and the final syl-
lable of quomodo, a compound of modo?
Of what quantity is u final?
Mention the words, in which u final is short.
What is the quantity of the last syllable in Dictu, diu,
plenu', a contraction of plenus?
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? QUANTITY. 13
CHAPTER III. --Consonants.
A final syllable ending in b is short5 as ab.
The rules for the quantity of vowels are never superseded by
this, or any other of the following rules, for the quantity of
final syllables ending with a consonant. Hence, although b final
is naturally short, yet if there should be a diphthong in the same
syllable, or if the next word should begin with a consonant, the
final b or any other short consonant would immediately lose its
natural quantity, and the syllable become long.
C final is long; as Illuc.
The monosyllable Nec, the imperative Fac, and the adverb Do-
nec, are short.
The pronoun Hie, and its neuter hoc in the nominative and
accusative cases, though they are generally made long, may be
considered common. It is asserted by the ancient grammarians
that both these words are naturally short, and that when we find
them lengthened before a vowel, it is in consequence of the sylla-
ble ce, originally added to them, being cut off. Agreeably to this
opinion Hie and hoc, when made long, must be considered as
Hicc' and hocc', abbreviations of Hicce and hocce. The ablative
H6c is always long.
D final is short; as Illud.
L final is short; as Vigil.
The monosyllables Sol, sal, and nil, a contraction of Nihil, are
long.
N final is long; as Splen.
Nouns in en, which make the genitive in inis with the penulti-
mate short, always shorten their last syllable; as NomSn, nomi-
nis. N final is short also in An, forsan, forsitan, in, tamen, vi-
den', satin'. .
E final is short; as Puer.
Cur, far, fur, lar, nar, par, aer, aether, and nouns in r, which make
tris in the genitive with the penultimate lengthened, have r final
long; as Ver, veris.
Lat. Pr. B
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? 14 . EXERCISES IN
As final is long; as Pietas.
The noun Anas has its final syllable short.
Es final is long; as Haeres.
Nouns in es increasing short have their final syllable short, ex-
cept Abies, aries, Ceres, paries, and pes with its compounds,
which follow the rule. Es is short also in the preposition Penes,
and in the present tense of the verb Sum and its compounds.
Is final is short; as Turns.
Is final is long in all plural cases, as Regnis; iu the nomi-
native singular, when its genitive ends in entis, inis, or itisf with
the penultimate long, as Lis, litis ; and also in the substantives
Glis and vis, and in the adverbs Forts and gratis. The second
person singular of verbs has is final long in every tense, in which
the second person plural makes itis with the penultimate length-
ened; as Sis, veils, noils, audls.
In the second person singular of the future tense, potential
mood, or, as it is sometimes called, the future perfect, indicative
mood, the termination w is common; as Rexeris or Rexeris.
, Os final is long; as Honos.
Compos, impos, and os making ossis in the genitive, have os
final short.
Us final is short; as Tempus.
The termination us is long in all monosyllables, as Thus; in
nouns in us increasing long, as Palus, paludis; and in the genitive
singular, and nominative, accusative, and vocative plural, of nouns
of the fourth declension, as Gradiis.