The
principal
feet in Latin poetry are the spondee and
the dactyl.
the dactyl.
Latin - Bradley - Exercises in Latin Prosody
Infinitive Mood.
Present; iri. Imperfect; tum esse", luissS. Future;
turn Iri. ? '? ''"'
Lat. Pr. ? ? ? ? "'"? ? '- C
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? 26 EXERCISES IN
In the increments of Do, and its compounds of the first conjuga-
tion, the vowel a in the first syllable is short; as Dabamus, cir-
eumdare.
A diversity of opinion has long existed among prosodians, con-
cerning the quantity of the penultimate in the first and second
persons plural of the perfect and future tenses, in the potential
mood of the active voice. It appears however to be now generally
agreed, that in the future tense this penultimate is common, and
generally if not always short in the perfect. ,
Greek words, when used as Latin words, generally pre-
serve their original quantity; as Delos from JjjAof.
This rule is not always observed. Many Greek derivatives
were made conformable in every respect to the analogy of the lan-
guage, into which they were introduced, and the length of their
vowels was consequently determined not so much by their original
quantity, as by the rules of Latin prosody. Greek derivatives in
general must not, however, be referred to these rules; the quantity
of their syllables can be ascertained only by observation and a
knowledge of the language, from which they are derived. To
those students, who are ignorant of the original language, the fol-
lowing rules may be in some degree useful.
Greek derivatives ending in ais, eis, ois, aon, ion, the
compounds of hzbc, proper names in ea, ia, eum, and
adjectives in eus formed from proper names, generally
lengthen the penultimate; but genitives in eos, and accu-
satives in ea from nominatives in eus, generally make the
penultimate short; as Nais, Minois, Ixion, Archelaus,
Apamea, Antiochia, Mausoleum, Pelopeus, Orpheos, Or>>
phea. . 7 , i. ? ' i ,
The penultimate is short in Thebais, Phaon, Aon, Deucalion,
Pygmalion, academia, Chorea, Platea, Malea, and in a few other
words. In Orion and Gcryon the penultimate is common.
Derivatives in aiut, eius, and oius, generally have the
antepenultimate long; as Caius, Veius, Troius.
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? QUANTITT. 27
The Latin preposition Pro is long; and pro from wgc,
often used in words derived from the Greek for Ante,
before, is generally found short; as Propheta, prologus.
The final syllable is short in all Greek genitives in os of
the second declension, as Arcados; In most nominatives
and vocatives of neuter nouns in os, as Melos; in
vocatives in i or y, except those, which have entos in the
genitive, as Alexi, Simoi; in datives and ablatives plural
in si or sin, as Troasi; in nominatives and accusatives
singular in on, preceded by a consonant, as Pylon; in ac-
cusatives in n from nominatives with the final syllable
short, as ^Eginan; in nouns in as increasing short, as Ar-
eas; in accusatives plural of the third declension, as Troas,
heroidas; and in the nominatives and vocatives plural of
many nouns increasing short, as Arcades.
The final syllable is long in vocatives in a from nomina-
tives in as, as ^nea; in neuters plural, as Mele; in femi-
nines in o and their genitives in us, as Dido, Clius; in
genitives in o, as Androgeo; and in those nouns in us,
which have u in the vocative; as Panthus.
The termination i or y in the dative singular of nouns
increasing of the third declension, is common; as Pal-
ladi or Palladi. .
A contracted syllable is long; as Mi, a contraction of
Mihi.
To this rule may be referred many of the exceptions to the
general rules of quantity, as well as a variety of other syllables,
which appear to be long or short solely by custom or authority;
thus, the final syllable of the genitive in the fourth declension,
as Manus, is long, not only because the poets always lengthen it,
but because it is contracted from the ancient genitive in uu; as,
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? 28 EXERCISES IN
Manuis; thus also the penultimate is long in Alius, a contraction
of Aliius, and in Bobus, contracted from Bovibus.
The last syllable of every line in poetry is considered
common; a short vowel in this situation may be length-
ened, and a long syllable made short.
EXERCISES.
1.
What quantity have derivative and compound words?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Dedoceo, a com-
pound of De and doceo.
What is the quantity of each syllable in Perambulo, a
compound of Per and ambulo?
Is the quantity of a syllable always the same when
compounded, as it is out of composition?
2.
If a short vowel stands in a compound word before two
consonants, does it preserve its original quantity?
What is the quantity of a vowel naturally long, when
it is followed in a compound word by another vowel?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Persequor, com-
pounded of Per and sequor.
What is the quantity of each syllable in Prohibeo, from
Pro and habeo?
3.
What compounds of Dico shorten the vowel i?
What compounds of Jiiro are exceptions to the general
rule?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Nihilum, a com-
pound of Hilum.
Which of the compounds of Notum deviate from the
general rule?
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? QUANTITY. 29
Mark the quantity of the syllables in Innuba, pronuba,
subnuba.
Of what quantity is the second syllable in Connu-
bium?
What compound of Sopio has the first o short?
In what compound words is the preposition Pro made
short?
5.
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Imbecillis, am-
bitum, and the participle Ambitus.
What is the quantity of each syllable in the substan-
tives Ambitio, ambitus?
In what compound words is the preposition Pro com-
mon?
Mark the quantity of the middle syllable in Ubique,
ibidem, utinam, utique.
6.
What is the quantity of each syllable in Quandoque,
disertus, profundo?
Is the antepenultimate long or short in Quandoquidem
and dirimo, a compound of De?
Why is the middle syllable short iu Improbus, a com
pound of Probus?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Perfero, defero,
compounds of Fero, and Deosculor, a verb formed from
De and osculor.
. 7. ? /. ',? . <<? ',? ?
Why is each syllable made long in Infelix, a compound;
of Felix? i ""
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? 30 EXERCISES IN
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Animal, a noun
derived from anima.
What words derived from areo, decem, and dico, devi-
ate from the quantity of their primitives?
What derivatives of Duco, fido, and frango, shorten a
vowel, that is long in their primitive words?
8.
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Ditio, derived
from Ditis, and Fomentum, fomes, from Foveo.
Mention the derivatives of Homo, humus, and juvo,
which lengthen a short vowel.
Mark the quantity of the first syllable in Jugerum,
derived from Jugum, and of each syllable in Nota, de-
rived from Notus.
What derivative of Juvenis has the vowel u long?
9.
Mention the words derived from Lateo, lego, and li-
bra, which deviate from the general rule for the quantity
of derivatives.
What is the quantity of the first syllable in Lucerna,
mobilis, nonus, odium, derived from Luceo, moveo,
novem, and odi?
What derivatives of Penus, rego, and sagio, differ in
quantity from their primitives?
Mention the quantity of the first syllable in Seciut,
sedes, sopor, derived from Secus, sSdeo, sopio.
10.
Mention the words derived from the verbs Tego,
vado, and vito, which deviate from the quantity of their
primitives. .
What is the quantity of the antepenultimate in the
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? QUANTITY. 31
desiderative verb Nupturio, derived from the participle
Nupturus?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Diligo, a com-
pound of De and lego.
What is the quantity of each syllable in Impotens from
potens, Displiceo from placeo, Incipio from capio?
11.
What is the quantity of the first syllable in preterper-
fects and supines of two syllables?
Of what quantity are the two first syllables of those
preterites, in which the first syllable is repeated?
Mention the preterperfects of two syllables, which have
the first syllable short.
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Cecidi from credo,
Cecidi from cado, Fefelli from fallo.
12.
What supines of two syllables have the first syllable
short?
Of what quantity is the first syllable in Statum, the su-
pine active of Sto?
Of what quantity is the penultimate of supines in ututn,
of more than two syllables?
When is the penultimate long in supines in Hum of
more than two syllables?
IS.
What is the quantity of each syllable in the preterper-
fects Legi, vicit, pepigisti?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in the supines and
participles Tritu, spretus, latu, suasus.
What is the quantity of the penultimate in Fugitum,
a supine of Fugio?
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? tt EXERCISES IN QUANTITY.
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Movi, moveratis,
motus fuerit.
14.
Why are the two first syllables made short in the pre-
terperfect Tetigi. ?
Why is the penultimate lengthened in the participle
Finitus from finio, finivi?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Tango, tetigero,
tangebamini.
What is the quantity of the penultimate and final syl-
lable in the future tenses Crepabis, miseritis, exceperis?
IS.
Of what quantity is each syllable in the past tense*
Mulcebamus, procuderis, miscuerint, luxerimus?
Mark the quantity of the syllables in Pependi, plevistis,
fusos.
Why is the first syllable long in Liqui?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Ceciderat from
caedo, and Cecidimus from cado.
16.
Is a contracted syllable long or short?
What quantity have Greek words?
Mark the quantity of each syllable in Deum for deo-
rum, and Pugnaro for pugnavero.
Of what quantity is the last syllable of a verse I
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? PART II.
SCANNING.
CHAPTER I. --Definitions.
SCANNING is the dividing of a verse into the feet, of
which it is composed, and the assigning of their proper
quantity to the constituent syllables in each foot.
A foot in poetry consists of two or more syllables, con-
nected and arranged according to established rules, and
forming part of a verse.
The principal feet in Latin poetry are the spondee and
the dactyl. A spondee consists of two long syllables; as
Sylvae: a dactyl consists of one long and two short sylla-
bles; as Tempora.
A certain number of connected syllables is called a foot, '? ' be-
cause," says Mr. Murray, "it is by the aid of these feet, that the
voice, as it were, steps along through the verse in a measured
pace. " The metaphor was probably taken from the regulated mo-
tion of the feet in theancient mode of dancing, with which poetry,
as well as music, was at one period so closely connected and assi-
milated, that dancing was said by Simonides to be silent poetry,
and poetry an eloquent or speaking dance. A poetical foot ba>
been compared also to a bar in music.
A verse is a certain number of connected feet, forming
a line of poetry.
The verses in the most general use in ancient poetry
are the hexameter and the pentameter.
The term verse is derived from the word Vertere, to turn; it i>
applied to poetry probably because, at the close of each line, the
reader necessarily turns to the beginning of another.
Verses are not measured in the ancient languages, as ttiey are
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? 34 EXERCISES IN
in our own, by the number of their syllables, but generally by the
number of their feet, or the length of time required for their pro-
nunciation: hence the versification of the Greeks and Komans
admits of a much greater degree of variety and harmony, than the
regular heroic measures in English poetry.
EXERCISES.
1.
What is scanning?
What is meant by a poetical foot?
Of what do verses consist?
Mention the two principal feet used in Latin poetry.
2.
What is a spondee?
Of what does a dactyl consist?
Is the noun Prscmia, a dactyl or a spondee?
Which of the words in the following sentence is a spon-
dee, " Redeunt jam gramma campis? "
CHAPTER II. --Hexameter.
A hexameter verse consists of six feet, of which the
sixth is a spondee, the fifth a dactyl, and the preceding
four either dactyls or spondees; as
Sunt her|bje dul|ces ; sunt | quae ml|tescerg | flamma
M611i|rique qiie|ant: nec | vobls | lacteus | humor
Eripi|tur, nee | mella thy|ml redo|lentia | florem.
Prodiga | divitijas alilmentaque | mhia | tellus. Ovid.
The term hexameter is derived from ihe Greek wordsff, six,
and (Mt}oi, a measure.
This kind of verse is generally used in poems, which are de-
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? SCANNING. S5
signed to be descriptive of great and splendid actions, and is con-
sequently sometimes called heroic verse. It is the most ancient
of all poetical measures, as well as the most dignified and harmo-
nious. The use of the hexameter is not, however, confined to
epic and heroic poetry. The satires and epistles of Horace are
sufficient to prove that it is a measure no less adapted to the most
familiar, than it is to the most exalted subjects. The verses of
this poet do not indeed possess the majestic harmony of the polish-
ed numbers of Virgil, but his neglected hexameters are perhaps
equally illustrative of the variety and powers of the language, in
which they are written.
Some attempts have been made to introduce the hexameter into
our own and the French poetry, but they have only proved the
comparative deficiency of harmony in modern tongues, and the
folly of attempting to regulate one language, by the laws deduced
from the peculiar nature and excellences of another.
A spondee is sometimes found in the fifth foot of a
hexameter, instead of a dactyl, and gives to the line the
name of a spondaic verse; as
Proximfis ] huic 16n|go sed | proximus | inter|vall6.
," Virg.
When a spondee is substituted for a dactyl in the fifth
foot of a hexameter, to prevent the line from appearing to
move too heavily, the fourth foot is generally a dactyl.
It must always be observed in scanning, that when a word end-
ing in a vowel or the consonant m is immediately followed by a
word beginning with another vowel or the aspirate h, an elision of
the preceding vowel generally takes place, and the final syllable of
the word is not scanned nor counted in the line; thus, in the three
verses, which immediately follow, the syllables printed in italics
art not considered as forming any part of a foot;
Obsta|batque ali|Is ali|ud, quia I corpdre in | uno,
Mollia I cum du|ris, slnS | pondgre hii|lientia | ponilus.
Quae post|quam evol|vit CKJcoque ex|euiit a]rervo. Ori>>.
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? 36 EXERCISES IM
The lines inthefourjirst of the following exercises are
already divided into feet, so that the scanning of them will
be completed by marking, and proving by the rules, the
quantity of their syllables: the other lines must be divided,
at well as marked and proved.
EXERCISES.
1.
Aurca | prima sa|ta est ae|tas, quae, | vindice | nullo,
Sponte su|a, sine | lege fi|dem rec|tumque co|lebat.
2.
Pcena me|tusque abe|rant; nec | verba mi|nacia | fixo
iEre le|geban|tur; nee | supplex | turba ti|mebant
3.
Judicis | ora su|i; sed e|rant sine | vindice | tuti.
Nondum | c:esa su|is, pere|grinum ut | viseret | orbem,
4.
Montibus, | in liqui|das pinlus de|scenderat | undas:
Nullaque | morta|les pne|tsr sua | littora | norant.
5.
Nondum pracipites cingebant oppida fostte;
Non tuba directi, non asris cornua flexi,
6.
Non galeae, non ensis erant; sine militis usu,
Mollia secune peragebant otia gentes.
7-
Ipsa quoque immunis, rastroque intacta, nee ullis
Saucia vomeribus, per se dabac omnia tellus.
'8.
Contentique cibis, nullo cogente, creatis,
Arbuteos foetus rr. ontanaque fraga legebanf,
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? SCANNING. $7
9.
Cornaque, et in duris haerentia mora rubetis, ?
? t, quae deciderant patula Jovis arbore, glandes.
* 10.
Ver erat aeternum; placidique tepentibus auris
Mulcebant Zephyri natos sine semine flores.
11-
Mox etiam fruges tellus inarata ferebat;
Nec renovatus ager gravidis canebat aristis.
12.
Flumina jam lactis, jam flumina nectaris ibant;
Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella.
13.
Postquam, Saturno tenebrosa in Tartara misso,"
Sub Jove mundus erat, subiit argentea proles,
Auro deterior, fulvo pretiosior aere.
1*.
Jupiter antiqui contraxit tempora veris,
Perque hyemes, aestusque, et inaequales autumtios,
Et breve ver, spatiis exegit quatuor annum.
15.
Tum primum siccis, aer, fervoribus ustus,
Canduit; et ventis glacies astricta pependit.
Tum primum subiere domos; domus antra fuerunt,
16.
Et densi frutices, et vinctae cortice virgae.
Semina tum primum longis Cerealia sulcis
Obruta sunt, pressique jugo gemuere juvenci.
OVIB.
Lai. Pr. D
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? 38 EXERCISES IN
CHAPTER III--Pentameter.
A pentameter verse is generally divided in scanning
into two parts, the first of which consists of two feet,
which are either dactyls or spondees, followed by a long
syllable; the latter part is always composed of two dactyls
followed by another long syllable; as
Ipse juibet morjtis | te mSmT|nIssS DS|us.
Da venilam; propS! rat | vlverS | nemo sa]tis.
Sit nox | cum som|n6; | sit sine | litS di|es. Mart.
This is the most common, but not the most correct mode of
scanning this species of verse. A pentameter properly consists,
as its name implies, of five feet, of which the first two are either
dactyls or spondees, the third a spondee, and the fourth and fifth
anapaests or dactyls reversed. Ajrceably to this division, the last
of the preceding lines would be scanned thus,
Sit nox | cum soni|uo; tit I ting IT)re fiies.
The term pentameter is derived from nivre, five, and f*'vo>>, a
measure. This kind of verse is sometimes termed elegiac, because
it is generally employed by the poets in elegiac and similar compo-
sitions. It is however seldom or never used alone in a poem, but
is intermixed with hexameters, and sometimes with other
measures.
In the exercises in. this work, and indeed in poetry in genera),
a pentameter may be distinguished from a hexameter verse by the
first word being printed somewhat within the boundary of the
page, and consequently not beginning in a line with the other
verses; thus in the exercises, which immediately follow, every al-
ternate line is a pentameter; the others are hexameters.
EXERCISES.
1.
~, Ariadne Theseo,
Quae legis ex illo, Theseu, tibi littore mitto,
Unde tuam sine' me vela tulere ratem.
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? /
SCANNING. 99
2. J- ? ' -' ?
Tempus erat, vitrea quo primum terra pruina
Spargitur, et tectae fronde queruntur aves.
3.
Luna fuit: specto si quid nisi littora cernam;
Quod videant, oculi nil nisi littus habent.
*? ''
Nunc huc, nunc illuc, et utrdque sine ordine curro;
Alta puellares tardat arena pedes.
Mons fuit; apparent frutices in vertice rari;
Nunc scopulus raucis pendet adesus, aquis
5.
Ascendo; vires animus dabat; atque ita late
JEquora prospectu metior alta meo'.
Inde ego, nam ventis quoque sum crudelibus usa,
Vidi'praecipiti carbasa tenta noto.
6.
"Quo fugis? " exclamo, "scelerate, revertere, Theseu:
Flecte ratem; numerum non habet ilia suum. "
Haec ego; quod voci deerat, plangore replebam:
Verbera cum verbis mista fuere meis. .
7.
Quid faciam? quo sola ferar? vacat insula cultu:
Non hominum video, non ego facta boum.
Qmne latus terrae cingit mare. Navita nusquam;
Nulla per ambiguas puppis itura vias.
8.
Occurrunt animo pereundi mille figurae;
Morsque minus pcena;, quam mora mortis habet.
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? *(C) EXERCISES IN
Jam, jam venturos aut hac, aut suspicor iliac,
Qui lanient avido viscera dente, lupos:
9.
Forsitan et fulvos tellus alat ista leones;
Quis scit an haec saevas tigridas insula habet?
Et freta dicuntur magnas expellere phocas-.
Quid vetat et gladios per latus ire meum?
,10.
Si mare,, si terras, porrectaque littora vidi,
Multa mihi terra, multa minantur aquae.
Ccelum restabat: timeo simulacra deorum.
Destituor rapidis praeda cibusque feris.
11.
Ergo ego nec lacrymas matris moritura videbo?
Nec, mea qui digitis lumina condat, erit?
Spiritus infelix peregrinas ibit in auras?
Nec positos artus unget amica manus?
12.
Ossa superstabunt volucres inhumata marinx?
Haec sunt officiis digna sepulcra meis?
Ibis Cecropios portus; patriaque receptus
Cum steteris urbis celsus in arce tuae,
. IS.
Et bene narraris lethum taurique virique,
Sectaque per dubias saxea tecta vias,
Me quoque narrato sola tellure relictam.
Non ego sum titulis surripienda tuis.
Nec pater est jEgeus; nec tu Pittheidos ^ithrx
Filius: auctores saxa fretumquetui.
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