No More Learning

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? 70 FIGURES OF PROSODY.
SECTION V.
FIGURES OF PROSODY,
Are sixteen : viz. 1. Cjesura ; 2. Synjeresis (with
its two co-relatives, Crasis and Synecphonesis) ; 3.
DiiEREsis, or Dialysis ; 4. Elision, (divided into
Synalcepha and Ecthlipsis) ; 5. Systole ; 6. Dias-
tole or Ectasis ; 7. Synapheia ; S. Prothesis ; 9.
Aphjeresis ; 10. Syncope; 11. Epenthesis ; 12.
Apocope ; 13. Paragoge ; 14. Tmesis ; 15. Antithe-
sis ; and 16. Metathesis.
1. CAESURA. *
The term Caesura is used by Prosodians in two different
acceptations: -- 1st, as applied to whole verses, and 2d,
as applied to single feet. Lines in poetry are most gene-
rally so constructed, that the voice of the reader is natu-
rally required to make a short pause or rest at that part of
every line or verse, where it can be most conveniently
done without injury to the sense or the harmony of the
line, as,
TantcR molts eratWRomanam condere gentem.
Errabant acti fatisWmaria omnia circum.
The division thus produced by the halt or pause u
called CcBsura -- Casural Pause, or perhaps more cor-
rectly -- Lineal Casiira. This is the term in its first
acceptation, and is used chiefly in reference to Hexameter
verse. It shall be noticed again under the rules for the
construction of Latin verse.
Caesura in its second application occurs in the manner
following : viz. , when a foot is made up of syllables be-
longing to separate consecutive words, and when the first
* From caderc, * to cut" or "divide. "
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? FIGURES' OF PROSODY. 71
syllable of that foot is the last syllable of the preceding
word, then the space, separation, or division between the
two consecutive words, is called Ccesura simply ; or more
emphatically, the Metrical Ccesura; as referring to a foot
or measure ; thus in the following line,
Pastojres dvi\um tener\bs de|pellere foetus --
the Metrical Caesura occurs three times -- in the second
foot, res bvi, where the division takes place between res
and ovi ; -- in the third foot um tener, where it takes place
between ilm, and tener ; -- in fourth foot os de, where it
takes place between os and de.
Of Metrical Caesura, there are three kinds ; namely,
the Syllabic, the Trochaic, and the Monosyllabic.
The Syllabic Caesura is that, in which the first part of
the divided foot consists of the last syllable of the pre-
ceding word ; as the syllables res, um, and os of the line
just quoted.
The Syllabic Casura may take place in five positions ;
viz. , after the first syllable of the 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, or 6th
foot : or in the technical language of Prosodians, the
Caesura after the 1st syllable of the 2d foot is called
Triemimeris, that is, " of the third half foot ;" that after
the 1st syllable of the third foot, or 5th half foot, is called
Penthemimeris ; -- at the 7th semi -foot, Hephthemimeris ;
-- at the 9th, Enneemimeris ; -- and at the 11th semi-foot,
or 1st syllable of the last foot, Hendecemimeris. * This
Caesura (the Hendecemimeris) never occurs unless where
the last word is a monosyllable.
EXAMPLES TO ELUCIDATE THE FOREGOING DEFINITIONS.
1. Pectori|? ws inhi|ans spijrantia | consulit | exta.
* These terras are formed of fiui "half," and [jep6$ or fxeptg "part," with the
Greek numerals prefixed.
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? 72 FIGURES OF PROSODY.
2. Emicat Eurya|Zfw et | munere | victor a|mici.
3.
3. Una ea|demque vi|a sanjg7<<s anijmusque se|quuntur.
4. Graius ho|mo infec|tos lin|quens profu| gus hyme|naeos.
. 3'
5. Vertitur | intereja cae|lum et ruit | Ocea\no nox.
The OCT 3 points out the position of the Caesura in each
line, viz. , of the Triembneris after bus; of the Penthemi-
meris after Ins ; -- of the Hephthemimeris after guis ; -- of
the Enneemimeris after gus ; -- of the Hendecemimeris after
no ; or as expressed in the following tabular form : --
Triemimeris.
Penthemimeris.
Hephthemimeris.
Enneemimeris.
Hendecemimeris.
the 2d foot
tf
3d
u
it
4th
?
u
5th
(1
a
6th
u
or 3d half foot
or 5th "
or 7th "
or 9th "
or 11th "
Of these pauses or rests, the most beautiful -- as tending
beyond all others to impart sweetness, smoothness, and
rythm to the verse, -- is that which occurs after the Penthe-
mimeris. The pause after Triemimeris and Hephthemi-
meris, are also ornamental, though in a less degree ; but
the Enneemimeris and Hendecemimeris are injurious to
harmony, and are to be sparingly used ; unless where the
want of smoothness may be desirable.
The Trochaic Ccesura is that, in which the first part of
the divided foot consists of either a long and short syllable
(a trochee " ~) remaining at the end of a word, or of an
an entire word comprised of a long and a short syllable
(a trochee) ; as,
? drtu\ndtus et | tile de|os qm\novit a|grestes. Virg.
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? FIGURES OF PROSODY. 73
Here natas in the 2d foot, ille in the third, and novit
in the 5th, form, each a trochee, and at each of these
divisions, the Trochaic Ccesitra occurs.
The Trochaic Casura may occur in any of the first
five feet of a verse ; as,
Talla | voce re|fert, o\terque qno. \terque be|ati. Virg.
Ar? na pro|cul cur\rusque vi|rum mi\ratur in[anes. Id.
The syllables in Italics point out the Caesura.
Two successive trochees in the 2d and 3d feet should
be avoided ; as they give the verse a flippant, cantering
air or manner, which is extremely inelegant and undig-
nified ; as,
Ergo mk\glsque m&lgisque vi|rl nunc |gloria [claret. En.
The Monosyllabic Casura is that, in which the first
syllable of the divided foot, is a monosyllable ; as,
Hie vir hic|es? \Xh\\quem pro|mitti|s3epius|audIs. Virg.
Of the three kinds of Caesura, the principal is the
Syllabic ; the next in metrical effect is the Trochaic ; but
the Monosyllabic is inferior to either, and yet, in many
instances, it would appear to be the principal Caesura in
the verse.
ON THE LENGTHENING POWER OF THE CJESURA.
Syllaba smpe brevis Ccesnra extenditur, etsi
Liter a nee duplex nee consona bina scquatur.
A short syllable in the Caesura is frequently made long,
although its vowel may not be followed by two consonants
or a double letter.
Instead of attributing this to the power of the Caesura,
it is more agreeable to the laws of metre to ascribe it to
the halt, pause, or suspension of the voice invariably
accompanied by what is called the ictus, which takes
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? 74 FIGURES OF PROSODY.
place at the division of the foot, and which being counted
into the time or duration of the preceding short syllable,
makes it long : -- the Caesural pause producing an effect
similar to that of the final pause. Again, the swell or
stress of the voice in dactylic versification invariably falling
on the first syllable* of the foot, produces the same effect
on that syllable, as if its final letter were pronounced
double; the voice striking emphatically and dwelling
forcibly, for an instant, on the latter of the double letters. !
2. -- Syn^resis,! with its two co-relatives, Crasis? and
S YNECPHONESIS. il
SyUaba, de gemina facta una, Synseresis esto.
Two vowels naturally forming separate syllables, but
read and pronounced as one syllable, form a Synceresis ;
as, a-i-o, pronounced ai-o.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
Pro-in-de^pro-hi-be-aty Tro-i-a^a-i-uni, &c, pronounced
prom-de, prot-be-at, Troz-a, ai-unt.
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Proinde tona eloquio, solitum tibi ; meque timoris. Virg.
making a diphthong of the two contiguous vowels in the
word Pro-in-de, -- Proin-de, and preserving the sound of
* Called the apni$ or "elevation;" -- the tone being here always more elevated :
the other part being called Sems or " depression;'' this part of the foot being
comparatively depressed.
t To render this familiar to the young Prosodian, he should be taught to read
the Caesural syllables in the five verses given above, with a strong emphasis, a*
if written PectoribuSS, Eurj/aluSS, ScviguiSS, ProfvjmSS. &o. . forcibly,
although momentarily, dwelling on the duplicated letter. Servius on JEneid, 3 r
91, says the syllable is made longfiitalUatis ratione: and QnfntiTTan, Lib. 0. c. i f
agrees that -- in ipsauiivisione verborum (the Caesura"* quoddavi latent tempvt-
t Prom cvvaipeciq, "a contraction. "
? From icpaais, "a mixture" or "blending. "
fj From Qvvr. KtydJvriaiS) "a mutation of sound. "
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? FIGURES OF PROSODY. 75
both. This seems the peculiar province of Synasresis, as
the other contractions and alterations attributed to this
figure, more properly come under the head of Crasis and
Synecphonesis.
Crasis,
Blends or runs two vowels into one, so that the sound
of one at least is lost ; as, pro-emo -- pro-mo.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
E-a-dem (eadem), co-al-u-e-rint {coaluerint) , al-ve-a-ri-a
(alvearia), &c, -- pronounced adem, co-luerint, alvaria,
&c.
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Seu lento fuerint alvearia vimine tezta. Virg.
To Crasis then -- as the name indicates -- properly be-
longs all contractions, where the sound of one of the two
contiguous vowels is lost.
Synecphonesis,
Is the change of a vowel sound into that of a conso-
nant ; as, of I and of U into the sound of J and V, (or
W) ; as, parietibus, pronounced par-yetibus.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
Genua, tenuis, pituit a, tuas,fortuito, &c, -- pronounced
gen-va or wa, ten-vis or -wis, pit-wita, twos, fort-wito, &c.
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Harent parietibus scala, postesque, sub ipsos. Virg.
3. -- Dleresis,* or Dialysis. t
Distraint in gcminas resoluta Diaeresis unam.
A Dimresis is the division of one syllable into two ; as
curat for aurm.
* From 6ii(p*ei;, " a division. "
t Tmm 6ia\v(Tts, " a loosening. "
8
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? 76 FIGURES OF PROSODY.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
Silua (for silva), solua (for solvo), suadent (for suadent),
Tro-i-a (for Troi-a)>Ecqms (for Ecquis. )
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Mthereum sensum, atque aurai simplicis ignem. Virg.
4. -- Elision* is divided in Synaloephaf and Ecthlipsis. t
1. Synalcepha.
Dipthongum aut vocalem haurit Synalcepha priorem.
Synalapha is the elision (or cutting off) of a vowel or
diphthong at the end of a word, when the following word
begins with a vowel or diphthong, or the letter h ; as y
conticvjer* o? ? mes, for conticuere omnes.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
Intentiqv? ora (for intentique ora) Bardanid ' e muris
(for BardanidcB e muris), uV ingens (for ubi ingens),
atqxC yemes (for atque hyemes. )
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Quidve moror ? si omnes uno ordine habetis Achivos. Vir.
This line must be scanned thus : --
Quidve moror ? s'omnes un' ordin' habetis Achivos.
2. ECTHLIPSIS.
M vorat Ecthlipsis, quoties vocalibus anteit.
Ecthlipsis cuts off the final m and the preceding
vowel ,? when the following word begins with a vowel;
as, virtuf ex for virtutem ex.
* From elisio (wh. fr. eliderc), "a cutting off. "
t From cvva\oi<pn, " a coalescing," or rather "a re-anointing or smearing over,
to conceal or destroy the last coat or layer. "
% From cKd\i\pts, "a striking out. "
? The preceding vowel is -- to speak accurately -- thus cut off by the Synalcepha,
on the removal of the m.
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? FIGURES OF PROSODY. 77
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
O ! quanf est for O ! quantum est) tec' una (for tecum
una) , ferend' est (for ferendum est).
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Disce, puer, virtutem ex me, verumque labor em.
Fortun&m ex aliis. Virg.
5. -- Systole. *
Systole prcecipitat positu vel origine Ion gam.
Systole shortens a syllable otherwise long by nature or
by position ; as, viden' for videsne.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
Steterunt, tulerunt, hodie (for hoc-die), obicis (for ob-
jicis), omitto (for obmitto).
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Cum subitb assur gens fluctu nimbosus Orio? i. \ Virg.
6. -- Diastole^ or Ectasis. ?
Ectasis extenditque brevem, duplicatque elementum.
By Ectasis a syllable naturally short is made long ; as,
Italia for italia: it sometimes doubles the consonant; as,
relligio for religio.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
I
Relliquice, repperit, Priamides (from Priamus) , Arabia,
(from ^Lrabs).
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Qui clypeo, galeaque, Macedoniagwe, sarissa. Ovid.
* From a-varoXfj, ? a contraction, or shortening. "
03^ For the objections urged against the existence of Systole, the curious
student should read Carey, Anthou and others, under this head.
t Written in Greek with an w, and consequently long by nature, it is here
shortened by the figure.
t From StacTTo\fi, "an extension," or "lengthening. "
? From eKTdois, the same.
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? 7s figures of prosody.
7. -- Synapheia. *
Copvlat irrupto versus Synapheia tenore.
Synapheia connects verses together, in such a manner
as to make them run on uninterruptedly, as if not divided
into separate lines or verses. By this mode of connect-
ing lines together-- irrupto te? wre -- the initial syllable of
a succeeding verse has an influence on the final syllable
of the preceding, -- affecting it by the concourse of con-
sonants, by ecthlipsis, and by synaloepha. The use of sy-
napheia was however confined principally to anapaestic
verse and the Ionic a minore. In other species of verse,
it was rarely introduced by any of the great poets.
The following anapaestic lines are examples of Syna-
pheia :
Prceceps\sylvas\\montes\que fugit\\
Citus Act\ceon,\\agilis\que magis\\
Pede per\sdltus\\et sax\a vagiis\\
Metuit | mot as || Zephyr is plumas. || Seneca.
By reading these lines -- continuo carmine -- the natu-
rally short final syllables of fugit, magis, and vagus, re-
spectively become long by position before their own fi-
nal, and the initial consonants in the lines immediately
succeeding.
Virgil's hexameters also furnish some examples ; as --
Jactemur, doceas : ignari hominumque locorum\q}ie
Erramus, vento hue et vastis fiuctibus acti.
In this example the first line ends with rum, the
superfluous syllable que at the termination, combines
with Er the first syllable in the second line, and thence
by Synapheia and Synalaspha, produces QiCerra, -- as a
spondee, to commence the second line. *
* From aviHKpeia, " a conjunction, or joining together. "
t The celebrated Bentley, in his Dissertation upon Phalaris, had the merit
of discovering the law of Synapheia.
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? figures of prosody. 79
8. -- Prosthesis. * 9. -- Aphjeresis. !
Principium apponit Prosthesis, quod Aphaeresis aufert.
Prosthesis adds a letter or syllable to the beginning of
a word ; while Aphceresis takes away a letter or syllable
from it. Examples of Prosthesis -- Gnatm for Natus ;
Tetuli for Tuli : -- of Aphceresis -- 'st for est, Camander
and Maragdus for Scamander and Smaragdus.
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION OF APH^RESIS.
Tu poteras virides pennis hebetare smaragdos. l Ovid.
10. -- Syncope. $ 11. -- Epenthesis. II
Syncope de medio tollit, quod Epenthesis addit.
Syncope takes away a letter or syllable from the mid-
dle of a word, while Epenthesis adds it. Examples of
Syncope. -- Periclum (for Periculum), Pasnum (for Pos-
7iorum), aspris (for asperis), audiit (for audivit) : -- of
Epenthesis. -- Redeo (for re-eo), seditio (for se-itio), pluvi
(iox plui).
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION OF SYNCOPE.
Cingite fronde comas, et pocula porgitelf dextris. Virg.
12. -- Apocope. ** 13. -- Paragoge. -M"
Apocope demit finem, quern dot Paragoge.
Apocope strikes off, while Paragoge adds, a final letter
or syllable.
Examples of Apocope. Men 1 (for mene), tuguri (for
* From itpooBcoiq, "an addition. "
t From dcpaipeatg, "a taking away. "
% Where the initial s is not pronounced.
6 From avyxdrrTi, "a cutting away. "
f| From tTtivQcaig, "an insertion. "
\ Porgite-- for porrigite.
*'* From drroK6rrr] i "a cutting off. "
f\ From naaaywyfi, "a bringing into. "
8*
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? so
FIGURES OF PROSODY.
tugurii), neu (for neve) : -- of Paragoge--Deludier (for
deludi, legier (for legi), amarier (for amari).
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION OF PARAGOGE.
At Venulus, dicto parens, ita farier* in/it. Virg. i
14. -- Tmesis. I
Pei' Tmesim inseritur medio vox altera vocis.
Tmesis is the separation of a word into two parts, for
the insertion of another word between the parts divided.
examples by single words.
Qui te cumque (for quicunque te), Septem subjecta
Trioni (for Septemtrioni).
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION.
Talis Hyperboreo Septem subjecta trioni. Virg.
15. -- Antithesis. X 16. -- Metathesis. ^
Nonnunquam Antithesi mufatur liter a, ut olli;
Cum propria migrat de sede, Metathesis esto.
Antithesis substitutes one letter for another ; as olli for
illi: while Metathesis changes the order of the letters in
a word ; as, Thymbre for Thymber.
EXAMPLES BY SINGLE WORDS.
Of Antithesis. -- Faciundum for faciendum, Publicus for
Poplicus -- Populicus, Vult, for volt, adsum for assum, &c. :
of Metathesis -- Corcodilus for Crocodilus, extremus for ex-
terrimus -- by syncope, exter'mus, svpremus for superrimiis
-- by syncope, supefmus, &c.
* For far i.
t From TfAJjais, "a cutting or incision. "
t From dvriOccris, "a substitution. "
? From f. urade<Tis, " a transposition. "
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? VERSIFICATION. 81
EXAMPLES IN COMPOSITION -- OF METATHESIS.
Tu quoque cognosces in me, Meleagre,* sororem. Ovid.
OBSERVATIONS.
Although most of the foregoing figures of Prosody may
be considered imaginary, being, in reality, nothing more
than so many Archaisms, Anomalies, or Poetic Licenses,
still it was deemed necessary, in compliance with custom --
Quern penes arbitrium est, et jus et norma loquendi --
to give them place, as conducive to the perfection of the
plan proposed in this little work ; particularly, as the
curious reader will, in the course of his studies, find
these figures, on most occasions, treated of under their
proper appellations by the most learned Grammarians,
Prosodians, and Commentators.
SECTION VI.
OF VERSIFICATION.
1. Poems (carmina) are composed of verses or lines ;
verses are composed of feet,t and feet of syllables. A
* For Meleager.
t Feet in metre are thus denominated, because the voice appears by their aid,
? to move along in measured pace, through the verse. Foot as applied to poetry
may also be thus derived : -- According to Marius Victorinus, arsis was the noise*
less raising of the foot-- Sublatio pedis sine sono, -- while thesis was the dropping
of it, audibly striking the ground-- positio pedis cum sono : -- observing also, that
it was not so much by the number of syllables, as by the time, the arsis and
thesis were regulated. Horace himself, and after him Terentianus Maurus,
allude to this method of distinguishing the feet : keeping time according to the
arsis and thesis, by the tapping of the thumb or the beating of the foot --
Lesbium servate pedem, meique
Pollicis ictum. Lib.