INDUCTIVE STUDIES. I. VERGILIAN VERSE. 1. THE PRINCIPLES OF RHYTHM AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE DACTYLIC HEXAMETER. 1. Pronounce the following English lines, emphasizing the accented syllables: This' is the for ́est prime'val. The murmuring | pines' and the | hem ́locks, Beard ́ed with moss', and in | garments | green', indistinct' in the | twilight, Stand' like | Dru'ids of | eld', with | voi'ces | sad' and prophet'ic, Stand' like | harp ́ers | hoar', with | beards' that | rest' on their | bo ́soms. Loud' from its | rock'y | cav ́erns, the | deep'-voiced | neighboring | o'cean Speaks', and in | ac'cents dis con ́solate | an ́swers the | wail' of the | for ́est. OBSERVE: 1. That each of the above lines is divided into regularly recurring cadences, or sound-waves, each containing an accented and an unaccented part. 2. That, in order to produce this rhythmical effect, it is only necessary to pro nounce the words of the verse, each with its proper accent. It will be found by further comparison that the rhythm of English verse depends upon the proper accent of the words in the verse. Pronounce now, in the same manner as above, the following Latin lines: I. 1. Ar'mă vi|rūm'que că 'no', | Troiae qui | primus ab | o'ris 2. Itălī ām, fā tō profu gūs, Lā vīnăquè | vēnīt 3. Lītōră, | múlt(um) ill(e) ēt tēr rīs iāc|tātus ĕět | ältō 4. Vi supě rūm, sae vae měmo rêm Iù nõnis ob | irăm, 5. Multă quo qu(e) ēt bēl lō pās sūs, dūm | cōnděrět | ūrběm, 6. Infēr|rētque dělōs Lătō, gènŭs | ūndě Lă|tīnăm 7. Albānique pă trēs āt qu(e) altae | moentă | Romae. OBSERVE: 3. That the rhythmical effect produced by these verses is the same as that produced by the English verses above. 4. That, in order to produce this rhythmical effect in the Latin verses, it is necessary to accent many of the words on the wrong syllable. It is therefore apparent that the rhythm of Latin verse does not, as does that of the English, depend upon the proper accent of the words. But OBSERVE 5. That the accented part of each cadence is a long syllable, and that the unaccented part is either two short syllables or their equivalent in time, one long syllable. It is therefore apparent that the rhythm of Latin verse depends upon the quantity of the syllables composing the verse. It thus becomes necessary for the student to learn the quantity of the syllables of a line before he is able to read the line rhythmically (i. e. to scan it). Below will be given material from which the principles of quantity may be derived. Meanwhile notice The Structure of Vergil's Verse. 2. OBSERVE: 6. That each line is composed of six cadences, feet, or measures, and that the feet are composed of either a long and two short syllables (a dactyl), or two long syllables (a spondee). 7. That the dactyl is the most prominent foot, that is, it determines the position of the stress in the different feet of the line. From these two facts the number of feet and the controlling dactyl--the verse in which Vergil writes is called Dactylic Hexameter. 8. That the sixth foot of each line is composed of two syllables, either two long, or a long and a short syllable (a trochee). 9. That the fifth foot in a line is almost invariably a dactyl. But observe that in the following lines the fifth foot is a spondee: I. 617; II. 68; III. 12, 74, 517, 549 ; V. 320, 761. From this unusual circumstance, these lines are called spondaic lines. 10. That the first, second, third, and fourth feet are either dactyls or spondees. 11. That line 1 is rhetorically broken after cano, and that this rhetorical pause falls within the foot. This is called the caesural pause, and should be marked by a longer pause in reading than elsewhere in the line. 12. That in nearly every line such a pause occurs, and that in many, as in line 2, after Italiam and profugus, there are two such pauses. 13. That this pause most frequently comes after the accented part of the foot. This, having the strongest effect possible, is called the masculine caesura. In a few instances (as I. 81), the rhetorical pause falls between the two short syllables of the foot, and is called feminine caesura, from its weaker effect. By careful observation from many lines, learn in what foot the caesura most frequently falls. 2. In RECAPITULATION. 1. What is the principle of rhythm in English verse? Latin verse? 3. The structure of Vergil's verse? its name? 4. Caesura, masculine and feminine? 5. In what foot generally found? NOTE TO THE STUDENT. Master carefully the principles to be deduced below, and put them into practice by attempting to scan Latin verse at once. Do not wait until you have mastered all, but use the principles as you learn them. Get the swing of the Hexameter by reading over and over again the English and Latin verses in 1. 2. FURTHER TERMS AND PRINCIPLES OF PROSODY. 3. I. 3. Litora], mult(um) il|1(e) et terris iactatus et | alto. 5. Multa quo qu(e) et bello pas sus, dum | conderet | urbem. 13. Kartha g(0), Italiam contra Tibe rinaque | longe. 25. Necd(um) eti am caus(ae) ira rum sae|vique do lores. 18. Bella ger(o). Et quis quam nu men Iunonis ad orat. 78. Tu mihi, quodcum qu(e) hoc regni, tu | sceptra Io vemque. 98. Non potuisse, tu aqu(e) anim(am) hanc effundere | dextra. III. 658. Monstr(um) horrend(um), in form(e), in gens, cui | lumen ad emptum. Observe that the rhythm of the preceding lines requires the slurring or partial suppression of certain letters. Note carefully what those letters are, and what their position is. The slurring of a letter or letters, as in the above words, is called elision. Under what circumstances does elision occur? 4. I. 16. Posthabi ta colu isse Samo: hic | illius | arma III. 74. Nerei dum matri et | Neptuno Aegaeo. 211. Insul(ae) Ionio | in magno, quas | dira Celaeno. IV. 235. Quid struit ? aut qua | spe ini mic(a) in | gente mo ratur? 667. Lamen tis gemi tuqu(e) et | feminelo ulu latu. V. 261. Victor apud rapi dum Simojënta sub | Ilio | alto. Observe from the preceding examples that elision does not always take place where it is possible. This omission of elision is, however, quite rare, these being the only instances in the first six books of the Aeneid. 5. The omission of elision, where it would regularly occur, is called hiatus. I. 332. Iacte mur, doceļas: ig|nar(i) homi|numque locorum qu(e) 448. Aerea | cui gradibus sur gebant | limina | nexae qu(e) 449. Aere trabes. II. 745. Quem non | incu sav(i) a mens hominumque de orum qu(e), 746. Aut quid. IV. 558. Omnia | Mercurio similis, vo|cemque colorem qu(e) 559. Et crines. 629. Imprecor, arm(a) ar mis; pug nent ipsique ne potes qu(e)! V. 422. Et magnos membror(um) ar tus, magn(a) ossa la certos qu(e) V. 753. Robora | navigi|is, ap|tant re mosque rudentes qu(e), 754. Exigui numero. VI. 602. Quos super | atra sillex iam | iam lap|sura cadenti qu(e) 603. Imminet. Observe the unusual position of the elided letter or letters in these lines. The elision of a letter or letters at the end of a line, before a vowel at the beginning of the next line, is called synapheia. What is the letter which, in all the preceding examples, is thus elided? But cf. VII. 160. Iamqu(e) iter | emen si tur ris ac | tecta Latino r(um) 161. Ardua, etc., and Georgics, I. 295. 6. I. 41. Oïlei; 73. conubio; 120. Ilionei; 131. dehinc (et passim, but cf. III. 464, and V. 722, where dehinc is pronounced as two syllables); 195. deinde (et passim); 698. aurea; 726. aureis; II. 16. abiete; 442. parietibus; 492. ariete; 735. nescio; III. 244. semiesam; 578. semiustum; IV. 686. semianimem; V. 269. taeniis; 352. aureis; 432. genua; 589. parietibus; VI. 33. omnia; 201. graveolentis; 280. ferreique; 412. alveo; 653. curruum. Observe that, in the above words, two vowels are pronounced as one syllable, each vowel retaining its own sound. Observe, also, that this does not affect the quantity of the resultant syllable, as in cases of contraction (cf. 13). By reading these words in the lines in which they occur, note which of the vowels gives the quantity to the syllable. This pronunciation of two vowels in one syllable, the sound of both vowels being retained, is called synaeresis. How does synaeresis differ from elision? from contraction? (Cf. 3, 13.) 7. V. 186. Nec tota tamen | ille prior praee]unte ca rina. VI. 507. Nomen et | arma lo cum servant; te amice ne quivi. (For the usual quantity of te cf. 14, and for prae cf. 13.) Cf. also stetĕrunt and constiterunt, referred to under 32. Observe that, in the above instances, a syllable regularly long is made short by the requirements of the rhythm of the verse. The shortening of a syllable regularly long is called systole. 8. I. 308. vidēt (cf. 25); 478. pulvis (cf. 22); 651. peterēt; 668. iactetur; II. 563. domūs (cf. 24); III. 91. liminaqué (cf. 14 a); 112. nemūs; 464. graviā (cf. 15); 504. casus; IV. 64. pectoribus; 146. Cretesquē; 222. alloquitūr; V. 284. datūr; VI. 254. super; 640. aether; 768. Numitōr. Observe that, in the above words, a syllable regularly short is lengthened by the requirements of the rhythm of the verse. The lengthening of a short syllable is called diastole. 3. PRINCIPLES OF QUANTITY. GENERAL REMARKS. The different kinds of syllables to be noted are grouped in much the same order as is usual in the grammars. In no instance, however, will a rule for quantity be given. Material carefully selected from the first six books of the Aeneid is given, from which may be deduced all principles and modifications of the same which are necessary for use in this portion of Vergil. It will be found, however, that after carefully scanning even one book, any dactylic hexameter may be scanned at sight. Let the pupil in each case, after examining the examples given, frame his own rule complete, in the most concise language possible, without any reference to a grammar. His conclusion, however, may be verified, when made, by reference to the grammar. It is of great importance that as many as possible of the examples given below should be committed to memory. I. Position before two Consonants, i (consonant), x, or z. 9. I. 1. årma virumque; 2. Italiam fato profugūs Lavina; 3. multum ille ēt tērris iactatus et alto; 4. memorem Iunonis; 5. conderet urbem; 6. inferretque unde; 9. quidve võlvere; 10. insignēm pietate. I. 1. Troiae; 19. Troiano; 41. Aiacis; 34. vix; 41. nōxam; 44. transfixo; 45. infixit; 49. supplēx; 63. lāxas; 89 nōx; 108. sāxa; 119. gāza; 490. Amazonidum What is the quantity of the marked syllables in the above words, and what is the position of the vowel in these syllables? Compare the position and quantity of these with the position and quantity of the following marked syllables: 10. I. 63. darě iussus; 102. taliă iactanti ; III. 270. nemerosă Zacynthos. What, then, is the quantity of the syllable whose vowel is followed by i (consonant), x, z, or two consonants; and what must be the position of these consonants? But cf. the following marked syllables. 11. L. 7. pătres; 51. pătriam; 60. ātris; 130. fratrem; 176. nutrimenta; 243. penetrare; 319. venatrix; 323. pharetra; 336. pharētram; 493. bellatrix; 590. genĕtrix; 90. crebris; II. 38. latebras; 92. teněbris; 225. delūbra; I. 196. Trinacrio; 220. acris; 228. lăcrimis; 317. volucrem. Observe that the syllable is marked long in some of the above words, and short in others; and observe also what class of consonants follow the vowel? |