Our
author, observe, is now engaged in a definition of versification in
general, not of English versification in particular. But the Greek and
Latin metres abound in the spondee and pyrrhic- the former
consisting of two long syllables, the latter of two short; and there
are innumerable instances of the immediate succession of many spondees
and many pyrrhics.
Here is a passage from Silius Italicus:
Fallit te mensas inter quod credis inermem
Tot bellis quaesita viro, tot caedibus armat
Majestas aeterna ducem: si admoveris ora
Cannas et Trebium ante oculos Trasymenaque busta
Et Pauli stare ingentem miraberis umbram.
Making the elisions demanded by the classic Prosodies, we should
scan these Hexameters thus:
Fallit / te men / sas in / ter quod / credis in / ermem /
Tot bel / lis quae / sita tot / caedibus / armat /
Majes / tas ae / terna du / cem s'ad / moveris / ora /
Cannas / et Trebi / ant ocu / los Trasy / menaque / busta /
Et Pau / li sta / r' ingen / tem mi / raberis / umbram /
It will be seen that, in the first and last of these lines, we
have only two short syllables in thirteen, with an uninterrupted
succession of no less than nine long syllables. But how are we to
reconcile all this with a definition of versification which
describes it as "the art of arranging words into lines of
correspondent length so as to produce harmony by the regular
alternation of syllables differing in quantity"?
It may be urged, however, that our prosodist's intention was to
speak of the English metres alone, and that, by omitting all mention
of the spondee and pyrrhic, he has virtually avowed their exclusion
from our rhythms.
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