It is esteemed a great beauty in an Hexameter verfe, when by the use of dactyles and fpondees, the found is adapted to the sense; as, Quadrupedante putrem fonitu quatit ungula campum. Virg. Monftrum horrendum, informe, ingens, cui lumen ademptum. But what deferves particular attention in scanning Hexameter verfe is the CÆSURA. Cafura is, when after a foot is completed, there remains a fyllable at the end of a word to begin a new foot; as, At re-gină gră-vi jām-dudum, &c. The Cafura is variously named, according to the different parts of the hexameter verfe in which it is found. When it comes after the first foot, or falls on the third half-foot, it is called by a Greek name, Triemiměris: When on the fifth half-foot, or the fyllable after the second foot, it is called Penthemimeris: When it happens on the firft fyllable of the fourth foot, or the seventh half-foot, it is called Hephthemimeris; and when on the ninth half-foot, or the first fyllable of the fifth foot, it is called Ennëemimeris. All these different fpecies of the Cafura fometimes occur in the fame verse; as, Ille lă-tus nivě-um mōl-lī fül-tūs býă-cinthō. Virg. But the most common and beautiful Cafura is the penthemim; on which fome lay a particular accent or ftrefs of the voice in reading an hexameter verse thus compofed, whence they call it the Gafural paufe; as, Tityre dum rede-O, brevis eft via, pafce capellas. Virg. When the Cafura falls on a fyllable naturally fhort, it renders it long; as the last fyllable of fultus in the foregoing example. The chief melody of an hexameter verfe in a great measure depends on the proper difpofition of the Cafura. Without this a line confifting of the number of feet requifite will be little else than mere profe; as, Rōma mania terruit impiger Hännibal armis. Ennius. The ancient Romans in pronouncing verfe paid a particular at tention to its melody. They not only obferved the quantity and accent of the several syllables, but also the different stops and paufes which the particular turn of the verfe required. In modern times we do not fully perceive the melody of Latin verse, because we have now loft the juft pronunciation of that language, the people of every country pronouncing it in a manner fimilar to their own. In reading Latin verfe, therefore, we are directed by the fame rules which take place with respect to English verse. The tone of the voice ought to be chiefly regulated by the fenfe. All the words fhould be pronounced fully; and the cadence of the verfe ought only to be obferved, fo far as it correfponds with the natural expreffion of the words. At the end of each line there fhould be no fall of the voice, unless the fenfe requires it; but a fmall paufe, half of that which we ufually make at a comma. 21. PENTAMETER. The Pentameter verse consists of five feet. Of these the two first are either dactyles or fpondees; the third always a spondee; and the fourth and fifth, an anapæftus; as, Naturæ sequi- | tur se- | mină quif- que suæ. Propert. Carmini- bus vi- vēs tēm- | pus în om- | ně měīs. Ovid. But this verfe is more properly divided into two hemisticks or halves; the former of which consists of two feet, either dactyles or fpondees, and a Cæfura; the latter, always of two dactyles and another Cæfura: thus, Naturæ sequi- | tūr | sẽmĭnă | quifque su- | æ. Carmini- bus vi- vēs tempus in omně mě | is. The Pentameter ufually ends with a dissyllable, but sometimes alfo with a polysyllable. 3. ASCLEPIADEAN. The Afclepiadean verfe confifts of four feet; namely, a spondee, twice a choriambus, and a pyrrhichius; as, Mæcē- | nās ătăvis | ēdítě rē- | gibus. Hor. But this verse may be more properly measured thus: In the first place, a fpondee; in the fecond, a dactyle; then a cæfura; and after that two dactyles; thus, Mæce- nas ata- | vis | edite | regibus. 4. GLYCONIAN. The Glyconian verfe has three feet, a spondee, choriambus, and pyrrhichius; as, Or it may be divided into a fpondee and two dactyles; thus, Navis quæ tibi | creditum. 5. SAPPHIC and ADONIAN. The Sapphic verfe has five feet, viz. a trochee, fpondee, dactyle, and two trochees; thus, Integer vitæ, frèle- | rifque | purus. Hor. An Adonian verfe confifts only of a dactyle and spondee; as, 6. PHERECRATIAN. The Pherecratian verfe confifts of three feet, a fpondee, dactyle, and fpondee; thus, Nigris æquorǎ ventis. Hor. 3 t 7. PHALEUCIAN. The Phaleucian verfe confifts of five feet, namely, a spondee, a dactyle, and three trochees; as, Sūmmām | nēc mětů- | ās dĭ- | em, něc |ōptěs. Mart. 8. The GREATER ALCAIC. The greater Alcaic, called likewise Dactylic, confifts of four feet, a fpondee or jambus, iambus and cæfura, then two dactyles; as, Virtus | repül- | fæ | nefciă | sōrdidæ. Hor. 9. ARCHILOCHIAN. The Archilochian iambic verfe confists of four fect. In the first and third place, it has either a fpondee or iambus; in the fecond and fourth, always an iambus; and in the end, a Cæfura; as, Nēc sū- | mĭt, aŭt | pōnit | sẽcū- | rēs. ~ Hor. 10. The LESSER ALCAIC. The leffer Dactylic Alcaic consists of four feet, namely, two dać, tyles and two trochees; as, Arbitri-ō popů- | lāris | aŭræ. Hor. Of the above kinds of verfe, the first two take their names from the number of feet of which they confist. All the reft derive their names from those by whom they were either firft invented, or frequently ufed.' There are feveral other kinds of verse, which are named from the feet by which they are most commonly measured; fuch as the dactylic, trochaic, anapæstic, and iambic. The last of these is moft frequently used. 11. IAMBIC. Of Iambic verfe there are two kinds. The one confifts of four feet, and is called by a Greek name Dimeter; the other confists of fix feet, and is called Trimeter. The reafon of these names is, that among the Greeks two feet were confidered only as one measure in iambic verfe; whereas the Latins measured it by fingle feet, and therefore called the dimeter quaternarius, and the trimeter fenarius. Originally this kind of verfe was purely iambic, i. e. admitted of no other feet but the iambus; thus, Dimeter, Inār- | sit æ- ftuō | sius. Hor. Trimeter, Suisět i- | psă Rō- | mă vī- | rìbūs | ruit. Id. But afterwards, both for the fake of ease and variety, different feet were admitted into the uneven or odd places; that is, in the first, third, and fifth places, instead of an iambus, they used a spondee, a dactyle, or an anapæftus, and fometimes a tribrachys. We alfo find a tribrachys in the even places, i. e. in the fecond place, and in the fourth; for the last foot must always be an iambus; thus, Dimeter, Canidi- | ǎ tra- | ctavit | dăpēs. Hor. Trimeter, Quoquo | scělē- | fti růĭ- tis aut | cür dēx- teris. Id. Păvidūm- que lěpo- | r'aūt ād | věnām | låquěõ | grůēm. Id. Aliti- bus at- que căni- | bus homi- cid' He- | cŏrēm. In comic writers we fometimes find an iambic verfe confifting of eight feet, therefore called Tetrameter, or Octonarius. FIGURES in SCANNING. The feveral changes made upon words to adapt them to the verfe, are called Figures in Scanning. The chief of thefe are the Synalæpha, E&blipfis, Synarěfis, Diarěfis; Syftõle, and Diaflŏle. 1. SYNALOEPHA is the cutting off of a vowel or diph thong, when the next word begins with a vowel; as, Conticuere omnes, intentique ora tenebant. Virg. to be fcanned thus, Contĭcŭer' om- | nēs in- | tēntî- ¦ qu'ôră tě- | nēbānt. The Synalapha is fometimes neglected; and feldom takes place in the interjections, ô, heu, ah, prob, va, vah, hei; as, O pater, ô hominum, Divûmque æterna poteftas. Virg. Long vowels and diphthongs, when not cut off, are fometimes fhortened; as, U 2 Infulæ Ionio in magno, quas dira Celano. Virg. Ter funt conati imponere Pelio Offam. 2. ECTHLIPSIS is, when m is cut off, with the vowel before it, in the end of a word, because the following word begins with a vowel; as, thus, O curas hominum! O quantum eft in rebus inane? Perf. O cũ- | rās hömi | n’, Õ quản- | t’ elt in | rebus in- | ane Sometimes the Synalopha and Echlipfis are found at the end of the verse; as, Sternitur infelix alieno vulnere, cœlumque Adfpicit, et dulces moriens reminifcitur Argos. Virg. Jamque iter emenfi, turres ac tecta Latinorum Ardua cernebant juvenes, murofque fubibant. Id. Thefe verfes are called Hypermetri, because a fyllable remains to be carried to the beginning of the next line thus, qu' Adfpicit; r' Ardua. 3. SYNÆRESIS is the contraction of two fyllables into one, which is likewife called Crafis; as, Phathon, for Phaethon. So ei in Thefei, Orphei, deinde, Pompei; üi in huic, cui; öi in proinde; ëâ in aureâ; thus, Notus amor Phædræ, nota cft injuria Thesei. Ovid. Filius huic contrà, torquet qui fidera mundi. Id. So in antehac, eadem, alvearia, deeft, deerit, vehemens, anteit, eodem, alveo, graveolentis, omnia, femianimis, femihomo, fluviorum, totius, promontorium, &c. as, Unâ eâdemque viâ fanguisque animufque ferunter. Virg. Id. Vilis amicorum eft annona, bonis ubi quid deeft. Hor. |