§617. Other Dactylic Verses

Other dactylic verses or half-verses are occasionally used by the lyric poets.

a. The Dactylic Tetrameter alternates with the hexameter, forming the Alcmanian Strophe, as follows:—

• ō for|tēs pê|iōrăquĕ | passī
• mēcum | saepĕ vĭ|rī, || nunc | vīnō | pellĭtĕ | cūrās;
• crās in|gēns ĭtĕ|rābĭmŭs | aequŏr.
• —Hor. Od. 1.7(so 28; Ep. 12).

b. The Dactylic Penthemim (five half-feet) consists of half a pentameter verse. It is used in combination with the Hexameter to form the First Archilochian Strophe:—

• diffū|gērĕ nĭ|vēs, || rĕdĕ|unt iam | grāmĭnă | campīs,
• arbŏrĭ|busquĕ cŏ|mae;
• mūtat | terră vĭ|cēs || et | dēcrēs|centĭă | rīpās
• flūmĭnă | praetĕrĕ|unt.—Hor. Od. 4.7.

For the Fourth Archilochian Strophe (Archilochian heptameter, alternating with iambic trimeter catalectic), see § 626. 11.

Iambic Verse