§618. Iambic Trimeter

The Iambic Trimeter is the ordinary verse of dramatic dialogue. It consists of three measures, each containing a double Iambus (iambic dipody). The cæsura is usually in the third foot.[figure]

a. The Iambic Trimeter is often used in lyric poetry (1) as an independent system, or (2) alternating with the Dimeter to form the Iambic Strophe, as follows:—

• (1) iam iam éffĭcā´|cī || dō´ mănū´s | scĭéntĭaé
• suppléx ĕt ō´|rō || rē´gnă pér | Prŏsérpĭnaé,
• pĕr ét Dĭā´|nae || nō´n mŏvén|dă nū´mĭnă´,
• pĕr átquĕ líb|rōs || cármĭnúm | văléntĭŭ´m
• dēfī´xă caé|lō || dē´vŏcā´|rĕ sī´dĕră´,
• Cănī´diă, pár|cĕ || vō´cĭbús | tandém săcrī´s,
• cĭtúmquĕ rét|rŏ || rétrŏ sól|vĕ túrbĭnĕ´m.—Hor. Epod. 17.

The last two lines may be thus translated, to show the movement in English:—

• Oh! stay, Canidia, stay thy rites of sorcery,
• Thy charm unbinding backward let thy swift wheel fly!
• (2) bĕā´tŭs íl|lĕ || quī´ prŏcúl | nĕgō´tĭī´s,
• ut prī´scă gē´ns | mortā´lĭŭ´m,
• pătérnă rū´|ră || bū´bŭs éx|ercét sŭī´s,
• sŏlū´tŭs óm|nī fē´nŏrĕ´;
• nĕque éxcĭtā´|tur || clássĭcō´ | mīlés trŭcī`,
• nĕque hórrĕt ī´|rātúm mărĕ´.—Hor. Epod. 2.

b. In the stricter form of Iambic Trimeter an irrational spondee (> [acutemacr]) or its equivalent (a cyclic anapæst ˘ ˘[acutemacr] or an apparent dactyl > [acutebreve] ˘ § 609. e) may be regularly substituted for the first iambus of any dipody A tribrach (˘ [acutebreve] ˘) may stand for an iambus anywhere except in the last place. In the comic poets any of these forms or the proceleusmatic (˘˘ [acutebreve] ˘) may be substituted in any foot except the last:—¹

• ō lū´cĭs ál|mĕ rē´ctŏr || ét | caelī´ dĕcŭ´s!
• quī altérnă cúr|rū spă´tĭă || flám|mĭfĕrō ámbĭēns,
• illū´strĕ laé|tīs || éxsĕrís | terrī´s căpŭ´t.
• —Sen. Herc. Fur. 592-94.
• quid quaérĭs? án|nōs || séxāgín|tā nā´tŭs ĕ´s.
• —Ter. Haut. 62.
• hŏmō´ sum: hūmā´|nī || nī´l ā mē ă´lĭ|ēnúm pŭtō´.
• vel mē´ mŏnē´|re hōc || vél percón|tārī´ pŭtā´.
• id. 77, 78.

c. The Choliambic (lame Iambic) substitutes a trochee for the last iambus:—[figure]

• aequē ést bĕā´|tŭs || ác pŏē´|mă cúm scrī´bĭt:
• tam gaúdĕt ín | sē, || támquĕ sē íp|sĕ mī´rā´tŭr.
• —Catul. 23.15, 16.

d. The Iambic Trimeter Catalectic is represented as follows:—[figure]

It is used in combination with other measures (see § 626. 11), and is shown in the following:—

• Vulcā´nŭs ā´r|dēns || ū´rĭt óf|fĭcī´nā´s.—Hor. Od. 1.4.

or in English:—

• On purple peaks a deeper shade descending.—Scott.