§619. Other Iambic Measures

Other forms of Iambic verse are the following:—

a. The Iambic Tetrameter Catalectic ( Septēnārius). This consists of seven and a half iambic feet, with diæresis after the fourth and with the same substitutions as in Iambic Trimeter:—

• nam idcírcō arcés|sor, nū´ptĭā´s || quod mī ádpărā´|rī sē´nsĭt.
• quĭbus quĭ´dĕm quam fă´cĭ|lĕ pŏ´tŭĕrát || quĭē´scī sī hī´c |quĭē´ssĕt !
• —Ter. And. 690, 691.

The metrical scheme of these two verses may be represented as follows:—[figure]

Its movement is like the following:—

In góod king Chárles's gólden daýs, when lóyaltý no hárm meant.

• —Vicar of Bray.

b. The Iambic Tetrameter Acatalectic ( Octōnārius). This consists of right full iambic feet with the same substitutions as in Iambic Trimeter. Like the Septenarius it is used in lively dialogue:—

• dīcă´t ĕam dă´rĕ | nōs Phórmĭō´|nī || nū´ptum nē´ | suscē´nsĕă´t;
• et mă´gĭs esse íl|lum ĭdō´nĕúm, || quī ipsī´ sitfă´mĭ|lĭā´rĭō´r.
• —Ter. Ph. 720, 721.

The metrical scheme of these two verses may be represented as follows:—[figure]

c. The Iambic Dimeter. This may be either acatalectic or catalectic.

• The Iambic Dimeter Acatalectic consists of four iambic feet. It is used in combination with some longer verse (see § 618. a).

• The Iambic Dimeter Catalectic consists of three and a half iambic feet. It is used only in choruses:—

  • quōnám crŭén|tă Maénās,
  • praecéps ămō´|rĕ saévō,
  • răpĭtúr quŏd ím|pŏténtī
  • făcĭnús părát | fŭrō´rĕ?—Sen. Med. 850-853.