§642. Rhetorical Figures

Terms of Prosody

Acatalectic: complete, as a verse or a series of feet (§ 612. a).

Anaclasis: breaking up of rhythm by substituting different measures.

Anacrusis: the unaccented syllable or syllables preceding a verse (§ 608. g)

Antistrophe: a series of verses corresponding to one which has gone before (cf. strophe).

Arsis: the unaccented part of a foot (§ 611).

Basis: a single foot preceding the regular movement of a verse.

Cæsura: the ending of a word within a metrical foot (§ 611. b).

Catalectic: see Catalexis.

Catalexis: loss of a final syllable (or syllables) making the series catalectic (incomplete, § 612. a).

Contraction: the use of one long syllable for two short (§ 610).

Correption: shortening of a long syllable, for metrical reasons.

Diœresis: the coincidence of the end of a foot with the end of a word within the verse (§ 611. c).

Dialysis: the use of i (consonant) and v as vowels ( silüa = silva, § 603. f. N.4).

Diastole: the lengthening of a short syllable by emphasis (§ 612. b).

Dimeter: consisting of two like measures.

Dipody: consisting of two like feet.

Distich: a system or series of two verses.

Ecthlipsis: the suppression of a final syllable in -m before a word beginning with a vowel (§ 612. f.).

Elision: the cutting off of a final before a following initial vowel (§ 612. e).

Heptameter: consisting of seven feet.

Hexameter: consisting of six measures.

Hexapody: consisting of six feet.

Hiatus: the meeting of two vowels without contraction or elision (§ 612. g).

Ictus: the metrical accent (§ 611. a).

Irrational: not conforming strictly to the unit of time (§ 609. e).

Logaœdic: varying in rhythm, making the effect resemble prose (§ 623).

Monometer: consisting of a single measure.

Mora: the unit of time, equal to one short syllable (§ 608. a).

Pentameter: consisting of five measures.

Pentapody: consisting of five feet.

Penthemimeris: consisting of five half-feet.

Protraction: extension of a syllable beyond its normal length (608. c).

Resolution: the use of two short syllables for one long (§ 610).

Strophe: a series of verses making a recognized metrical whole (stanza), which may be indefinitely repeated.

Synœresis: i (vowel) and u becoming consonants before a vowel (§ 603. c. N., f. N.4).

Synalœpha: the same as elision (§ 612. e. N.).

Synapheia: elision between two verses (§ 612. e. N.).

Syncope: loss of a short vowel.

Synizesis: the running together of two vowels without full contraction (§ 603 c. N.).

Systole: shortening of a syllable regularly long.

Tetrameter: consisting of four measures.

Tetrapody: consisting of four feet.

Tetrastich: a system of four verses.

Thesis: the accented part of a foot (§ 611).

Trimeter: consisting of three measures.

Tripody: consisting of three feet.

Tristich: a system of three verses.