Manual Latin Grammar

III. Iambic Trimeter (senarius): consisting of three measures, each containing a double Iambus. In the first halfmeasure a spondee or anapæst is often substituted for the iambus; and other substitutions are occasionally used. This verse is used chiefly in dramatic dialogue.

In the following example, it alternates with the Iambic Dimeter, which consists of two similar double feet:

běātus ille qui procul | něgōtõīs,
ūt prīscă gens | mōrtālĭum,
pătērnă rūļră būbus ēxļērcēt sŭīs,

solūtus ōmni foenŏre,

forumque vi tǎt ēt supēr|bă civium

potēntio rūm līmînă.

HOR. EPOD. II. 1-8.

IV. Alcaic Strophe, or Stanza: consisting of four verses. The first two verses (greater Alcaic) have for their base each five Iambuses, for the first and third of which a spondee is substituted, and for the fourth an anapast; the third verse is the same, but with one complete and one half iambus in the last two feet; the fourth verse consists of two anapæsts and an iambus, preceded and followed by a single syllable, or half-foot: as,

mēn❘tě quătit | sõlidā | něqu' au stěr.

Id. OD. III. 3, 1-4.

Or, the first verse may be divided into a spondee, bacchius, and two dactyles; the second into a spondee, bacchius, and two trochees; and the third into two dactyles and two trochees.

V. Sapphic Stanza: consisting of three Sapphic verses and one Adonic.

The base of the Sapphic verse is five Trochees, for the second of which a spondee, and for the third a dactyle, is substituted.

The Adonic verse consists simply of a dactyle and spondee

(or Trochee): as,

Id. OD. I. 2, 1-4.

Or, the Sapphic verse may be regarded as consisting of a Trochee, Spondee, Choriambus, and Bacchius.

VI. Lesser Asclepiadic: consisting of a spondee, two choriambs, and an iambus.

Maecenas ǎtǎvīs | ēdítě rē gibus

O et praesidĭ' ēt | dulcě děcūs | měum.

Id. OD. I. 1. 1, 2.

VII. This verse is often joined with the Glyconic, consisting of a spondee, choriambus, and trochee, making the First Asclepiadic Stanza: as,

Rōmae | principis ūr|bĭum

dīgnā|tūr sõbõlēs | intĕr ămā|bilēs

vātūm | pōněrĕ mē | chōrōs;

ēt jām | dēntě minūs | mōrdĕŏr in vido.

Id. OD. IV. 3, 13–16.

VIII. Or, three Asclepiadics with one Glyconic, making

the Second Asclepiadic Stanza: as,

audīs | quō strĕpītu | jānŭă quō | němŭs
inter pulchră sătum | tēctă rĕmūgĭăt

vēntīs ēt posītās | ūt glăciēt | nivēs

pūrō | nūmĭně Jū pĭtěr.

Id. OD. III. 10, 5-8.

IX. Or, two Asclepiadics are joined with one Pherecratic (the same with the Glyconic, lacking one syllable) and one Glyconic, making the Third Asclepiadic stanza: as,

vēstrā mōtus ǎgēt | prěcě.

Id. OD. III. 21, 13-16.

The above forms include upwards of a hundred of the Odes of Horace. In the eighteen not included, he employs twelve different kinds of stanzas, most of which are combinations of the verses already given. They may be briefly indicated as follows:

1. Choriambic Pentameter (Greater Asclepiadic):

tū nē | quaesiĕrīs | scīrě něfās | quēm mihi quēm | tibi. (Od. I. 11, 18; IV. 10.)

2. Hexameter, followed by the last four feet of an hexameter. (OD. I. 7, 28; EPOD. 12.)

3. Hexameter, followed by Iambic Dimeter. - EPOD. 14, 15. 4. Trimeter Iambic alone. - EPOD. 17.

5. Choriambic Dimeter and Tetrameter: as,

Lydiă dic per ōmnes

tē deōs ōrō Sybărîn | cūr pròpērās | ămāndo. — Od. I. 8.

6. Hexameter, followed by Iambic Trimeter. — EPOD. 16.

7. Verse of four Lesser Ionics. —OD. III. 12.

8. Hexameter with Dactylic Penthemim (five half-feet):

diffu gērĕ ni vēs rědělūnt jām | grāmînă | cāmpis
ārboribusque co❘mae.—OD. IV. 7.

9. Iambic Trimeter; Dactylic Penthemim; Iambic Dimeter.— EPOD. 11.

nōn | ĕbūr | něqu' au|rĕum

měā | rění dět în | dòmō | lăcu|nar. —OD. II. 18.

In dramatic dialogue, the Trochaic Tetrameter catalectic, or Septenarius, is occasionally used, consisting regularly of fifteen syllables, the same with the 8's and 7's of the common ballad measure, usually with various irregularities: as,

ád t'advénio spém salútem cónsili' aúxili' éxpetens.

TER. ANDR. II. 1, 18.

83.

RECKONING OF TIME. (See § 56, 1. 4.)

(From Allen's Classical Hand-Book.)

Roman Chronology was reckoned from the building of the city, the date of which was assigned by Varro to B.C. 753. In order, therefore, to reduce Roman dates to those of the Christian era, the year of the city is to be subtracted from 754; e.g. a.u.c. 708 = B.C. 46.

The first day of each month was called Kălendae, from călāre, to call; that being the day on which the priests publicly announced the new moon in the Comĭtia Călāta, which they did, originally, after actual observation. Sixteen days before this, that is, on the fifteenth day of March, May, July, and October, but the thirteenth of the other months, came the Idus, or day of the full moon; eight days before the Ides were the Nonae. The month was thus divided into three weeks of eight days, and one of five or seven. The days were reckoned backward from these points; but as it was the custom of the Romans always to include the point of departure in such calculations, it is necessary, in order to find the day of the month, to take this into account. Thus, the day before the Kalends, Ides, &c., is called Pridie Kalendas, &c.; the day before this, ante diem (a. d.) tertium Kalendas, &c. Therefore, with the Kalends, two must be added to the number of days of the preceding month; with the Nones and Ides, one must be added to the day of the month on which they occur; and the day of the date must be taken from the number thus obtained. E. g. the sixth day before the Kalends of November: 31 (the number of days of October) +2. 27. The date will be Oct. 27. The third day before the Ides of March: 15+1 16; 16-3 13. March 13.

84.

33; 33-6

RECKONING OF MONEY.

(See § 14.)

The money of the Romans was in early times wholly copper, the unit being the As. This was nominally a pound,

but actually somewhat less, in weight, and was divided into twelve Unciae. In the 3d cent. B.C. the as was reduced by degrees to one-twelfth of its original value. At the same time silver coins were introduced; the Denarius 10 asses, and the Sestertius, or Sesterce (semis tertius, represented by IIS, or HS, = duo et semis) = 2 asses. The sestertius, being probably introduced at a time when it was equal in value to the original as, came to be used as the unit (hence nummus was used as equivalent to sestertius); afterwards, by the reductions in the standard, four asses became equal to a sesterce. Gold was introduced later, the aureus being equal to one hundred sesterces. Sertertium (M.) = 1000 sestertii was used as an expression of value, not as a coin. In the statement of sums of money in cipher, a line above the number indicated thousands; lines at the sides also, hundred-thousands. Thus HS. DC. 600 sestertii. HS. DC. 600,000 sestertii, or 600 sestertia. HS. DC = 60,000,000 sestertii. With the numeral adverb, hundred-thousands are also understood: as, decies, decies HS., or decies sestertium, that is, decies centena millia sestertium, or ten times a hundred sestertia = 1,000,000 sestertii.

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