Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

X

VIII. The Adonic, properly a dactylic dimeter catalectic which is formed of a dactyle and a spondee.

This is never used by itself, but in combination with the Sapphic forms what is called the Sapphic stanza. We find it in Carmen 35.

IX. The choriambic pentameter,* which consists of a spondee, three choriambi, and a pyrrich or iambus.

Carmen 22, is in this measure.

X. The Glyconic or choriambic trimeter, which consists of three feet, a spondee, choriambus, and iambus. The first foot is often a trochee, and sometimes an iambus.

It is used with other measures in Carm. 24, and 39.

XI. The Pherecratian, which consists of three feet, a spondee, dactyle and spondee. In Catullus

*So called by Carey, and by Scheller, Alcaicus.

the first foot is often a trochee, and sometimes an iambus, and the second in one verse a spondee.

It may be divided as a choriambic monometer hypercatalectic, with a basis usually a spondee.

This is combined with the Glyconic in Carm. 24, 39.

XII. The Priapean. It has six feet, a trochee, dactyle, amphimacer, trochee, dactyle, trochee. The first foot is sometimes a spondee, the third a dactyle, and the fourth a spondee.

Used in Carm. 12, 13, 14.

XIII. The Galliambic, a loose kind of measure, which is used by no Latin poet except Catullus, and by him only in Carmen 41. It derives its name from the Galli priests of Cybele. It consists of six feet, of which the first is usually an anapaest, sometimes a spondee or tribrachys, the second an iambus, rarely an anapaest, tribrachys, or dactyle, the third an iambus or spondee, the fourth a dactyle or spondee, the fifth a dactyle or

amphimacer or spondee, the sixth an anapaest, or an iambus preceded by an amphimacer.

Carey divides it into two iambic dimeters catalectic, the first beginning with a spondee or an anapaest, and ending with a long syllable, the second wanting the last syllable; and gives this scheme.

super altă vēc | tùs à | tỹs || cèlĕri | rătě mă | rĩa Catullus makes very frequent use of elisions, ecthlipses and other figures of scanning.

C. VALERII CATULLI

VERONENSIS

CARMINA.

CARMEN I.

Ad Cornelium Nepotem.

Quoi dono lepidum novum libellum,
Aridâ modo pumice expolitum ?
Corneli, tibi: namque tu solebas
Meas esse aliquid putare nugas,

Jam tum, cum ausus es, unus Italorum,
Omne ævum tribus explicare chartis,
Doctis, Jupiter! et laboriosis.

Quare habe tibi, quidquid hoc libelli est,
Qualecumque; quod, o patrona Virgo,
Plus uno maneat perenne sæclo.

5

10

CARMEN II.

Ad Passerem Lesbiæ.

Passer, deliciæ meæ puellæ,
Quîcum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,
Quoi primum digitum dare appetenti,
Et acres solet incitare morsus;
Cum desiderio meo nitenti
Carum nescio-quid lubet jocari,
Et solatiolum sui doloris

Credo, ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor.
Tecum ludere, sicut ipsa, posse,

Et tristes animi levare curas,

Tam gratum mihi, quam ferunt puellæ
Pernici aureolum fuisse malum,

Quod zonam soluït diu ligatam.

CARMEN III.

Luctus in Morte Passeris.

Lugete, o Veneres, Cupidinesque,
Et quantum est hominum venustiorum!
Passer mortuus est meæ puellæ,
Passer, deliciæ meæ puellæ,

5

10

« ZurückWeiter »