Comparative Studies in Greek and Indic Meter

2. Internal Expansion

In the iambic dimeter, the opening/closing {38|39} symmetry results in the synchronic perception of a metrical segment ⏓ – –, the iamb. In the choriambic dimeter, by contrast, the opening/closing asymmetry triggers the segmentation – –, the choriamb. Both iamb (ia) and choriamb (ch) figure in the constitution of Greek trimeter.

Since internal expansion is possible by way of choriambs as well as iambs, the question arises why we fail to find attestations of choriambic trimeter and tetrameter besides iambic trimeter and tetrameter. In other words, why is there no attestation of a genuine closing – ⏓ preceded regularly by other choriambs? [8] For an answer we must look to the inherent asymmetry of the choriambic dimeter, where the closing – ⏓ precludes the opening – –. Such a dimeter with asymmetrical components cannot generate a trimeter with symmetrical components. Where we do see a series of two or more choriambs, the closing will be by necessity an iamb, as in Anakreon 388P above, or a catalectic iamb (ia^ = – ⏓), [9] as in the following:

δακρυόεccάν τ’ ἐφίληcεν αἰχμήν (Anakreon 382P)

οἰνοχόει δ’ ἀμφίπολοc μελιχρόν (Anakreon 383.1P)

– – – ⏓ = ch ch ia^ {41|42}

παρθενία, παρθενία, ποῖ με λίποιc’ ἀποίχῃ (Sappho 114LP)

δεῦτέ νυν ἄβραι Χάριτεc καλλίκομοι τε Μοῖcαι (Sappho 128LP)

– – – – – ⏓ = ch ch ch ia^


A choriambic series or a single choriambic opening may have a choriambic closing only if the latter is catalectic, as in the following:

ἱcτοπόνον μείρακεc (Adespota 975aP)

– – ⏓ = ch ch^

οὐδὲ λεόντων cθένοc οὐδὲ τροφ (Adespota 975bP)

– – – – ⏓ = ch ch ch^

αἲ Κυθερήαc ἐπιπνεῖτ’ ὄργια λευκωλένου (Adespota 975cP)

– – – – – – ⏓ = ch ch ch ch^


In such patterns, the inherent asymmetry of choriambic verse has been preserved by way of catalexis. The intact choriambs (– –) of these verses are not mirrored by the truncated choriamb (ch^ = – ⏓) in the closing. [
10]

What makes the Glyconic dimeter the Aeolic meter par excellence is the so-called Aeolic base ⏓ ⏓ that precedes the sequence – ⏓. As with the initial ⏓ ⏓ ⏓ ⏓ of the choriambic dimeter ⏓ ⏓ ⏓ ⏓ – ⏓, the initial ⏓ ⏓ of the Glyconic ⏓ ⏓ – ⏓ must be free and cannot be fixed in any predictable pattern from verse to verse. In transition from Glyconic to Glyconic to Glyconic, the static element – ⏓ must be preceded by a dynamic {43|44} element ⏓ ⏓ which keeps shifting from – – to – to – to , in unpredictable order and frequency. In other words, the function of the Aeolic base ⏓ ⏓ was to provide the ingredient of rhythmical variety, but on a level statistically more sedate than the almost distractingly varied permutations of the ⏓ ⏓ ⏓ ⏓ in choriambic dimeter. As the length of free rhythm (⏓ ⏓ ⏓ ⏓) in the choriambic dimeter held its metrical segmentation at 4 + 4, the shortened length of free rhythm (⏓ ⏓) in the Glyconic produced a metrical segmentation at 2 + 6. It is at this juncture that internal expansion in fact occurs:

⏓ ⏓ – ⏓ = Glyconic (gl)
⏓ ⏓ – – – ⏓ = Asclepiad (glc = Glyconic with choriambic expansion)
⏓ ⏓ – – – – – ⏓ = Greater Asclepiad (gl2c = Glyconic with double choriambic expansion)


The well-known Asclepiad is a dodecasyllabic trimeter that was generated from an octosyllabic dimeter simply by the insertion of a choriamb (– –) between the rhythmically free (⏓ ⏓) and fixed (– ⏓) segments of the Glyconic. In size, the Asclepiad corresponds to the iambic trimeter just as the Greater Asclepiad corresponds to the iambic tetrameter.

The internal expansion of Glyconics could {45|46} become reinterpreted synchronically:

csigim-chap2fig1


We have just derived the sequences labeled by bracket A from the closing of a choriambic dimeter. Notice, however, that the same rhythmical sequence is already present in the Glyconic, as labeled by bracket A’. From a diachronic point of view, we may say that A is a real choriamb, but not A’. From a synchronic point of view, however, A’ = A. In this connection, the following three lyric fragments are crucial:

1. θυρώρῳ πόδεc ἐπτορόγυιοι
τὰ δὲ cάμβαλα πεμπεβόηα
πίccυγγοι δὲ δέκ’ ἐξεπόναιcαν

(Sappho 110LP)

2. τίῳ c’ ὦ φίλε γάμβρε κάλωc ἐϊκάcδω
ὄρπακι βραδίνῳ δε μάλιcτ’ ἐϊκάcδω

(Sappho 115LP)

3. κέλομαί τινα τὸν χαρίεντα Μένωνα κάλεccαι
αἰ χρῆ cυμποcίαc ἐπόναcιν ἔμοιγε γένεcθαι

(Alkaios 368LP)

Footnotes

[ back ] 1. See pp. 169f.

[ back ] 2. Cf. Watkins 1963:205.

[ back ] 3. Snell 1962:29.

[ back ] 4. Watkins 1963:205.

[ back ] 5. See pp. 167f, 171f, 174f, 279-282, 291-294.

[ back ] 6. On the reading πάϊc Κύκηc at line 11, I follow Korzeniewski 1968:102n37.

[ back ] 7. Hephaistion 9.3 p. 30, 11-16 Consbruch.

[ back ] 8. Korzeniewski (1968:113) points out that the choriambic series in Aisch. Ag. 201-204, Soph. OT 483-486, and Ar. Lys. 321-334 are not cτίχοι and thus cannot be cited as acatalectic verses.

[ back ] 9. As Snell (1962:26) astutely points out, the Baccheus – ⏓ equals the iamb ⏓ – ⏓ after catalexis. Notice that the first ⏓ of ⏓ – ⏓ has to become an overt short () after catalexis of the iamb.

[ back ] 10. Of course, ch^ may also be preceded by iambs. See Snell (1962:26), who refers to – ⏓ as a Cretic. I propose, however, that the isofunctionalism of verse-final – ⏓ and – ⏓ is parallel to that of – – and ⏓ – –. (Cf. also Hephaistion 9.1 p. 29, 4-15 Consbruch.)

[ back ] 11. See Page 1955:81; also Maas 1962:27.

[ back ] 12. Snell 1962:29: “Jedenfalls stehen in der Chorlyrik des 5. Jahrhunderts choriambische und äolische Verse so nebeneinander, dass sie als zusammengehörig empfunden sein müssen.”

[ back ] 13. Watkins 1963:201ff.

[ back ] 14. Dale 1968: 139n2.

[ back ] 15. For the textual and grammatical validity of the reading γλῶccα ἔᾶγε, see Hiersche 1966; also Heitsch 1962.

[ back ] 16. For an illuminating discussion on the topic ‘figure of grammar vs. figure of sound’, see Jakobson 1960.

[ back ] 17. Snell 1962:34-38.

[ back ] 18. As in Sappho 94, 130, 131LP.

[ back ] 19. As in Sappho 44, 49LP.