[sect. 12]
Metres.
The metres employed by Catullus are as follows1 : -
[76]
76. DACTYLIC HEXAMETER (cc. 62,
64) and ELEGIACS
(cc. 65-116). The occurrence of spondaic verses is very
frequent, and doubtless is due to Alexandrian influence. In all, there
are 42 such verses, of which 34 end in a quadrisyllable. In only ten
instances is this a proper name. In c. 64 there is a
succession of three spondaic verses (vv. 78-80) - The tendency to
employ a succession of spondees in the same verse is striking. Thus
c. 116.3 is made up entirely of spondees, and 71 verses
have spondees in the first four places. - The penthemimeral caesura is
by far the favorite, though the hephthemimeral occurs occasionally;
and the feminine caesura in the third foot is not unknown, though it
is entirely excluded from the fourth. - The hexameters end preferably
in a dissyllable or trisyllable, but in the ending of the pentameters
greater freedom is allowed. - Hypermeters are found in
c. 64.298 and
c. 115.5. - On hiatus, see
86 d.
[77]
77. PURE IAMBIC TRIMETER (c. 4)
Perhaps c. 29
is in the same metre; but cf. note
on Mamurram in v.3.
[78]
78. IAMBIC TRIMETER (c. 52,
and perhaps c. 29), with the
optional substitution of a spondee for the first iambus of any
dipody. The scheme, then, is,
x-u- x-u- x-u-
[79]
79. CHOLIAMBIC or SCAZON (cc. 8,
22, 31,
37, 39,
44, 59,
60).
The scheme is as follows: -
x-u- x-u- u---
Thrice also the thesis is resolved (in cc. 22.19;
37.5; 59.3,
- unless in c. 37.5 we read
confutuere as a quadrisyllable).
[80]
80. IAMBIC TETRAMETER CATALECTIC, otherwise called Iambic Septenarius
(c. 25). The scheme is, -
x-u- x-u- x-u- x--
[81]
81. PHALAECEAN, often called Hendecasyllabic (cc. 1-3,
5-7, 9,
10,
12-16, 21,
23, 24,
26-28, 32,
33, 35,
36, 38,
4O-43, 45-50,
53-58). The scheme is, -
oo -uu- u- u--
It may be remarked that while the verse most frequently opens with the
irrational trochee (as always in Martial), there are nearly seventy
exceptions to this rule, and they are about evenly divided between the
regular trochaic opening and that with the iambus.2 The peculiar
experiment with this metre tried in cc. 55
and 58b is
noted in the introduction to c. 55.
[82]
82. GLYCONIC and PHERECRATIC series are combined by Catullus as follows3 :-
a.A second Glyconic catalectic followed by a second Pherecratic
acatalectic forms the verse called PRIAPEAN, used in
c. 17. The scheme is, -
oo -uu- u- | oo -uu- -
The first series in this verse ends with a complete word, and does
not allow hiatus after it: elision occurs there four times
(vv. 4, 11,
24, 26).
b.The stanza of c. 34 is composed of four verses, of which
the first three are second Glyconics catalectic, and the fourth a
second Pherecratic acatalectic. The stanza of c. 61 is similar, but
with four, instead of three, Glyconics. The scheme of the Glyconics
thus arranged is, -
oo -uu- u-
and that of the Pherecratics, -
oo -uu- -
Synapheia is observed throughout, as in the Priapean stanza.
Once an irrational spondee takes the place of the cyclic dactyl
(c. 61. 25)4 .
[83]
83. GREATER ASCLEPIADIC verses compose c. 30.
The scheme of each is as follows: -
oo -uu- -uu- -uu- u-
Contrary to the practice of Horace, caesura is not always observed
between the successive series in each verse.
[84]
84. The SAPPHIC stanza (cc. 11,
51) as used by Catullus has the following scheme: -
-u-x -uu- u--
-u-x -uu- u--
-u-x -uu- u--
-uu--
In allowing a trochee thrice in place of the irrational spondee
(cc. 11. 6; 11. 15;
51.13), and in indifference to the
caesura, Catullus resembles Sappho more closely than does Horace.5
[85]
85. In c. 63 the GALLIAMBIC verse is used. It is said to have
originated as a lesser Ionic tetrameter catalectic, having,
therefore, the following scheme: -
uu-- uu-- uu-- uu-
But as used by Catullus anaclasis always occurs (except in
vv. 54 and 60?),
and the resultant trochees are often, the last almost always, resolved. The
scheme may therefore be written as follows (the regularly
occurring caesura being indicated by a comma) -
uu-u-u-- , uu-uWu-
This scheme is not, to be sure, true to the theory of the Ionic
series, but the result of anaclasis (i.e. the substitution of
dichorees for Ionics) seems to have been that the metre was treated as
trochaic, and the anacrusis, therefore, became of necessity
irrational. On no other theory is rhythmical recitation of the
Galliambics of Catullus possible.6 The individual schemes of several
verses of c. 63 are here given as specimens of the
application of the general scheme:
Line 1: uu-u-u-- uu-uwu-
Line 5: W-u-u-- uu-uwu-
Line 14: uu-u-u-- uu-u-u-
