Alcaic verse

Alcaic verse

Alcaic verse (sometimes called Anacreontic verse) is a Greek lyrical meter, traditionally believed to have been invented by Alcaeus, a lyric poet from Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, about 600 BC. The Alcaic verse and the Sapphic stanza named for Alcaeus' contemporary, Sappho, are considered the two most important "generic verse" forms of Classical poetry. [ [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=881375 Sapphic Stanza] ]

Alcaic verse is distinguished by a complicated variation of a dominant iambic pattern. One stanza consists of four lines; the first two lines are divided into two parts by a caesura after the fifth syllable. The metrical pattern of an Alcaic verse would look like this :

_ _ , _ _ : _ , , _ , __ _ , _ _ : _ , , _ , __ _ , _ _ _ , _ __ , , _ , , _ , _ _

(An "_" denotes a stressed or long syllable, "," a short one, and ":" is the caesura.)

Horace used Alcaic verse in his Odes, as can be seen from this example :

_ _ , _ _ :_ , , _ , _Antehac nefas, depromere Caecubum _ _ , _ _ : _ , , _ ,_cellis avitis, dum Capitolio _ _ , _ _ _ ,_ _Regina dementis ruinas _ , , _ , ,_ , _ _funus et Imperio parabat.

An English translation, which still fits the metre, is :

_ _ , _ _ : _ , , _ , _Prior to this, 'twas | irreligious to waste _ _ , _ _ : _ , , _ , _Old Caecuban wine | whilst, for the Capitol _ _ , _ _ _ , _ _Mad ruination plots the Queen, and_ , , _ , , _ , _ _Even a funeral for the Empire.

The Alcaic verse was adapted to use in English and French during the Renaissance. It was historically an important form in Hungarian poetry [http://www.krater.hu/regi/uj/bemut/atlant3.pdf] [http://www.elib.hu/00400/00433/00433.pdf] [http://www.elib.hu/00400/00433/00433.pdf] .

Notes


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  • Alcaic verse — noun verse in the meter used in Greek and Latin poetry consisting of strophes of 4 tetrametric lines; reputedly invented by Alcaeus • Syn: ↑Alcaic • Hypernyms: ↑poem, ↑verse form …   Useful english dictionary

  • Alcaic verse — noun A Greek meter, supposedly invented by ; consisting of combinations of spondee, iambs and dactyls …   Wiktionary

  • alcaic Prosody — [al keɪɪk] adjective written in or denoting a verse metre occurring in four line stanzas. noun (alcaics) alcaic verse. Origin C17: via late L. from Gk alkaikos, from Alkaios Alcaeus (c.620–c.580 BC), Greek lyric poet …   English new terms dictionary

  • verse form — noun a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines • Syn: ↑poem • Hypernyms: ↑literary composition, ↑literary work • Hyponyms: ↑abecedarius, ↑Alcaic, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Alcaic — [al kā′ik] adj. of Alcaeus or in the form of his verse n. [usually pl.] verse by Alcaeus or in his metrical patterns, consisting of four stanza odes, with four lines to a stanza …   English World dictionary

  • Alcaic strophe — noun 1. A verse form much used by Horace, consisting of two eleven syllable Alcaics: ˘̲–˘––/–˘˘–˘˘̲, followed by a nine syllable: ˘̲–˘–––˘–˘, and a ten syllable: –˘˘–˘˘–˘–˘ 2. Imitated by Tennyson in ‘O mighty mouth d inventor of harmonies’ • • • …   Useful english dictionary

  • Alcaic — Al*ca ic, a. [L. Alca[ i]cus, Gr. ?.] Pertaining to Alc[ae]us, a lyric poet of Mitylene, about 6000 b. c. n. A kind of verse, so called from Alc[ae]us. One variety consists of five feet, a spondee or iambic, an iambic, a long syllable, and two… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Alcaic — /al kay ik/, adj. 1. pertaining to Alcaeus or to certain meters or a form of strophe or stanza used by, or named after, him. n. 2. Alcaics, Alcaic verses or strophes. [1620 30; < LL Alcaicus < Gk Alkaïkós, equiv. to Alka(îos) ALCAEUS + ikos IC] * …   Universalium

  • alcaic — adjective Usage: often capitalized Etymology: Late Latin Alcaicus of Alcaeus, from Greek Alkaïkos, from Alkaios Alcaeus, fl ab 600 B.C. Greek poet Date: circa 1637 relating to or written in a verse or strophe marked by complicated variation of a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • alcaic — 1. adjective /ælˈkeɪɪk/ pertaining to , a Greek lyric poet of around 600BC; especially, of a verse meter in a four line stanza which he supposedly invented 2. noun /ælˈkeɪɪk/ alcaic verses …   Wiktionary

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