> - - | > || - - | > - -
NOTE: The sign > - denotes possible substitution of an irrational spondee (> -) for an iambus ( -).
a. The Iambic Trimeter is often used in lyric poetry (1) as an independent system, or (2) alternating with the Dimeter to form the Iambic Strophe, as follows: -
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(1) iam iam effica |c=i || do manus | scientiae
supplex et o|r=o || regna per | Proserpinae,
per et Dia|nae || non moven|da numina,
per atque lib|r=os || carminum | valentium
d=efixa cae|l=o || devoca|re sidera,
Canidia, par|ce || vocibus | tandem sacris,
citumque ret|ro || retro sol|ve turbinem. - Hor. Epod. 17.
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The last two lines may be thus translated, to show the movement in English: -
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Oh! stay, Canidia, stay thy rites of sorcery,
Thy charm unbinding backward let thy swift wheel fly!
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(2) beatus il|le || (2) qui procul | (2) negotiis,
ut prisca gens | mortalium,
paterna ru|ra || bubus ex|ercet suis,
solutus om|n=i fenore;
neque excita|tur || classico | m=iles truci,
neque horret i|r=atum mare. - Hor. Epod. 2.
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b. In the stricter form of Iambic Trimeter an irrational spondee ( > -) or its equivalent (a cyclic anapaest - or an apparent dactyl > § 609. e) may be regularly substituted for the first iambus of any dipody. A tribrach ( ) may stand for an iambus anywhere except in the last place. In the comic poets any of these forms or the proceleusmatic ( ) may be substituted in any foot except the last: - [1][The greater freedom of substitution in the comedy is due to the fact that the verse is regarded as made up of separate feet rather than of dipodies.]
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=o lucis al|me rector || et | caeli decus !
qui alterna cur|r=u spatia || flam|mifero ambi=ens,
illustre lae|t=is || exseris | terris caput.
- Sen. Herc. Fur. 592 - 94.
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quid quaeris ? an|n=os || sex=agin|t=a natus es.
- Ter. Haut. 62.
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homo sum: h=uma|n=i || nil =a me ali| =enum puto.
vel me mone | re h=oc || vel percon|t=ari puta.
- id. 77, 78.
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c. The Choliambic (lame Iambic) substitutes a trochee for the last iambus: -
|| > - - | > || - - | - - ||
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aeque est bea|tus || ac poe|ma cum scribit:
tam gaudet in | s=e, || tamque se ip|se miratur.
- Catull. xxiii. 15, 16.
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NOTE: The verse may also be regarded as trochaic with anacrusis: as, -
> - - > | - - | -
d. The Iambic Trimeter Catalectic is represented as follows: -
|| > - - | > || - - | > - ||
It is used in combination with other measures (see § 626. 11), and is shown in the following: -
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Vulcanus ar|d=ens || urit of|fici as. - Hor. Od. i. 4.
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or in English: -
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On purple peaks a deeper shade descending. - Scott.
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