Iambic senarius Used for the prologues of plays and for the more serious speeches, the iambic senarius (ia6) is the most common metre in Roman comedy and is the only metre which was unaccompanied by music. It is more common in Terence than in Plautus. The Latin line is based on the Greek comic
iambic trimeter, which in turn is based on the more formal iambic trimeter of tragedy. The Greek tragic iambic trimeter goes as follows (in the notation used here, – is a long syllable, u a short one, and x an
anceps, that is, either long or short): The Latin equivalent of this is slightly different and has
anceps syllables in place of the first and second shorts: However, the various syllables in the line are not equal. The following table shows the percentage of
anceps positions in the iambic senarius which are short, long, or resolved. It is based on a count by J. J. Schlicher of the 533 iambic senarius lines in Plautus's . As can be seen, apart from the 11th element, which is compulsorily short, a single short syllable is most commonly found in the 3rd and 7th positions in the line, i.e. the positions which are always short in Greek. The 9th element is the anceps position least likely to be represented by a single short syllable. Resolution of an anceps element into two short syllables is most common in the 1st element of an iambic senarius line, very rare in the 5th. Another feature that can be seen on this table is that the
anceps elements in middle of the line (positions 3, 5, and 7) tend to be unaccented. Because of Meyer's law, it is rare for positions 3 or 7 to be accented unless they are short. In most (but not all) iambic senarii there is a word-break or
caesura after the 5th element, corresponding to the dieresis after the 8th element in the trochaic septenarius. However, as can be seen from the examples below, there is often no break in the sense at this point. One result of this caesura is that the fourth element of the line usually coincides with the word-accent, while the third is unaccented. In lines where there is no caesura after the fifth element there is one after the seventh (often combined with one after the 3rd element). An example is the fourth line of the Terence example below. The iambic senarius is often used for exposition and explaining a situation, for example in the prologue of almost every play, such as Plautus's
Amphitruo: : : : : : :"This city is Thebes. In that house lives :Amphitruo, born in Argos from an Argive father, :with whom Alcmena is married, daughter of Electer (Electryon). :This Amphitruo is now in command of the legions, :for the Theban people are having a war with the Teloboans." The iambic senarius is also used for dialogue, especially when old men are speaking (6235 out of 7659 lines spoken by old men, that is more than 80% of their dialogue, are in this metre). An example is the following extract from Terence's
Andria (35-39) spoken by the old man Simo to his freedman Sosia: : : : : : :"After I bought you, how from childhood onwards :your servitude with me was always just and mild :you know. From a slave I made you to be my freedman, :because you used to serve me generously. :I paid you the greatest price which I had."
Iambic septenarius The character of this metre is different from the iambic senarius or trochaic septenarius. In Plautus there almost always a break (diaeresis) in the middle of the line. Unless the diaeresis (central break) is omitted, then by Meyer's law there is always a short syllable in the penultimate place before the break. The iambic septenarius is sometimes known as the "laughing metre". A typical use is the light-hearted banter of the two cunning slaves, Leonida and Libanus, in Plautus's
Asinaria, when ribbing each other. Here Leonida speaks: : : : : : : : : :"By
Pollux, you could not praise your own virtues :as well as I could, all those things which at home or in war you've done wrong! :Indeed, by Pollux, there are a lot of things that can be mentioned to your credit: :when you defrauded those who trusted you, when you were unfaithful to your master, :when you deliberately perjured yourself with invented words, :when you made holes in walls, when you were caught stealing, :and all the times you pleaded your case when hanging in front of eight :burly aggressive men, sturdy whippers!" But the metre is also associated with love. In
Miles the three scenes with iambic septenarii are all scenes where a courtesan is the protagonist, and there is similar use in other plays where a prostitute is acting or being discussed. In Terence's
Eunuchus, iambic septenarii are used when the beautiful Pamphila first appears, and when her lover Chaerea comes out after raping her. In Terence the metre is often used by love-struck young men, as in the following exchange (
Heauton Timorumenos 679–89) between the young man Clinia and the cunning slave, Syrus: : : : : : : :CLI. O my Syrus, did you hear, do tell me! SYR. How could I not? I was there with you. :CLI. Have you ever heard anything turn out so well for anyone? SYR. No, no one! :CLI. And so may the gods love me, I am now delighted not so much for my own sake :as for hers, whom I know to be worthy of any honour. :SYR. I am sure you’re right. But now, Clinia, listen to me in turn; :for we must do something about your friend’s situation too to make sure it is secure. In Plautus, there is usually a clean break between the two halves of the line, and this is often true of Terence too. However, sometimes Terence smooths over the break with an elision, or even omits the break altogether. : :You run to meet the boys, Parmeno, and help them with their loads.
Iambic octonarius | x – x – | x – u – || x – x – | x – u – | type a | x – x – | x – x – | x – x – | x – u – | type b The iambic octonarius has two kinds, one with a break in the middle of the line, as the first pattern above. In this kind there is always a short syllable in position 7. But often, instead of a mid-line break, there is a caesura or word-break 7 elements before the end of the line. This second kind of iambic octonarius, which has a break after the 9th element, is very similar to a trochaic septenarius but with an extra syllable at the beginning, and in some passages (such as Terence,
Phormio 465–504) the metre switches back and forth between tr7 and ia8. Cicero quotes some lines from the tragedy
Iliona by
Pacuvius in which the ghost of Hector begs his mother to bury him: : : :"And do not allow my half-eaten remains, with denuded bones, :to be spread hideously across the ground smeared with gore" Despite the fact that there are eight feet, Cicero comments: "I don't know why he is afraid, when he pours out such fine to the sound of the ." In the first type, when the break is in the middle of the line, there may be a hiatus or a
brevis in longo (a short syllable standing for a long element) at that point, as in the word
ingerĕ in the first of the two lines below: : : :"You who have the jar, bring in some water; make sure the pot is full for the cook; :you with the axe I'm putting in charge of the wood-cutting province." The iambic octonarius was apparently often used in Roman tragedy for messenger speeches, and in Plautus it is also used by slave messengers, as in this account of the preparations of a battle in the
Amphitruo (203–210) sung by the slave Sosia. In this section there is generally a word-break after the 8th element, and the 7th element is short: : : : : : : : : :"In the beginning, when we arrived there, as soon as we touched land, :immediately Amphitruo picks out some men, the leaders of the chiefs; :he delegates them and orders them to speak his judgement to the Teloboans: :if, without violence and without war, they were prepared to hand over what they had stolen and those who had stolen it, :if they gave back what they had carried off, he would immediately lead the army :back home, the Greeks would leave their territory, and give them :peace and leisure; but if they were otherwise minded, and didn't give what he was asking, :in that case with all his force and men he would attack their town." However, in the account of the aftermath of the same battle in Plautus's
Amphitruo (256-261) the style changes. In this section the lines run smoothly on, without any central dieresis. Frequently the 7th element is long. They do, however, mostly have a word-break after the 9th element, which makes the second half resemble the trochaic septenarius: : : : : : : : :"But finally night with its intervention ended the battle. :The next day into our camp from the city the chiefs came to us weeping; :with veiled hands they begged us to forgive their wrong-doing, :and they surrendered themselves, and all divine and human things, the city and their children :all for jurisdiction and judgment to the Theban people. :Afterwards on account of his courage my master Amphitruo was given a gold cup, :with which King Pterela used to drink. This is what I shall tell the mistress." The iambic octonarius is used more often by Terence (885 lines) than by Plautus (382 lines). In Terence's
Eunuchus, this metre is particularly associated with one of the two brothers, Chaerea, who has 88 lines in this metre. : : : : : : :"From any man, when there's a need, you would be glad to receive a favour, :but in truth what is really nice is if someone does a favour who ought to do one. :O brother, brother, how can I praise you enough? One thing I know for sure, :I shall never be able to speak highly enough of your virtue. :And so I think I have this one thing above all more than anyone else, :that no man has a brother more endowed with the most excellent qualities!" The style changes halfway through the above lines: in the first three lines there is a central dieresis, but in the second half the lines run on, and there is a word break after element 9. ==Trochaic metres==