Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges
J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, A. A. Howard, Benj. L. D'Ooge, Ed.

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[*] 618. The Iambic Trimeter is the ordinary verse of dramatic dialogue. It consists of three measures, each containing a double Iambus (iambic dipody). The cæsura is usually in the third foot.

[*] Note.--The sign [gtbreve] [acutemacr] denotes possible substitution of an irrational spondee (>[acutemacr]) for an iambus (˘[acutemacr]).

[*] 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:—

1. (1) iam iam éffĭcā´|cī || dō´ mănū´s | scĭéntĭaé
2. suppléx ĕt ō´|rō || rē´gnă pér | Prŏsérpĭnaé,
3. pĕr ét Dĭā´|nae || nō´n mŏvén|dă nū´mĭnă´,
4. pĕr átquĕ líb|rōs || cármĭnúm | văléntĭŭ´m
5. dēfī´xă caé|lō || dē´vŏcā´|rĕ sī´dĕră´,
6. Cănī´diă, pár|cĕ || vō´cĭbús | tandém săcrī´s,
cĭtúmquĕ rét|rŏ || rétrŏ sól|vĕ túrbĭnĕ´m.—Hor. Epod. 17.

The last two lines may be thus translated, to show the movement in English:—

1. Oh! stay, Canidia, stay thy rites of sorcery,
2. Thy charm unbinding backward let thy swift wheel fly!
3. (2) bĕā´tŭs íl|lĕ || quī´ prŏcúl | nĕgō´tĭī´s,
4. ut prī´scă gē´ns | mortā´lĭŭ´m,
5. pătérnă rū´|ră || bū´bŭs éx|ercét sŭī´s,
6. sŏlū´tŭs óm|nī fē´nŏrĕ´;
7. nĕque éxcĭtā´|tur || clássĭcō´ | mīlés trŭcī`,
nĕque hórrĕt ī´|rātúm mărĕ´.—Hor. Epod. 2.

[*] b. In the stricter form of Iambic Trimeter an irrational spondee (> [acutemacr]) or its equivalent (a cyclic anapæst ˘ ˘[acutemacr] or an apparent dactyl > [acutebreve] ˘ § 609. e) may be regularly substituted for the first iambus of any dipody A tribrach (˘ [acutebreve] ˘) may stand for an iambus anywhere except in the last place. In the comic poets any of these forms or the proceleusmatic (˘˘ [acutebreve] ˘） may be substituted in any foot except the last:—¹

1. ō lū´cĭs ál|mĕ rē´ctŏr || ét | caelī´ dĕcŭ´s!
2. quī altérnă cúr|rū spă´tĭă || flám|mĭfĕrō ámbĭēns,
3. illū´strĕ laé|tīs || éxsĕrís | terrī´s căpŭ´t.
—Sen. Herc. Fur. 592-94.
4. quid quaérĭs? án|nōs || séxāgín|tā nā´tŭs ĕ´s.
—Ter. Haut. 62.
5. hŏmō´ sum: hūmā´|nī || nī´l ā mē ă´lĭ|ēnúm pŭtō´.
6. vel mē´ mŏnē´|re hōc || vél percón|tārī´ pŭtā´.
7. id. 77, 78.

[*] c. The Choliambic (lame Iambic) substitutes a trochee for the last iambus:—

1. aequē ést bĕā´|tŭs || ác pŏē´|mă cúm scrī´bĭt:
2. tam gaúdĕt ín | sē, || támquĕ sē íp|sĕ mī´rā´tŭr.
—Catul. 23.15, 16.

[*] 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:—

Vulcā´nŭs ā´r|dēns || ū´rĭt óf|fĭcī´nā´s.—Hor. Od. 1.4.

or in English:—

1. On purple peaks a deeper shade descending.—Scott.

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Other Iambic Measures