The Five Types.

By an exhaustive comparative study of the metrical unit in Old English verse, the half-line, Professor Eduard Sievers,[4] of the University of Leipzig, has shown that there are only five types, or varieties, employed. These he classifies as follows, the perpendicular line serving to separate the so-called feet, or measures:

1.A  –́ × | –́ ×
2.B  × –́ | × –́
3.C  × –́ | –́ ×
4.D D1 –́ | –́ –̀ ×
D2 –́ | –́ × –̀
5.E E1 –́ –̀ × | –́
E2 –́ × –̀ | –́

It will be seen (1) that each half-line contains two, and only two, feet; (2) that each foot contains one, and only one, primary stress; (3) that A is trochaic, B iambic; (4) that C is iambic-trochaic; (5) that D and E consist of the same feet but in inverse order.

The Five Types Illustrated.

[All the illustrations, as hitherto, are taken from the texts to be read. The figures prefixed indicate whether first or second half-line is cited. B = Beowulf; W = Wanderer.]

1. Type A, –́ × | –́ ×

Two or more unaccented syllables (instead of one) may intervene between the two stresses, but only one may follow the last stress. If the thesis in either foot is the second part of a compound it receives, of course, a secondary stress.

(2)ful gesealde, B. 616,–́ ×| –́ ×
(1)wīdre gewindan, B. 764,–́ × ×| –́ ×
(1)[5]Gemunde þā sē gōda, B. 759,× | –́ × × ×| –́ ×
(1)[5]swylce hē on ealder-dagum, B. 758,× × × ×| –́ × | ˘́ ×
(1)ȳþde swā þisne eardgeard, W. 85,–́ × × × ×| –́ –̀
(1)wīs-fæst wordum, B. 627,–́ –̀| –́ ×
(1)gryre-lēoð galan, B. 787,˘́͜× –̀| ˘́ ×
(2)sǫmod ætgædre, W. 39,˘́͜× ×| –́ ×
(1)duguðe ǫnd geogoðe, B. 622,˘́͜× × ×| ˘́͜× ×
(1)fǣger fold-bold, B. 774,–́ ×| –́ –̀
(1)atelīc ęgesa, B. 785,˘́͜× –̀| ˘́͜× ×
(2)goldwine mīnne, W. 22,–́ ˘̀͜×| –́ ×
(1)ęgesan þēon [> *þīhan: [§ 118]], B. 2737,˘́͜× ×| –́ ×

Note.—Rare forms of A are –́ –̀ × | –́ × (does not occur in texts), –́ –̀ × | –́ –̀ (occurs once, B. 781 (1)), and –́ × –̀ | –́ × (once, B. 2743 (1)).