[2684.] This consists of four anapaestic dipodies or eight complete anapaestic feet. There is regularly a diaeresis after the fourth foot, and the last thesis of the line is never resolved. Hiatus and syllaba anceps sometimes occur in the diaeresis, the verse being asynartetic ([2535]). The scheme is:—
| ⏖ –́ | ⏖ –̇ | ⏖ –́ | ⏖ –̇ # ⏖ –́ | ⏖ –̇ | ⏖ –́ | ⏑ ⏑ –̇ |
| – –́ | – –̇ | – –́ | – –̇ # – –́ | – –̇ | – –́ | – –̇ |
| – ⏑́ ⏑ | – ⏑̇ ⏑ | – ⏑́ ⏑ | – ⏑̇ ⏑ # – ⏑́ ⏑ | – ⏑̇ ⏑ | – ⏑́ ⏑ | |
| ⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ | [⏖ ⏑̇ ⏑] # ⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏖ ⏑́ ⏑ |
Examples are:—
Neque quód | dubitem | neque quód | timeam # me(ō) ĭn péc|tore con|ditŭmst cṓn|silium (Pl. Ps. 575).
Quid míhi | meliust | quid mágis | in remst # qu(am) ā cór|pore vī|tam sḗ|clūdam (Pl. R. 220).
[2685.] The proceleusmatic is very rare in the fourth foot, but the spondee is very common there. Some editors divide the anapaestic octonarii into dimeters (or quaternarii) and write them as such.
The Anapaestic Tetrameter Catalectic (or Septenarius).
[2686.] This is like the preceding, except that the last foot is incomplete. The seventh thesis may be resolved. There is regularly a diaeresis after the fourth foot, and hiatus and syllaba anceps sometimes occur in the diaeresis. The scheme is:—
| ⏑ ⏑ –́ | ⏑ ⏑ –̇ | ⏑ ⏑ –́ | ⏑ ⏑ –̇ # ⏑ ⏑ –́ | ⏑ ⏑ –̇ | ⏑ ⏑ –́ | ⏑ ⌅ |
| – –́ | – –̇ | – –́ | – –̇ # – –́ | – –̇ | – –́ | |
| – ⏑́ ⏑ | – ⏑̇ ⏑ | – ⏑́ ⏑ | – ⏑̇ ⏑ # – ⏑́ ⏑ | – ⏑̇ ⏑ | – ⏑́ ⏑ | |
| ⏑ ⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ | [⏑ ⏑ ⏑̇ ⏑] # ⏑ ⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑ ⏑̇ ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑ ⏑́ ⏑ |
Examples are:—