– ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
τιπτε | μοι τοδ | εμπεδ|ονꞈ‖
1 2 3 4
– ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
δειμα | προστατ|ηρι|ονꞈ‖
1 2 3 4
– ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ ⏗ –
καρδι|ας τερ|ασκοπ|ου ποτ|ατ|αιꞈ‖
1 2 3 4 5 6
– ⏑ ⏑ – ⏑ ⏑ – ⏑ ⏑ – ⏑ ⏑ ⏗ –
μαντιπολ|ει δ ακελ|ευστος αμ|ισθος α|οιδ|αꞈ‖
1 2 3 4 5 6
– ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
ουδ απ|οπτυσ|αι δικ|ανꞈ‖
1 2 3 4
– ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
δυσκριτ|ων ον|ειρατ|ωνꞈ‖
1 2 3 4
If we examine this to find structural unity, it soon appears. The first pair of lines answers to the last, and line three to line four, in the number of their feet 4 + 4, 6, 6, 4 + 4. The correspondence is indicated thus:—
⎰ 4
⎛ ⎱ 4
⎜ ⎛ 6
⎜ ⎝ 6
⎝ ⎰ 4
⎱ 4
Each of these masses, it will be noticed, is marked off by the sign ‖. Such a mass is named a “sentence” or “colon” (κῶλον, “limb”), and such a balanced structure of cola is named a “period” (περίοδος, “circuit”). It happens that in the passage just examined the “sentence” division always occurs at the end of a word, but this is not invariably so. We proceed now with the second paragraph[878]—the second period as we shall now call it.
– ⏑ ⏗ – ⏑ ⏗ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
θαρσος | ευπ|ειθες | ιζ‖ει φρεν|ος φιλ|ον φρον|ονꞈ‖
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
⏑ – ⏑ – ˃ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
χρον⁝ος δε | τοι πρυμν|ησι|ων ξυν | εμβολ|αιςꞈ‖
1 2 3 4 5 6
– ⏑ ⏗ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
ψαμμι|ας | εξ ακτ|ας βεβ‖ηκεν | ευθ υπ | Ιλι|ονꞈ‖
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
– ⏑ – ⏑ – ⏑ –
ωρτο | ναυβατ|ας στρατ|οςꞈ‖
1 2 3 4
That is: 4 + 4, 6, 4 + 4, 4. This would be an obviously well-balanced structure but for the last colon, to which nothing corresponds. Such an extra sentence is called a “postlude” (ἐπῳδικόν). Non-corresponding sentences like this are far from rare.[879] They may occur at the beginning of the period (“prelude,” προῳδικόν), in the middle (“mesode,” μεσωδικόν), or at the end. This very period supplies an example of a mesode as well as of a postlude. The scheme is:—
⎰ 4
⎛ ⎱ 4
⎜ 6—mesode.
⎝ ⎰ 4
⎱ 4
4—postlude.
The whole passage, then, consists of two periods connected by meaning and grammar, but—for us—by no more intimate musical bond than the common use of trochees. But the dance and music which accompanied the whole would clearly demonstrate its unity. The end of a period is indicated by ‖.
It is necessary now to consider briefly the passage which immediately follows (vv. 988 sqq.):—