Greek tragedy - Gilbert Norwood

There are two periods:—

I II
⎛ 6 ⎛ 6
⎝ 6 ⎜ ⎰ 4
⎜ ⎛ ⎱ 4
⎜ ⎜ 6—mesode.
⎜ ⎜ ⎰ 4
⎜ ⎝ ⎱ 4
⎝ 6

To this the antistrophe of course corresponds, though here and there an irrational long corresponds to a short (e.g. -εῑπε͐ι to ε̄ρπο̆ν); the last syllable of πήματα is lengthened by the following φθ.

It should be noted that this scheme differs somewhat from that given in Jebb’s edition of the Antigone (pp. lxi. sq.). One reader’s ear differs from that of another: hence the frequent divergencies to be observed between editors in the arrangement of many lyrics.

(b) The ancient writer Aristoxenus gives certain rules as to the maximum length of cola. They may be stated as follows:—

(i) There are three types of colon, the equal, the unequal, and the quinquepartite. The equal cola are the dipody of 1 + 1 feet, the tetrapody of 2 + 2; the unequal are the tripody of 2 + 1, and the hexapody of 4 + 2; the quinquepartite is the pentapody of 3 + 2.

(ii) Equal cola must not be of greater length than sixteen “shorts”. Therefore we may have a dipody of any foot, and a tetrapody of any save those of more than four shorts in value; that is (e.g.) a dipody of cretics (–⏑–) is allowed, but not a tetrapody of that foot, which would give 5 × 4 = 20 “shorts”.

(iii) Unequal cola may have the length of eighteen “shorts”. A tripody, therefore, of any foot is allowed, but a hexapody of trochees only: a hexapody of spondees would give 4 × 6 = 24 “shorts”.

(iv) Quinquepartite cola may extend to the value of twenty-five “shorts”. Pentapodies are therefore possible of trochees, dactyls, spondees and five-time feet.