[873] Greek συγκοπή, “coalescence”. But ⏗ need not fill a foot: for instance in a true dactylic system we find (Œd. Col., 1082):—
– ⏑ ⏑ – ⏑ ⏑ – – ⏗ ⏑ ⏗ ⏑ – –
αιθερι|ας νεφελ|ας κυρσ|αιμ αν|ωθ αγ|ωνων.
Analogously to ⏗ as a trochee, dactyls admit ⏘ (= ⏑⏑⏑⏑) as a foot.
– ⏑⏑ ⏘ ⏘ ⏗ ⏑ – – – ⏑ ⏑ ⏘ –
θησεα | και | τας | διστολ|ους αδμ|ητας αδ|ελφ|αςꞈ̄(Œd. Col., 1055).
[874] Before condemning this statement as a mere evasion, the student should reflect that all such poetry is written for music, which would in performance make the rhythm “come right”.
[875] λογαοιδικός, “mingled of prose and verse”.
[876] ἀνάκρουσις, “striking up”.
[877] Not all, for the first short syllable may be part of a resolved foot.
[878] The first syllable of πρυμνησίων in the second line, though long, is musically equivalent to a short. Such syllables are marked with the sign ˃, and the foot τοῑ πρυ͐μν- may be called an “accelerated spondee”. Syllables which carry a musical length different from their metrical length are named “irrational”.
[879] The existence of these cola forms (to us who have not the music written for Greek lyrics) one of the greatest obstacles to a clear and easy perception of periodic structure.