Ἡκω νεκρων κευθμω´να και σκοτου πυλας.
Ἱκτηριοις κλαδοι´σιν εξεστεμμενοι.
Ὁμου τε παιανω´ν τε και στεναγματων.
2. The sixth syllables followed by two (or more) syllables in the same word. This is only another name for the eighth (or some syllable after the eighth) syllable occurring at the end of a word; as
Οδμη βροτειων αἱ´ματων με προσγελα.
Λαμπρους δυναστας εμ´πρεποντας αιθερι.
Now this arrangement of syllables, taken by itself, gives anything rather than a hepthimimer; so that if it was at this point that our investigations terminated, little would be done towards the evolution of the rationale of the cæsura. It will appear, however, that in those cases where the circumstance of the sixth syllable being followed by two others in the same words, causes the eighth (or some syllable after the eighth) to be final, either a penthimimer cæsura, or an equivalent, will, with but few exceptions, be the result. This we may prove by taking the eighth syllable and counting back from it. What follows this syllable is immaterial: it is the number of syllables in the same word that precedes it that demands attention.
1. The eighth syllable preceded in the same word by nothing.—This is equivalent to the seventh syllable at the end of the preceding word: a state of things which, as noticed above, gives the hepthimimer cæsura.
Ανηριθμον γελα´σμα παμ|μητορ δε γη.
2. The eighth syllable preceded in the same word by one syllable.—This is equivalent to the sixth syllable at the end of the word preceding; a state of things which, as noticed above, rarely occurs. When however it does occur, one of the three conditions under which a final syllable can take an arsis must accompany it. Each of these conditions requires notice.