FIRST STEPS IN LATIN SCANSION

QUANTITY, METER AND SCANSION

I. QUANTITY

In order to read Latin Verse with due regard to the meter it is necessary to know the quantity, i.e., the length of, at least, some of the syllables. Each syllable in a word

must contain either: -- 1) A single vowel (a, e, i, o, u, y); or, 2) a diphthong (æ, œ, au, ai, eu, and ui), i.e., two vowels forming one sound.

A single vowel is either long or short.

A diphthong is always long. (With rare exceptions.)

A short vowel is marked thus: -- regĕre.

A long vowel or a diphthong is marked thus: --ǣstās. [N. B. – i = j, as in iam, iungō, etc., is a consonant.]

A. POSITION The quantity of a vowel may sometimes (not always) be known by its position thus: --

Rule 1. – A vowel before two consonants or x is long. (x is considered a double consonant; so is z, which is borrowed from the Greek alphabet.) Examples

– ēst, amānt, prōpter, rēxit, ādiuvō. Exceptions to Rule 1: Mute followed by a Liquid: -- A vowel that is naturally short becomes doubtful when it stands before a mute consonant (b, c, d, f, g, p,

and t) followed by a mute consonant, either l or r. Thus in pater, the a is naturally short, but in patrem the a may be long or short as required by the meter.

– – – ˘ ˘ – || – – – – ˘ ˘ – x

Nat(um) an|t(e) ora pa|tris pat|rem qu(i) ob|truncat ad | aras

Rule 2. – A diphthong is long. Example: -- prǣter. [N.B. – Each vowel must be separately sounded; if they combine in one sound they form a diphthong.]

Rule 3. -- A vowel before another vowel or h in the same word is short. Examples: -- capĭo, mĕus, trăho.

Note to Rules 2 & 3. – Qu; the u which always follows q must be disregarded. It is not sounded separately nor does it combine with the

following vowel to form a diphthong – thus quod is one syllable. The same is often the case with a u following g or s – thus sanguis,

suades, pinguis, where the u is sounded like a w.

B. WORDS IN COMBINATION (CONSONANT + CONSONANT)

Note to Rule 1. --- A Final syllable ending in a consonant is long when the next word begins with a consonant (except h) as the vowel then stands before two consonants. Thus in – monĕt, the e is naturally short; monĕt illum and monĕt hos, the e remains short; and, monēt nos, the e

becomes long.

C. WORDS IN COMBINATION (VOWEL + VOWEL; ELISION) Note to Rules 1-3. --- A Final syllable ending in a vowel or diphthong or m is elided (i.e. cut off) when the next word begins with a vowel or h.

Thus – arm(a) amens; scir(e) aliquid; div(um) incedo; terr(am) inter; laud(em) hanc; hinc atqu(e) hinc; convuls(ae) undis;

cert(ae) occumbere. II. HEXAMETER

A Hexameter line consists of six divisions or feet.

Each foot in the Hexameter contains two or three syllables (Dactyls and Spondees).

Each three-syllable foot contains one long and two short syllables. This is called a Dactyl, and is marked thus – ˘ ˘.

Each two-syllable foot contains two long syllables. This is called a Spondee, and is marked thus – – .

III. SCANSION

The division of a line into feet and the marking of the quantities is called Scanning or Scansion. In order to scan a Hexameter-- 1. Mark off the last five syllables to form the 5th and 6th feet thus:-- | – ˘ ˘ | – x. (The 5th foot is almost always a dactyl. When it isn't, that fact will be

pointed out or it will be obvious. Also, the 6th foot is either a Spondee or Trochee. Since it doesn't matter for the purposes of meter which one it

is, it may be marked with an x, which signifies that the syllable is either long or short.) 2. Mark the first syllable in the line long.

3. Then mark any of the remaining syllables known by Rules 1, 2 and 3 and Notes.

4. The quantity of the syllables still unknown can generally be ascertained by a little consideration, thus:-- As each of the first four feet of the line must be either a Dactyl –– ˘ ˘ or a Spondee – –, it is plain that:--

Observation i. Each foot must begin with a long syllable.

Observation ii. A short syllable cannot stand alone; therefore (a) a single syllable standing between two syllables known to be long must be long; (b) If one syllable is known to be short, the syllable either directly before or after must be short. Thus in the word concedunt, the first and last syllables are

long by Rule 1, therefore the middle syllable containing the vowel e must be long by Obs. ii (a). And in capient, the e is long by Rule 1 and the i

is short by Rule 3, therefore the a is short by Obs. ii. (b).

RULES FOR FINAL SYLLABLES

1. Vowels (These are only the most common examples. For complete lists refer to a Latin Grammar.) 2. Consonants

A final = short except Abl., Imperat. and most indeclinable words. AS final = long. E " = short " Abl. of 5th Decl. and Adverbs formed from ES " = long except Nom. Sing. of miles, obses, and similar

Adjectives (except bene and male). words.

I " = long " nisi, quasi. N.B. mihi, tibi, sibi, ubi, ibi can IS " = short " Dat. and Abl. Plural. be long or short. OS " = long.

O " = long " ego, modo, duo, scio, nescio, and a few others. US " = short " Gen. Sing and Nom. Voc. Acc. Pl. of 4th

U " = long. Decl. and Nom. Sing of Fem. words of the 3rd Decl. as virtus.

Words ending in a single consonant other than s are generally short.

In verbs, the terminations -at, -et, -it, -mus, -mur, are naturally short. -que = "and" is short.

With the aid of the above table and the preceding rules nearly any line can be scanned. Observe that the case of Nouns and Adjectives can often be determined by the scansion especially words ending in -a.