Three Meters of Aristophanic Dialogue

D. The variations in comic iambic trimeter
Resolution, which means the substitution of ˘˘ where the strict scheme calls for a long syllable.
This produces the modified scheme:
× ⏕ ˘ ⏕ × ⏕ ˘ ⏕ × ⏕ ˘ ¯ ||
Note that the intelligibility principle mentioned above dictates that the last foot remain
iambic. There is one further variation, which is that an anapest (˘˘¯) may be substituted in any
foot but the last. (Tragedy allowed fewer variations: see Birds 1238-1242, in a “tragic” style.)
E. The full scheme of the comic iambic trimeter
So the full scheme is:
× ⏕ ˘ ⏕ × ⁞ ⏕ ˘ ⁞ ⏕ × ⏕ ˘ ¯ ||
˘˘ ¯ ˘˘ ¯ ˘˘ ⁞ ¯ ˘˘ ⁞ ¯ ˘˘ ¯
⁞ marks a possible caesura (see below). Note that, for each foot, you will find either one of the
possibilities allowed in the first line or an anapest. You can’t mix and match beyond that point
(i.e., a ˘˘˘˘ foot is not allowed).
F. Caesura
A caesura is a more or less regular break in the line (between words) that occurs in the middle of
a foot. In iambic trimeter, there is frequently a caesura between the two halves of the third or
fourth foot (not both: don’t be misled by the fact that both possibilities are marked above).
EXAMPLES from Birds / shows a change of speaker mid-verse
54 ᾱλλ᾽ οῑσθ᾽ ο̆ δρᾱσο̄ν; ⁞ τῳ̄ σκε̆λεῑ θε̆νε̆ τη̄ν πε̆τρᾱν. foot 5 (θε̆νε̆ τη̄ν): anap. ο̆δρ,πε̆τρ mute+liquid
55 σῠ δε̆ τῃ̄ κε̆φᾰλῃ̄ γ᾽, ῐν᾽ ῃ̄ δῐπλᾰσῐο̆ς ō ψŏφο̄ς. feet 1-2: anapest foot 4 (δῐπλᾰσῐ) resolved
σῠ δ᾽ οῡν λῐθῳ̄ κο̄ψο̄ν λᾰβω̄ν. / πᾰνῠ γ᾽, εῑ δο̆κεῑ. foot 5: anap.
παῑ παῑ. / τῐ λε̆γεῑς, οῡτο̄ς; το̆ν ε̆πο̆πᾰ παῑ κᾰλεῑς; foot 2: anap. foot 4 (το̆ν ε̆πο̆) resolved
οῡκ ᾱντῐ τοῡ παῑδο̄ς σ᾽ ε̆χρη̄ν ε̆πο̆ποῑ κᾰλεῑν; ε̆χρ mute+liquid foot 5: anap.
ε̆πο̆ποῑ. πο̆η̄σεῑς τοῑ με̆ κο̄πτεῑν αῡθῐς αῡ. foot 1: anap.
60 ε̆πο̆ποῑ. / τῐνε̆ς οῡτοῑ; ⁞ τῐς ο̆ βο̆ω̄ν το̄ν δε̄σπο̆τη̄ν; foot 1: anap. foot 3 (τοῑ; τῐς ο̆) resolved
ᾰπο̄λλο̆ν ᾰπο̆τρο̆παῑε̆, ⁞ τοῡ χᾱσμη̄μᾰτο̄ς. foot 2 (λο̆ν ᾰπο̆) resolved
οῑμοῑ τᾰλᾱς, ο̄ρνῑθο̆θη̄ρᾰ τοῡτω̆ῑ. ω̆ by correption before ι (not discussed here)
οῡτω̄ ᾽στῐ δεῑνο̆ν; ⁞ οῡδε̆ κᾱλλῐο̄ν λε̆γεῑν;
ᾰπο̆λεῑσθο̆ν. / ᾱλλ᾽ οῡκ ε̄σμε̆ν ᾱνθρω̄πω̄. / τῐ δαῑ; foot 1: anap.
65 ῠπο̆δε̆δῐω̄ς ε̆γω̄γε̆, ⁞ Λῐβῠκο̆ν ο̄ρνε̆ο̄ν. feet 1 (ῠπο̆δε̆) and 4 (γε̆, Λῐβῠ) resolved
152 ᾱλλ᾽ εῑσῐν ε̆τε̆ροῑ ⁞ τη̄ς Λο̆κρῐδο̆ς ο̆ποῡντῐοῑ, feet 2 & 4 resolved; Λο̆κρ mute+liq.; foot 5: anap.
206 ω̄ φῑλτᾰτ᾽ ο̄ρνῑθω̄ν σῠ, ⁞ μη̄ νῡν ε̄στᾰθῑ·
ᾱλλ᾽ ᾱντῐβο̆λω̄ σ᾽ ᾰγ᾽ ⁞ ω̄ς τᾰχῑστ᾽ εῑς τη̄ν λο̆χμη̄ν foot 2: anap. λο̆χμ mute+liquid
208 εῑσβαῑνε̆ κᾱνε̆γεῑρε̆ ⁞ τη̄ν ᾰη̄δο̆νᾱ.
802 γε̆λοῑο̆τε̆ρο̆ν οῡκ εῑδο̆ν ⁞ οῡδε̆πω̄πο̆τε̄ foot 2 (ο̆τε̆ρο̆) resolved
1390 καῑ πτε̆ρο̆δο̆νη̄τᾰ· ⁞ σῠ δε̆ κλῠω̄ν εῑσεῑ τᾰχᾱ feet 1 and 3 resolved δε̆ κλ mute+liquid
1391 οῡ δη̄τ’ ε̆γω̄γε̆· /⁞ νη̄ το̆ν η̄ρᾰκλε̆ᾰ σῠ γε̄. foot 5 (ρᾰκλε̆ᾰ) resolved, mute+liquid
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