A grammar of the Homeric dialect - Wilbourhall.org

342 METRE. [370.
It has been shown, however, that the general rule of Position rests upon a
t
sound physiological basis. The insertion of a consonant may be regarded as
equivalent in respect of time to the change of a short vowel into a long one/
(Briicke, Die physiologischen Grundlagen der neuhochdeutschen Verskunst, p. 70 ;
quoted by Hartel).
370. ]
Position. The general rule is that when a short vowel
is followed by two consonants the syllable is long.
Regarding this rule it is to be observed that
(1) Exceptions are almost wholly confined to combinations of
a Mute (esp.
a tennis) with a following Liquid. But even with
these combinations the general rule is observed in the great
majority of the instances.
(2) Most of the exceptions are found with words which could
not otherwise be brought into the hexameter such as :
'A^poStrr/,
\\fjL(j)i.Tpv(Dv, ppor&v, rpdirefa, Trpoo-r^Sa, &c.
(3) The remaining exceptions are nearly all instances in which
the vowel is separated by Diaeresis from the following consonants
: as II. 1 8. 122 /cat TLVCL T/oootaScoi;, 24. 795 KOL rd ye
The chief exceptions in Homer are as follows * :
rp : in 'ApcpiTpvcav, erpdtyrjv (II. 23. 84 but see the note on 42 in the
Appendix, p. 390), Terparevithov (II. 24. 324), (papeTprjs (II. 8. 323), 'Orpwrevs
(II. 20. 383-4) and in
; d\\6rpios (unless we scan -tos, -tov, &c.).
Before rpcnrf^a, Tpicuva, rpirrj (rpirjuovTa, &c.), r pairdopey (rpatrovTo, npo-TpairtaOat,
&c.), Tpdyovs, rpoirois, rptfyti (Od. 5. 422., 13. 410), rpotpov (Od. 19. 489),
rpffiov (Od. II. 527).
Before a diaeresis, KO.I TIVO, Tpca'idSav (II. 18. 122).
irp : in d\Xoirp6aa\\os (II. 5. 831) ;
before irpocnjvSa, irpoaojirov, rrpo'i'Krrjs, ttp6oca,
and other Compounds of irpo and irpos (irpoKfifjifva, Trpoffatgas, &c.) ; also before
7iy>oy dAA^Aous, itpb aoreos, and one or two similar phrases (cp. II. 13. 799.,
17. 726).
Before Ilpm/uS^s (II.), irpiv (II.
i. 97 ovS* o 76 irpiv KT\., cp. 19. 313, Od. 14.
334., 17. 597) ; npwTOS (Od. 3. 320., 17. 275), irpoatpdaeai (Od. 23. 106).
Kp: in SaKpvoiffi (Od. 18. 173), SaftpvirXweiv (Od. 19. 122), Iveicpvifse (Od. 5. 488),
KfKpvfj.fj.tva (Od. 23. no).
Before Kpovtav, Kpovov irais, Kparaiu, Kparaits, Kpdros fttya (II. 20. 121). Kpdveia,
Kpv(pr)86v, KpaSaivu, Kpa.TtvTa.ojv, Kpfwv.
Add II. II. 697 ei'AcTO Kpivdfjievos ;
Od. 8. 92 /caret Kpa.ro. (K&K w/)ara?), 12. 99
06 T6 KpdTl.
Pp : in PpoTos and its derivatives, as dfipoTr], dfJKpifipoTos : also before fipaxtw.
8p : in dfj.(pi-5pv(pr]s (II. 2. 700), and before SpdKcuv, A.pvas, Spopovs. Also 11.
ii. 69 TO. 8e SpdynaTa (unless we read Sdpy^aTa, as Hartel suggests).
0p : in d\Xo-Opoos (Od. i. 183, &c.), and before Opovcav, &c. and Qpaatiduv.
Also in II. 5. 462 rjyrjTOpt QprjKcuv.
*
They are enumerated by La Roche, Homerische Untersuchungen, pp. 1-41,
with his usual care and completeness.