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thaumasiotes • yesterday at 7:36 AM • 1 reply • view on HN

I was bothered by the fact that the English poem doesn't scan correctly.

This prompted me to look up the ode, and I can't figure out the Latin meter. Does anyone know?

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext...

Replies

amelung • yesterday at 12:19 PM

Metrum Alcaicum:

  dul.cet.de.co:.rest.|pro:.pa.tri.a:.mo.ri:
  mor.set.fu.ga:.cem.|per.se.qui.tur.vi.rum
  nec.par.ci.tin.bel.li:s.iu.ven.tae
  po:pli.ti.bus.ti.mi.do:.que.ter.go
(Not sure about the first syllable of "poplitibus": muta cum liquida and long "o"?)

Reading it like in school (with qualitative stress marking the quantitative meter), that would be:

  dulcét decórest | pró patriá morí
  morsét fugácem | pérsequitúr virúm
  nec párcit ínbellís iuvéntae
  póplitibús timidóque térgo.
Thanks for the link!
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