Willett Steven wrote:
> If I'm
> right, the authors of faux-quantitative verse would not be counting but
> concentrating on the position of each longum in the verse and
> contriving how to make the English syllable 'long.' In the past I have
> discussed this at some length with Derek, and remain convinced that
> those poets with a solid knowledge of the languages could not have
> confused Classical versification or its English imitation with mere
> foot-counting.
No argument here: it takes more than six feet to make a real, live
classical hexameter. The question is, how do you perceive that "more"?
Attridge's argument (developed in pt. 1 and ch. 7 of Well Weighed
Syllables) is that the elements of classical meter were perceived
visually and mathematically, as an aspect or echo of cosmic proportion.
Granted, the math we're talking about here is not calculus. A lot of it
is just counting the number of consonants after each vowel, and ignoring
the ones that don't count. Of course, if you listen to what you're
reading, your ear will eventually do the counting for you. No meter
though without some math.
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Dr. David Wilson-Okamura http://virgil.org [log in to unmask]
English Department Virgil reception, discussion, documents, &c
East Carolina University Sparsa et neglecta coegi. -- Claude Fauchet
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