Alcmanic Verse - Alcmanian Strophe

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Greek Verse

Alcmanic verse is a metric line of dactylic tetrameter. It was named for the ancient Greek poet Alcman and was commonly used in early Greek verse.

          Quantitative verse Lss / Lss / Lss / Lss
          in English, accentual syllabic Suu / Suu / Suu / Suu

          Beatles' lyric from Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
          Pict ure your / self in a / boat on a / riv er with
          tang er ine / tree ees and / mar mal ade / skis ii es

The Alcmanian strophe can be found in some of Horace's work. This stanza form takes its name from the Greek meter but is associated with Latin works. It is a couplet made up of a heroic or dactylic hexameter followed by a dactylic tetrameter with a posteriore which is actually a 4 foot line made up of 3 dactyls followed by a spondee in the 4th foot. (Italian "a posteriore" rear, indicating the last metric foot changes)

         Suu / Suu / Suu / Suu / Suu / SS
         Suu / Suu / Suu / SS

         From Horace's Epode (even if you can't read Latin you may be able to hear the meter.)

         Quid tibi vis, mulier nigris dignissima barris?
         munera quid mihi quidve tabellas