bibī,-fidīdedī,scidīstetī,stitītulī,-tudī,per-culī.2436.(b.) Ten perfect participles have the penult short (918; see also919):citus,datusitum,ratus-rutus,satussitus,statuslitus,quitus.Final Syllables.(1.) Ending in a Vowel.2437.In words of more than one syllable, finalaandeare short; finalo,u, andi, are long: as,(a.) N.aquila; Pl. N. and Ac.oppida,cētera,omnia.(b.) N.ille; N. and Ac.rēte;impūne(701); V.bone; Ab.tempore; Inf.prōmere; Imperat.rege(826); Pres. Ind. and Imperat.querere; Perf.rēxēre.(c.) N.sermō; D. and Ab.verbō;vērō(704).iō.regō,erō,amābō,rēxerō(826);estō.(d.) N. and Ac.cornū(587); D. and Ab.metū(590, 425,593);diū.(e.) G.frūmentī; V.Vergilī(459); G.domī(594); D.nūllī,orbī; Ab.sitī(554). Imperat.vestī(845). Inf.querī,locārī; Ind. Perf.rēxī(856),rēxistī.Exceptions ina.2438.(a.) Finalais long in the ablative, in indeclinable words, and in the imperative: as,(a.) Ab.mēnsā(426).(b.)quadrāgintā; many indeclinable words are ablatives: as,contrā,iūxtā, (707). The indeclinableheia,ita, andquia(701), have shorta.(c.) Imperat.locā(845). Butputa,for instance, has shorta(130, 4).2439.(b.) Finalais long in some Greek nominatives and vocatives: as, N.Ēlectrā; V.Aenēā,Pallā.Exceptions ine.2440.(a.) Finaleis long in cases of nouns with stems in-ē-(596), in adverbs from stems in-o-, and in the imperative singular active of verbs in-ēre: as,(a.)diē(G., D., or Ab.),hodiē,prīdiē; see also603.(b.)altē(705); alsoferē,fermēandohēorōhē; buteis always short inbeneandmale;īnferneandsuperne.(c.)docē(845); forcave, see130, 4.2441.(b.) Finaleis long in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N.crambē,Circē; V.Alcīdē; Ne. Pl. N. and Ac.cētē,melē,pelagē,tempē.Exceptions ino.2442.(a.) Finalois short in the nominativesego,duo. It is sometimes shortened inhomo(130, 3) and in the nominative of other stems in-n-(484,485): as,mentio,Nāso,virgo.ois regularly short inendo, in the ablativescitoandmodo, used as adverbs, and in many other words in late poetry: as,īlico,immo,ergo,quando,octo, &c.; very rarely in the ablative of the gerund.2443.(b.) Before Ovid,oof the present indicative is regularly long. It is shortened only in the following words (130, 3): involo, six times (Cat., 4 times; Hor., Prop.).scio, twice (Verg.).nescio, six times (Verg., twice; Hor., twice; Tib., Prop.);and once each ineoandveto(Hor.),dēsino(Tib.), andfindo(Prop.). From Ovid on, shortois not uncommon.Shortoin other forms of the verb is rare: as,dīxero(Hor.);esto,ero,dabo(Ov.); butois always short in the imperativecedo,give,tell.Exceptions inu.2444.Finaluis short ininduandnoenu.Exceptions ini.2445.(a.) Finaliis short innisi,quasi, andsīcuti; also in the endings of some Greek nouns: as N. and Ac.sināpi; V.Pari,Amarylli; D.Paridi,Minōidi; Pl. D.Trōasi.2446.(b.) Finaliis common inmihī̆,tibī̆,sibī̆;ibī̆,ubī̆(129, 2).(2.) Ending in a Single Consonant nots.2447.A final syllable ending in a single consonant notshas its vowel short: as,dōnec.illud.animal(536);semel.agmen.calcar(537);soror,stultior(132).moror,loquar,fatēbor(132);regitur,regimur,reguntur.regit(826);amat,sciat,pōnēbat;tinnit,possit;iacet,neget,esset(132).Exceptions.2448.(a.) The last vowel is long inallēc, and in compounds ofpār; in the contracted genitive plural of stems in-u-: ascurrūm; in all cases ofillicandisticexcept the nominative masculine, in the adverbsillūcandistūc, and sometimes innihī̆l. Also in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N.āēr,aethēr,sīrēn; Ac.Aenēān.2449.(b.) In the short form of the genitive plural of stems in-o-and-ā-, the vowel was originally long, but afterwards short: as,dīvŏ̄m(462),caelicolū̆m(439).2450.(c.) The last vowel is long iniītandpetiītand their compounds.(3.) Ending ins.2451.Final syllables inisandushave the vowel short; those inas,es, andos, have the vowel long: as,(a.) N.lapis,fīnis; G.lapidis,fīnis;magis. Indic. Pres.regis(826); Fut.eris(851,826),eritis,locābis(853,826),locābitis.(b.) N.dominus;currus; N. and Ac.tempus;prius;rēgibus;īmus;regimus.(c.)aetās; Pl. Ac.mēnsās(424). Indic. Pres.locās(840); Imp.erās(848);regēbās(847); Plup.rēxerās(880); Subj. Pres.regās,vestiās,doceās(842).(d.) N.hērēs;sēdēs;nūbēs;Cerēs;fidēs; Pl. N. and Ac.rēgēs(424); Indic. Pres.docēs(840); Fut.regēs(852); Subj. Pres.siēs(841);locēs(843); Imp.essēs(850);regerēs(849); Plup.rēxissēs(881).(e.) N.custōs;arbōs; Pl. Ac.ventōs(424).Exceptions inis.2452.(a.) Finalishasīin all plural cases: as,N. and Ac.omnīs; D. and Ab.viīs,locīs(108,a),vōbīs. Also in the nominatives singularQuirīsandSamnīs, usually insanguī̆s(486), and twice inpulvī̆s.2453.(b.) Finalishasīin the second person singular of verbs in-īre, inmāvīs, in compounds ofsīs, and in all present subjunctives singular: as,duīs,edīs,velīs,mālīs,nōlīs. For-rī̆sof the perfect subjunctive and the future perfect, see877,878,883,884.Exceptions inus.2454.uis long in the nominative singular of consonant stems withūbefore the final stem consonant: as,tellūs, stemtellūr-;palūs, oncepalus(Hor.), stempalūd-; in the genitive singular and nominative and accusative plural of nouns with stems in-u-: as,frūctūs; and in the ending of some Greek names: as, N.Panthūs; G.Sapphūs.Exceptions inas.2455.Finalashas shortainanasand in the ending of some Greek nouns: as, N.Īlias; Pl. Ac.cratēras.Exceptions ines.2456.Finaleshas shortein the nominative singular of stems in-d-and-t-which have the genitive in-idis,-itis, and-etis(475,476): as,praeses,teges,comes(butēinabiēs,ariēs, andpariēs), also, inpenes, in compounds ofes,thou art, and in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N.Cynosarges; Pl. N.Arcades,cratēres.Exceptions inos.2457.Finaloshas shortoin the nominative of stems in-o-: as,servos,suos,Dēlos; also incompos,impos, andexos; and in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N. and Ac.epos; G.chlamydos,Erīnyos.Position.2458.For the general rule of position, see177,178; but, except in the thesis of a foot, a final syllable ending with a short vowel generally remains short before a word beginning with two consonants or a double consonant: as,molliă strāta,nemorōsă Zacȳnthos,lūcĕ smaragdī.In Horace such a final syllable is never lengthened before a word beginning with two consonants.Hidden Quantity.2459.A vowel which stands before two consonants, or a double consonant, belonging to the same word, so that its natural quantity cannot be determined from the scansion of the word, is said to possessHidden Quantity.2460.The natural quantity of such a vowel may sometimes be ascertained: (a.) from the statements of ancient writers; (b.) from the way in which the vowel is written in Latin inscriptions (see24, 29); (c.) from the transliteration of the word into other languages, especially Greek; (d.) from the etymology of the word, or from a comparison of it with kindred words in other Indo-European languages; (e.) from comparison with derived words in the Romance languages. But all these kinds of evidence must be used with great caution.2461.For the length of a vowel beforens,nf, and certain other groups of consonants, see122.2462.In inceptive verbs (834) the ending-scōis thought to be always preceded by a long vowel: as,crēscō,nāscor,proficīscor.2463.In the perfect indicative active, perfect participle passive and kindred formations of verbs in-gōpreceded by a short vowel, asagō,regō, the theme syllable shows a long vowel: as,lēxī,rēxī,tēxī;āctus,lēctus;rēctor;āctitō.(B.) Some Peculiarities of Quantity in Old Latin.2464.For the preservation of a long vowel in certain specific endings in old Latin, see132.2465.Final-ālis sometimes preserved long in the nominative singular: as,bacchānāl(Plaut.); also the syllable-esin the nominative singular of stems in-t-which have the genitive in-itis(477): asmīlēs(Plaut.) 171, 1.2466.Hic,illicandistic, when adverbs, have a long final syllable; but when nominative singular masculine, have the final syllable regularly short.2467.In Plautusfrūstrāalways where determinable (seven times) has the final syllable short.contrāsometimes has a short final syllable in old Latin.2468.In Latin poetry down to the time of Cicero, finalsoften does not “make position” before a following consonant (66); as,tempŭs fert(Plaut.);magĭs stetisse(Ter.).2469.The first syllable ofille,illic(the pronoun),quippe,immō,inde,unde,nempe,omnis, and perhapsiste, is sometimes shortened.Inille,illic,quippe, andimmōthe shortening is, some hold, due to the fact that in common speech one of the double consonants was often pronounced faintly or not at all; while ininde,unde,nempe, andomnisthe nasal was very faintly sounded before the following consonant. But some authorities hold that always innempe, and sometimes inille,quippe,inde,unde, and perhapsiste, before an initial consonant finaledisappears, and the word becomes a monosyllable.Law of Iambic Shortening.2470.A long syllable, preceded by a short monosyllable or by a short initial syllable, and immediately preceded or followed by the verse-ictus, may be shortened: as,ét hŭnc,dómŏ mē,ad ŭxṓrem,volŭntā́te.The short monosyllable may be a word which has become monosyllabic by elision: as,ég(o) hănc.2471.If the syllable to be shortened is the first of a word of more than one syllable, or the second of a polysyllable, it must be one which is long by position, not by nature. There are some possible exceptions to this rule, such asverĕbā́minī(T.Ph.902); but these are few and doubtful.2472.Iambic shortening took place not only in verse, but also to a considerable extent in common speech, particularly in iambic words (see130), in which the accent coöperated with the verse-ictus to produce the shortening.II. FIGURES OF PROSODY.Hiatus.2473.For hiatus within a word, and the means by which it is avoided, see114-120.2474.Hiatus between two words is much more common in old Latin than in writers of the classical period. The precise extent to which it is allowed by the early dramatists is matter of dispute. The following cases may be mentioned in which the Latin poets admit hiatus:2475.(1.) After interjections: as,hahahae homo, T.Ph.411;ō et praesidium, H. 1, 1, 2.2476.(2.) After proper names, and words of Greek origin: as,ancillam ferre Venerī aut Cupīdinī, Pl.As.804;Thrēiciō Aquilōne, H.Epod.13, 3.2477.(3.) In the principal caesura of a verse. So especially in Plautus and Terence after the fourth foot of the iambic septenarius, and in Plautus in the principal break in the iambic octonarius, trochaic septenarius and trochaic octonarius.2478.(4.) Often in the dramatists where there is a change of speakers: as,quī potuit vidēre? :: oculīs :: quō pactō? :: hiantibus, Pl.Merc.182.2479.(5.) Probably sometimes in cases of repetition, enumeration, or sharp antithesis, and where there is an important pause in the sense: as,eam volt meretrīcem facere: ea mē dēperit, Pl.Cur.46;sī pereō, hominum manibus periisse iuvābit, V. 3, 606.2480.Vergil sometimes admits hiatus when the final syllable ending in a vowel is preceded or followed (or both) by two short syllables: as,lāmentīs gemitūque et fēmĭnĕō ŭlŭlātū, V. 4, 667.Elision.2481.For elision within a word, see119.2482.In verse a final vowel is generally elided before a vowel orh: as,quidve moror, s(ī) omnīs ūn(ō) ōrdin(e) habētis Achīvōs, V. 2, 102. Such a vowel was probably faintly sounded, not dropped altogether.2483.Elision is frequent in most of the early poets; but writers of the Augustan and succeeding ages regarded it with increasing disfavour. The elision of a long vowel before a short was in general avoided; but there are numerous exceptions.2484.Monosyllabic interjections do not suffer elision.2485.Monosyllables ending in a diphthong seldom suffer elision before a short vowel.2486.Diphthongs arising from Synizesis (2499) are sometimes elided in early Latin verse, but not in verse of the classical period.2487.The monosyllablesquī(plural),dō,stō,rē,spē, are thought never to suffer elision before a short vowel.2488.The dactylic poets very rarely elide the final syllable of an iambic (⏑ –) or Cretic (– ⏑ –) word before a short vowel.2489.Elision seldom occurs if the syllable to be elided is immediately preceded by a vowel: as inde(am) et.2490.The final syllable of a Greek word is rarely elided.2491.Elision is more common toward the beginning of a verse than toward the end.2492.Elision rarely occurs in the first syllable or last syllable of a verse; but see under Synapheia (2510), and for the elision of the enclitic-queor-veat the end of a dactylic hexameter, see2568.2493.Ecthlipsis(Gr.ἔκθλιψις,a squeezing out). Finalmand a preceding short vowel are usually elided before a vowel orh: as,mōnstr(um) horrend(um) īnform(e) ingēns, cui lūmen ademptum,V. 3, 658.In such cases the ending was probably not cut off altogether, but was given a faint nasal sound.2494.Sometimes a monosyllable ending in a short vowel andmis not elided before a vowel: asquắm ego(Ter.);súnt cŭm odōre(Lucr.).Such unelided monosyllables are most frequent in the early dramatists, and in them usually fall under the verse-ictus. See61.2495.The monosyllablesdem,stem,rem,spem,sim, are thought never to be elided before a short vowel.2496.After a word ending with a vowel,-m, or-us, the verbestoften loses itse: as,bonast,bonumst,bonust,vīsust. So, too,essometimes loses its vowel: ashomo’s,adeptus’. This usage reflects the actual pronunciation of common speech.2497.Semi-hiatus or Semi-elision.A long final vowel is sometimes shortened before a vowel. This may occur either in the arsis (2520), or in a resolved thesis: as,án quĭ amant(Verg.);léctulŏ ērudītulī(Cat.);nam quĭ́ aget(Ter.).This kind of shortening is not frequent except in the early dramatists, who often shorten under the verse-ictus a monosyllable ending in a long vowel and followed by an initial vowel (as in the third example above).2498.Synaloepha(Greekσυναλοιφή,a smearing together) is a general term used to denote the means of avoiding hiatus. It includes elision and synizesis, though some grammarians use it in the same sense as synizesis.2499.Synizesis(Greekσυνίζεσις,a settling together). Two vowels (or a vowel and a diphthong) which belong to different syllables sometimes coalesce so as to form one syllable. This is calledSynizesis, and is especially common in the early dramatists. Examples are:me͡o,e͡adem,cu͡ius,aure͡i. See117.Some grammarians would include under Synizesis only cases in which a short vowel is subordinated to a following long; astu͡o.2500.The termSynaeresis(Greekσυναίρεσις,a taking together) is sometimes used as a synonym for Synizesis. The ancient grammarians, however, used it in the sense of Contraction (118).2501.Dialysis(Greekδιάλυσις,a breaking up). Conversely, two vowels which usually form a diphthong are sometimes separated so as to form two syllables: ascoëpī(Lucr.) forcoepī.This, however, is really the survival of the original forms (120).2502.The nameDiaeresis(Greekδιαίρεσις,a separating) is sometimes used as a synonym for Dialysis; but it is better to restrict it to the meaning defined in 2542.2503.Hardening.A vocalicioruis sometimes made consonantal before another vowel: as,abi͡ete,ari͡ete(Verg.);cōnsili͡um(Hor.);omni͡a(Lucr.). See117and83.This usage is sometimes included under Synizesis (2499), while some grammarians term it Synaeresis (2500).2504.Softening.Conversely, a consonantaliorusometimes becomes vocalized before a vowel, thus giving an additional syllable: as,silüaeforsilvae(Hor.);ēvolüisseforēvolvisse(Ov.). See52.This usage is sometimes included under the name Dialysis (2501).2505.Diastolé(Greekδιαστολή,a drawing asunder). A syllable which in verse of the classical period is generally short is sometimes used as long for metrical convenience. The syllable so employed generally falls under the verse-ictus, and in most cases is immediately followed by the principal caesura, or by a pause in the sense. Examples are:
bibī,-fidīdedī,scidīstetī,stitītulī,-tudī,per-culī.
bibī,-fidī
dedī,scidī
stetī,stitī
tulī,-tudī,per-culī.
2436.(b.) Ten perfect participles have the penult short (918; see also919):
citus,datusitum,ratus-rutus,satussitus,statuslitus,quitus.
citus,datus
itum,ratus
-rutus,satus
situs,status
litus,quitus.
Final Syllables.
(1.) Ending in a Vowel.
2437.In words of more than one syllable, finalaandeare short; finalo,u, andi, are long: as,
(a.) N.aquila; Pl. N. and Ac.oppida,cētera,omnia.
(b.) N.ille; N. and Ac.rēte;impūne(701); V.bone; Ab.tempore; Inf.prōmere; Imperat.rege(826); Pres. Ind. and Imperat.querere; Perf.rēxēre.
(c.) N.sermō; D. and Ab.verbō;vērō(704).iō.regō,erō,amābō,rēxerō(826);estō.
(d.) N. and Ac.cornū(587); D. and Ab.metū(590, 425,593);diū.
(e.) G.frūmentī; V.Vergilī(459); G.domī(594); D.nūllī,orbī; Ab.sitī(554). Imperat.vestī(845). Inf.querī,locārī; Ind. Perf.rēxī(856),rēxistī.
Exceptions ina.
2438.(a.) Finalais long in the ablative, in indeclinable words, and in the imperative: as,
(a.) Ab.mēnsā(426).
(b.)quadrāgintā; many indeclinable words are ablatives: as,contrā,iūxtā, (707). The indeclinableheia,ita, andquia(701), have shorta.
(c.) Imperat.locā(845). Butputa,for instance, has shorta(130, 4).
2439.(b.) Finalais long in some Greek nominatives and vocatives: as, N.Ēlectrā; V.Aenēā,Pallā.
Exceptions ine.
2440.(a.) Finaleis long in cases of nouns with stems in-ē-(596), in adverbs from stems in-o-, and in the imperative singular active of verbs in-ēre: as,
(a.)diē(G., D., or Ab.),hodiē,prīdiē; see also603.
(b.)altē(705); alsoferē,fermēandohēorōhē; buteis always short inbeneandmale;īnferneandsuperne.
(c.)docē(845); forcave, see130, 4.
2441.(b.) Finaleis long in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N.crambē,Circē; V.Alcīdē; Ne. Pl. N. and Ac.cētē,melē,pelagē,tempē.
Exceptions ino.
2442.(a.) Finalois short in the nominativesego,duo. It is sometimes shortened inhomo(130, 3) and in the nominative of other stems in-n-(484,485): as,mentio,Nāso,virgo.ois regularly short inendo, in the ablativescitoandmodo, used as adverbs, and in many other words in late poetry: as,īlico,immo,ergo,quando,octo, &c.; very rarely in the ablative of the gerund.
2443.(b.) Before Ovid,oof the present indicative is regularly long. It is shortened only in the following words (130, 3): in
volo, six times (Cat., 4 times; Hor., Prop.).
scio, twice (Verg.).
nescio, six times (Verg., twice; Hor., twice; Tib., Prop.);
and once each ineoandveto(Hor.),dēsino(Tib.), andfindo(Prop.). From Ovid on, shortois not uncommon.
Shortoin other forms of the verb is rare: as,dīxero(Hor.);esto,ero,dabo(Ov.); butois always short in the imperativecedo,give,tell.
Exceptions inu.
2444.Finaluis short ininduandnoenu.
Exceptions ini.
2445.(a.) Finaliis short innisi,quasi, andsīcuti; also in the endings of some Greek nouns: as N. and Ac.sināpi; V.Pari,Amarylli; D.Paridi,Minōidi; Pl. D.Trōasi.
2446.(b.) Finaliis common inmihī̆,tibī̆,sibī̆;ibī̆,ubī̆(129, 2).
(2.) Ending in a Single Consonant nots.
2447.A final syllable ending in a single consonant notshas its vowel short: as,
dōnec.illud.animal(536);semel.agmen.calcar(537);soror,stultior(132).moror,loquar,fatēbor(132);regitur,regimur,reguntur.regit(826);amat,sciat,pōnēbat;tinnit,possit;iacet,neget,esset(132).
Exceptions.
2448.(a.) The last vowel is long inallēc, and in compounds ofpār; in the contracted genitive plural of stems in-u-: ascurrūm; in all cases ofillicandisticexcept the nominative masculine, in the adverbsillūcandistūc, and sometimes innihī̆l. Also in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N.āēr,aethēr,sīrēn; Ac.Aenēān.
2449.(b.) In the short form of the genitive plural of stems in-o-and-ā-, the vowel was originally long, but afterwards short: as,dīvŏ̄m(462),caelicolū̆m(439).
2450.(c.) The last vowel is long iniītandpetiītand their compounds.
(3.) Ending ins.
2451.Final syllables inisandushave the vowel short; those inas,es, andos, have the vowel long: as,
(a.) N.lapis,fīnis; G.lapidis,fīnis;magis. Indic. Pres.regis(826); Fut.eris(851,826),eritis,locābis(853,826),locābitis.
(b.) N.dominus;currus; N. and Ac.tempus;prius;rēgibus;īmus;regimus.
(c.)aetās; Pl. Ac.mēnsās(424). Indic. Pres.locās(840); Imp.erās(848);regēbās(847); Plup.rēxerās(880); Subj. Pres.regās,vestiās,doceās(842).
(d.) N.hērēs;sēdēs;nūbēs;Cerēs;fidēs; Pl. N. and Ac.rēgēs(424); Indic. Pres.docēs(840); Fut.regēs(852); Subj. Pres.siēs(841);locēs(843); Imp.essēs(850);regerēs(849); Plup.rēxissēs(881).
(e.) N.custōs;arbōs; Pl. Ac.ventōs(424).
Exceptions inis.
2452.(a.) Finalishasīin all plural cases: as,
N. and Ac.omnīs; D. and Ab.viīs,locīs(108,a),vōbīs. Also in the nominatives singularQuirīsandSamnīs, usually insanguī̆s(486), and twice inpulvī̆s.
2453.(b.) Finalishasīin the second person singular of verbs in-īre, inmāvīs, in compounds ofsīs, and in all present subjunctives singular: as,duīs,edīs,velīs,mālīs,nōlīs. For-rī̆sof the perfect subjunctive and the future perfect, see877,878,883,884.
Exceptions inus.
2454.uis long in the nominative singular of consonant stems withūbefore the final stem consonant: as,tellūs, stemtellūr-;palūs, oncepalus(Hor.), stempalūd-; in the genitive singular and nominative and accusative plural of nouns with stems in-u-: as,frūctūs; and in the ending of some Greek names: as, N.Panthūs; G.Sapphūs.
Exceptions inas.
2455.Finalashas shortainanasand in the ending of some Greek nouns: as, N.Īlias; Pl. Ac.cratēras.
Exceptions ines.
2456.Finaleshas shortein the nominative singular of stems in-d-and-t-which have the genitive in-idis,-itis, and-etis(475,476): as,praeses,teges,comes(butēinabiēs,ariēs, andpariēs), also, inpenes, in compounds ofes,thou art, and in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N.Cynosarges; Pl. N.Arcades,cratēres.
Exceptions inos.
2457.Finaloshas shortoin the nominative of stems in-o-: as,servos,suos,Dēlos; also incompos,impos, andexos; and in the endings of some Greek nouns: as, N. and Ac.epos; G.chlamydos,Erīnyos.
2458.For the general rule of position, see177,178; but, except in the thesis of a foot, a final syllable ending with a short vowel generally remains short before a word beginning with two consonants or a double consonant: as,molliă strāta,nemorōsă Zacȳnthos,lūcĕ smaragdī.
In Horace such a final syllable is never lengthened before a word beginning with two consonants.
2459.A vowel which stands before two consonants, or a double consonant, belonging to the same word, so that its natural quantity cannot be determined from the scansion of the word, is said to possessHidden Quantity.
2460.The natural quantity of such a vowel may sometimes be ascertained: (a.) from the statements of ancient writers; (b.) from the way in which the vowel is written in Latin inscriptions (see24, 29); (c.) from the transliteration of the word into other languages, especially Greek; (d.) from the etymology of the word, or from a comparison of it with kindred words in other Indo-European languages; (e.) from comparison with derived words in the Romance languages. But all these kinds of evidence must be used with great caution.
2461.For the length of a vowel beforens,nf, and certain other groups of consonants, see122.
2462.In inceptive verbs (834) the ending-scōis thought to be always preceded by a long vowel: as,crēscō,nāscor,proficīscor.
2463.In the perfect indicative active, perfect participle passive and kindred formations of verbs in-gōpreceded by a short vowel, asagō,regō, the theme syllable shows a long vowel: as,lēxī,rēxī,tēxī;āctus,lēctus;rēctor;āctitō.
2464.For the preservation of a long vowel in certain specific endings in old Latin, see132.
2465.Final-ālis sometimes preserved long in the nominative singular: as,bacchānāl(Plaut.); also the syllable-esin the nominative singular of stems in-t-which have the genitive in-itis(477): asmīlēs(Plaut.) 171, 1.
2466.Hic,illicandistic, when adverbs, have a long final syllable; but when nominative singular masculine, have the final syllable regularly short.
2467.In Plautusfrūstrāalways where determinable (seven times) has the final syllable short.contrāsometimes has a short final syllable in old Latin.
2468.In Latin poetry down to the time of Cicero, finalsoften does not “make position” before a following consonant (66); as,tempŭs fert(Plaut.);magĭs stetisse(Ter.).
2469.The first syllable ofille,illic(the pronoun),quippe,immō,inde,unde,nempe,omnis, and perhapsiste, is sometimes shortened.
Inille,illic,quippe, andimmōthe shortening is, some hold, due to the fact that in common speech one of the double consonants was often pronounced faintly or not at all; while ininde,unde,nempe, andomnisthe nasal was very faintly sounded before the following consonant. But some authorities hold that always innempe, and sometimes inille,quippe,inde,unde, and perhapsiste, before an initial consonant finaledisappears, and the word becomes a monosyllable.
2470.A long syllable, preceded by a short monosyllable or by a short initial syllable, and immediately preceded or followed by the verse-ictus, may be shortened: as,ét hŭnc,dómŏ mē,ad ŭxṓrem,volŭntā́te.
The short monosyllable may be a word which has become monosyllabic by elision: as,ég(o) hănc.
2471.If the syllable to be shortened is the first of a word of more than one syllable, or the second of a polysyllable, it must be one which is long by position, not by nature. There are some possible exceptions to this rule, such asverĕbā́minī(T.Ph.902); but these are few and doubtful.
2472.Iambic shortening took place not only in verse, but also to a considerable extent in common speech, particularly in iambic words (see130), in which the accent coöperated with the verse-ictus to produce the shortening.
2473.For hiatus within a word, and the means by which it is avoided, see114-120.
2474.Hiatus between two words is much more common in old Latin than in writers of the classical period. The precise extent to which it is allowed by the early dramatists is matter of dispute. The following cases may be mentioned in which the Latin poets admit hiatus:
2475.(1.) After interjections: as,hahahae homo, T.Ph.411;ō et praesidium, H. 1, 1, 2.
2476.(2.) After proper names, and words of Greek origin: as,ancillam ferre Venerī aut Cupīdinī, Pl.As.804;Thrēiciō Aquilōne, H.Epod.13, 3.
2477.(3.) In the principal caesura of a verse. So especially in Plautus and Terence after the fourth foot of the iambic septenarius, and in Plautus in the principal break in the iambic octonarius, trochaic septenarius and trochaic octonarius.
2478.(4.) Often in the dramatists where there is a change of speakers: as,quī potuit vidēre? :: oculīs :: quō pactō? :: hiantibus, Pl.Merc.182.
2479.(5.) Probably sometimes in cases of repetition, enumeration, or sharp antithesis, and where there is an important pause in the sense: as,eam volt meretrīcem facere: ea mē dēperit, Pl.Cur.46;sī pereō, hominum manibus periisse iuvābit, V. 3, 606.
2480.Vergil sometimes admits hiatus when the final syllable ending in a vowel is preceded or followed (or both) by two short syllables: as,lāmentīs gemitūque et fēmĭnĕō ŭlŭlātū, V. 4, 667.
2481.For elision within a word, see119.
2482.In verse a final vowel is generally elided before a vowel orh: as,
quidve moror, s(ī) omnīs ūn(ō) ōrdin(e) habētis Achīvōs, V. 2, 102. Such a vowel was probably faintly sounded, not dropped altogether.
2483.Elision is frequent in most of the early poets; but writers of the Augustan and succeeding ages regarded it with increasing disfavour. The elision of a long vowel before a short was in general avoided; but there are numerous exceptions.
2484.Monosyllabic interjections do not suffer elision.
2485.Monosyllables ending in a diphthong seldom suffer elision before a short vowel.
2486.Diphthongs arising from Synizesis (2499) are sometimes elided in early Latin verse, but not in verse of the classical period.
2487.The monosyllablesquī(plural),dō,stō,rē,spē, are thought never to suffer elision before a short vowel.
2488.The dactylic poets very rarely elide the final syllable of an iambic (⏑ –) or Cretic (– ⏑ –) word before a short vowel.
2489.Elision seldom occurs if the syllable to be elided is immediately preceded by a vowel: as inde(am) et.
2490.The final syllable of a Greek word is rarely elided.
2491.Elision is more common toward the beginning of a verse than toward the end.
2492.Elision rarely occurs in the first syllable or last syllable of a verse; but see under Synapheia (2510), and for the elision of the enclitic-queor-veat the end of a dactylic hexameter, see2568.
2493.Ecthlipsis(Gr.ἔκθλιψις,a squeezing out). Finalmand a preceding short vowel are usually elided before a vowel orh: as,
mōnstr(um) horrend(um) īnform(e) ingēns, cui lūmen ademptum,V. 3, 658.
mōnstr(um) horrend(um) īnform(e) ingēns, cui lūmen ademptum,V. 3, 658.
In such cases the ending was probably not cut off altogether, but was given a faint nasal sound.
2494.Sometimes a monosyllable ending in a short vowel andmis not elided before a vowel: asquắm ego(Ter.);súnt cŭm odōre(Lucr.).
Such unelided monosyllables are most frequent in the early dramatists, and in them usually fall under the verse-ictus. See61.
2495.The monosyllablesdem,stem,rem,spem,sim, are thought never to be elided before a short vowel.
2496.After a word ending with a vowel,-m, or-us, the verbestoften loses itse: as,bonast,bonumst,bonust,vīsust. So, too,essometimes loses its vowel: ashomo’s,adeptus’. This usage reflects the actual pronunciation of common speech.
2497.Semi-hiatus or Semi-elision.A long final vowel is sometimes shortened before a vowel. This may occur either in the arsis (2520), or in a resolved thesis: as,án quĭ amant(Verg.);léctulŏ ērudītulī(Cat.);nam quĭ́ aget(Ter.).
This kind of shortening is not frequent except in the early dramatists, who often shorten under the verse-ictus a monosyllable ending in a long vowel and followed by an initial vowel (as in the third example above).
2498.Synaloepha(Greekσυναλοιφή,a smearing together) is a general term used to denote the means of avoiding hiatus. It includes elision and synizesis, though some grammarians use it in the same sense as synizesis.
2499.Synizesis(Greekσυνίζεσις,a settling together). Two vowels (or a vowel and a diphthong) which belong to different syllables sometimes coalesce so as to form one syllable. This is calledSynizesis, and is especially common in the early dramatists. Examples are:me͡o,e͡adem,cu͡ius,aure͡i. See117.
Some grammarians would include under Synizesis only cases in which a short vowel is subordinated to a following long; astu͡o.
2500.The termSynaeresis(Greekσυναίρεσις,a taking together) is sometimes used as a synonym for Synizesis. The ancient grammarians, however, used it in the sense of Contraction (118).
2501.Dialysis(Greekδιάλυσις,a breaking up). Conversely, two vowels which usually form a diphthong are sometimes separated so as to form two syllables: ascoëpī(Lucr.) forcoepī.
This, however, is really the survival of the original forms (120).
2502.The nameDiaeresis(Greekδιαίρεσις,a separating) is sometimes used as a synonym for Dialysis; but it is better to restrict it to the meaning defined in 2542.
2503.Hardening.A vocalicioruis sometimes made consonantal before another vowel: as,abi͡ete,ari͡ete(Verg.);cōnsili͡um(Hor.);omni͡a(Lucr.). See117and83.
This usage is sometimes included under Synizesis (2499), while some grammarians term it Synaeresis (2500).
2504.Softening.Conversely, a consonantaliorusometimes becomes vocalized before a vowel, thus giving an additional syllable: as,silüaeforsilvae(Hor.);ēvolüisseforēvolvisse(Ov.). See52.
This usage is sometimes included under the name Dialysis (2501).
2505.Diastolé(Greekδιαστολή,a drawing asunder). A syllable which in verse of the classical period is generally short is sometimes used as long for metrical convenience. The syllable so employed generally falls under the verse-ictus, and in most cases is immediately followed by the principal caesura, or by a pause in the sense. Examples are: