Amphibrachys

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Amphibrachys ( Greek  ἀμφίβραχυς “short on both sides”; plural amphibrachys or amphibrachia ) in ancient verse doctrine describes a simple, three-part verse foot , in which two abbreviations enclose a length according to the scheme ◡ — ◡.

The amphibrachys is very rare as an independent verse foot in both ancient and modern poetry, although it is often used as a word foot in German, for example ("developed", "ran", etc.), since an amphibrachysian verse also interprets anapaestically or dactylically can be. Example:

◡ — ◡ˌ◡ — ◡ˌ◡ — ◡ (amphybrachian)
◡ — ˌ◡◡ — ˌ◡◡ — ˌ◡ ( hypercatalectic, acephalic anapaestic or iambus followed by anapaesic)
◡ˌ — ◡◡ˌ — ◡◡ˌ — ◡ ( catalectical dactylic with prelude)

Therefore, in modern lyric poetry, one can only speak meaningfully of a use of the amphibrachys if an intention to reproduce the ancient measure can be assumed. Occasional evidence can be found in German with Johann Wolfgang Goethe , Friedrich von Matthisson , Ernst Moritz Arndt , Conrad Ferdinand Meyer ( Song of the Dead ) and in English with Byron ( Song of the Soldiers within ). The Parzenlied Goethe from the tragedy Iphigenia on Tauris is quoted as an example of a poem with an amphibrachy rhythm :

It fear the gods
The human race!
You ruled
In eternal hands
And can you need them,
As you like it.

Verses two and six are catalectic .

The (unwanted) at a break in hexameter after the fourth Trochäus (gr. Κατὰ τέταρτον τροχαῖον , Kata tétarton trochaíon , see Hermannsche bridge ) remaining part is as Amphibrachienschaukel denotes:

- ◡◡ - ◡◡ - ◡◡ —◡ ‖ ◡ — ◡◡ — ◡

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Duden entry Amphibrachys
  2. Goethe: Iphigenie auf Tauris IV, 5 ( online )