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Servius on the Saturnian Metre Author(S): O Servius on the Saturnian Metre Author(s): O. J. Todd Source: The Classical Quarterly, Vol. 34, No. 3/4 (Jul. - Oct., 1940), pp. 133-145 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Classical Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/636661 . Accessed: 09/02/2015 18:53 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Cambridge University Press and The Classical Association are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Classical Quarterly. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 132.248.9.8 on Mon, 9 Feb 2015 18:53:42 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions SERVIUS ON THE SATURNIAN METRE ON Virgil's statement (Georg.ii. 385 f.) that in honour of Bacchus 'Ausonii ... coloni versibus incomptis ludunt', Servius remarks: 'id est, carminibus Saturnio metro compositis, quod ad rhythmum solum vulgares componere consuerunt. .. ' Obviously Servius is drawing a distinction between the Saturnian and other metres, as well as between the ordinary man and the man of letters. The unlettered compose their verses in the Saturnian metre, which is founded on rhythmus alone; the literary circles write theirs on some other basis. L. Havet, De Saturnio Latinorum Versu (i88o), was convinced that in rhythmum Servius does not refer to accent. He writes (p. 358): 'Ad rhythmumsolum Servius certissime non eo sensu scripsit, quem plerique admittunt, id est ad accentum solum. Nam numquam ita veteres loquuntur de accentu, ut cum rhythmo commune quicquam habeat. neque hic Servius sollemnis inter rhythmumet metrumdistinctionis meminit, qui de metroad rhythmumcomposito loquitur. Ea verba nos sic intellegimus: ad arsin solam, ita ut syllabae in arsi positae nihil referat utrum productae sint an correptae.' If Havet's conviction that no reference is intended to accent is based on the usage of the 'ancients', one is permitted to inquire whether his own interpretation is supported by the ancients. Certainly no such conclusion is to be drawn from Servius' own use of the word rhythmus,which occurs in four other places,' as follows: (i) On Ecl. v. 14 (modulans alterna) : 'secundum rhythmum componens. "Alterna" autem varia, propter musicam, cuius sonus varius invenitur ex pedum dis- similitudine.' (2) On Ecl. ix. 45 (numeros memini): 'metra [vel add. schol. Daniel.] rhythmos [vel certenumeros versuum add. schol. Daniel.].' (3) On Aen. vi. 646 (obloquiturnumeris septem discrimina vocum): ' "numeris" rhythmis, sonis, ut " numeros memini, si verba tenerem ".' (4) On Aen. ix. 776 (numerosqueintendere nervis): 'rhythmos facere intentione nervorum; nam numeri sunt rhythmi, ut "numeros memini, si verba tenerem ". Hoc ergo dicit: secundum chordas verba componebat.' The use of rhythmi here is rather fluctuating and uncertain. In (3) it is equated with soni; in (2), unless the longer version is correct, it is a parallel to metra; in (4) it is synonymous with the vague numeri; while in (i), in a phrase reminiscent of the one under discussion, it embraces the notion of variety in poetical feet. In none of these, however, does one find a hint of Havet's view that Servius had in mind unregulated quantities in the arsis.2 And why should he, when such irregularity is I It is not found in his grammatical or metrical modulata compositio non metrica ratione sed treatises, Commentarius in Artem Donati, De numerosa scansione ad iudicium aurium ex- Finalibus, De Centum Mletris, De Metris Horatii. aminata, ut puta veluti sunt cantica poetarum 2 Nor is Havet substantiated by a considera- vulgarium. Rhythmus ergo in metro non est? tion of any of the ancient grammarians edited Potest esse. Quid ergo distat a metro? Quod by Keil in his Grammatici Latini. The attempts rhythmus per se sine metro esse potest, metrum made by them to define or explain rhythmus are sine rhythmo esse non potest. Quod liquidius as follows: (I) Varro, as quoted by Diomedes ita definitur: metrum est ratio cum modulatione, (Keil, i. 513): 'Varro dicit inter rhythmum, qui rhythmus sine ratione metrica modulatio. Ple- Latine numerus vocatur, et metrum hoc interesse rumque tamen casu quodam etiam invenies quod inter materiam et regulam.' (2) Remmius rationem metricam in rhythmo, non artificii Palaemon, as given in Victorinus' Ars Palae- observatione servata, sed sono et ipsa modula- monis De Metrica Institutione (Keil, vi. 206, who tione ducente.' (3) Terentianus Maurus, De cites it in the running title as Victorini de Metris Metris (Keil, vi. 374, lines 1628-33): 'Hoc sat et de Hex.): 'Metro quid videtur esse consimile ? erit monuisse, locis quod quinque frequenter I Rhythmus. Rhythmus quid est? Verborum iugem videmus inveniri dactylum; I sed non et This content downloaded from 132.248.9.8 on Mon, 9 Feb 2015 18:53:42 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 134 0. J. TODD not limited to one part of the foot? We should like to examine the question of just what he did have in mind. sextum pes hic sibi vindicat umquam, I nisi barum, positionem saepe sublationemque con- quando rhythmum non metrum componimus. I tinens.' Ibid. 474: '. metrum est quod certis Namque metrum certique pedes numerusque pedum quantitatibus qualitatibusque rhythmo coercent; I dimensa rhythmum continet lex discriminatur. Distat enim metrum a rhythmo, temporum.' (4) Marius Victorinus (Keil, vi. quod metrum certa qualitate ac numero sylla- 41 f.): '. cuius origo de arsi et thesi manare barum temporumque finitur certisque pedibus dinoscitur. Nam rhythmus est pedum tempo- constat ac clauditur, rhythmus autem temporum rumque iunctura velox divisa in arsin et thesin, ac syllabarum pedumque congruentia infinitum vel tempus quo syllabas metimur. Latine multiplicatur ac profluit.' (8) Mallius Theodorus numerus dicitur.... Differt autem rhythmus a (Keil, vi. 588): 'Siquid ergo praeter haec [= eight metro, quod metrum in verbis, rhythmus in metres just listed] quod non ad certam pedum modulatione ac motu corporis sit, et quod legem sed ad temporum rationem modumque metrum pedum sit quaedam compositio, rhyth- referatur vel scribet quispiam vel ab alio scriptum mus autem temporum inter se ordo quidam, et leget, id non metrum sed rhythmum esse sciat. quod metrum certo numero syllabarum vel S...' (9) Beda (Keil, vii. 258 f.): 'Haec de metris pedum finitum sit, rhythmus autem numquam eminentioribus commemorasse sufficiat . numero circumscribatur; nam ut volet protrahit Praeterea sunt metra alia perplura, quae in tempora, ita ut breve tempus plerumque longum libris centimetrorum . quisque cupit reperiet. efficiat, longum contrahat. Unde et rhythmus, . Videtur autem rhythmus metris esse con- id est a rhysi et fluore quodam, nuncupatur. similis, quae est verborum modulata compositio, Rhythmorum autem tres esse differentias volunt non metrica ratione sed numero syllabarum ad in dactylo, iambo, et paeone. .' Ibid. 44: iudicium aurium examinata, ut sunt carmina 'Inter pedem autem et rhythmum hoc interest, vulgarium poetarum. Et quidem rhythmus per quod pes sine rhythmo esse non potest, rhythmus se sine metro esse potest, metrum vero sine autem sine pede decurrit; non enim gradiuntur rhythmo esse non potest. Quod liquidius ita mele pedum mensionibus sed rhythmis fiunt.' definitur: metrum est ratio cum modulatione, Ibid. p. 113: '... sic ne loqui quidem aut verbum rhythmus modulatio sine ratione. Plerumque ullum emittere quod non in pedes aliquos et in tamen casu quodam invenies etiam rationem in rhythmos incidat, qui alterna syllabarum subla- rhythmo, non artifici(i) moderatione servata sed tione et positione continentur'. (5) Atilius For- sono et ipsa modulatione ducente, quem vulgares tunatianus (Keil, vi. 282): 'Inter metrum et poetae necesse est rustice, docti faciant docte. rhythmum hoc interest, quod metrum circa Quo modo et ad instar iambici metri pulcherrime divisionem pedum versatur, rhythmus circa factus est hymnus ille praeclarus: sonum, quod etiam metrum sine plasmate pro- rex aeterne domine, latum proprietatem suam servat, rhythmus rerum creator omnium, autem numquam sine plasmate valebit. Est qui eras ante saecula etiam rhythmus et in corporali motu; cum enim semper cum patre filius, histrio indecenter signum aliquod expressit, et alii Ambrosiani non pauci. Item ad formam arythmos dicimus, (cum) decenter, eurythmos. metri trochaici canunt hymnum de die iudicii Item si fuerit aequalitas corporis modice tem- per alphabetum: perata, eurythmos; inaequalis vero et toris qui- apparebit repentina busdam confusa arythmos appellatur. dies magna domini, (6) Charisius (Keil, i. 289): 'Sequitur autem.... per fur obscura velut nocte rhythmon et melos, non quia non omnia metra improvisos occupans.' rhythmoe sint. Multis enim generibus dicitur (Io) Audax (Keil, vii. 331): 'Metro quid videtur rhythmos secundum qualitatem rei subiectae, esse consimile? Rhythmus. Quid est rhythmus? quam corporalem vocant, ut homines, columnae, Verborum modulata compositio, non metrica vel porticus dicuntur rhythmos (vel) sine rhythmo. ratione sed numero ad iudicium aurium exami- ... Nihil est enim inter rhythmon et metron nisi nata, ut puta veluti sunt cantica vulgarium
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