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the ethos of different rhythms. It served for the criticism both of music and of prose writing, especially oratory.75 Aesthetic and moral qualities were attributed to various rhythms, partly on the basis of their actual associations with dances or songs of a particular character, partly subjectively, and partly from theoretical considerations such as whether the thesis and arsis were equal in duration or, if they were unequal, what sort of mathematical relationship obtained between them. Rhythms were evaluated especially in terms of the oppositions |
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calm, steady: quick, fervid
dignified, grand : undignified, lowly
manly, stirring : effeminate, sensuous. |
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Dactylic rhythm, especially as manifested in the heroic hexameter, was considered grand, noble, and steady.76 Iambic and trochaic were more mobile; of the two, iambic was close to the rhythm of ordinary speech, businesslike, not deficient in dignity, while trochaic was less dignified, more tripping, more dancing, and indeed more kord-akikos, that is, with the character of the lively and vulgar dance called the kordax.77 |
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The higher the proportion of long to short syllables/notes, the grander and more dignified the rhythm was perceived as being.78 So feet containing only shorts were fast, fervid, lacking in dignity, but suitable to the quick dance in armour called the pyrrhiche.79 Feet containing only longs, on the other hand, were solemn and stately, above all when extra-long time values were involved.80 This was |
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75 For music see especially Aristid. Quint. 2. 15 p. 82. 4-84. 10, for oratory. Arist. Rh 1408b32ff., Dion. Hal. Comp. 104ff. The whole subject is treated by G. Amsel, De vi atque indole rhythmorum quid veteres iudicaverint (Breslau, 1887). See also below, pp. 246 ff. |
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76 Arist. Poet. 1459b32, cf Pol. 1340b8, Rh. 1408b32, Dion. Hal. Comp. 108 (who finds anapaests also grand), 'Longinus', Subl. 39.4, Aristid. Quint. p. 47.4. |
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77 Arist. Rh. 1408b33-7, cf. Poet. 1449d24, 1459d12, 1460d1, Pol. 1340b9, Dion. Hal. Comp. 106, 'Longinus', Subl. 41. 1. Aristid. Quint. p. 83. 2 calls both rhythms rapid, hot, and dancelike. On p. 82. 4 he makes the surprising statement that rhythms which begin on the down-beat (this would include trochaic) are calmer than those starting on the up-beat. Cf. also above, p. 140 n. 30. |
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78 Cf. Aristid. Quint. p. 76. 21ff. Long rests too were grander than brief ones (p. 82. 8). |
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79 Dion. Hal. Comp. 105, 107. cf. 'Longinus' Subl. 41. 1, Aristid. Quint. pp. 82. 15ff., 83. 30. The name pyrrhich was given to the measure  or  . |
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80 Dion. Hal. Comp. 105, 107. Aristid Quint. pp 82. 16ff., 83. 5. |
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