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This little diatonic piece is in the E mode. It has some similarities with 15. Again four iambic dimeter lines (unless we prefer to read them as two tetrameters), though more uniform in pattern, alternately  and  . Again the tune starts with a rising fifth from the tonic, against the word accent, and this fifth together with the tone below (and in this case also a transitory semitone above) constitutes the space within which the melody moves. The first line simply marks out this space, returning to the tonic e. The second line, by an alternation of rising fourth and falling fifth (as in tuning a lyre), leads us to a concordant fourth, d-g, which cuts across the primary fifth e-b and feels like a rival harmonic axis. The third line returns to b and leaves us suspended on an obviously insecure a. In the fourth line we slalom down into the d-g box again, but at the last moment it tilts back to the tonic. |
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The third and fourth lines have chromatic ornament; see p. 197. Except in the last line, there is much more repetition of notes in succession than in 15. For the rhythmization of doneito ( ) cf. Seikilos' sy lypou. |
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17 Mesomedes, Invocation of Calliope and Apollo
(Original a tone higher) |
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(Skilful Calliope, leader of the delightsome Muses, | and skilful instructor, son of Leto, Delian Paian, | favour and be with me.) |
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The melody, which is in full accord with the word accents, is characterized by smooth ascents and descents. The hexameters each fall |
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