31 bSD 
 
 ON ANGLO-SAXON VERSIFICATION 
 
 FROM THE STANDPOINT OF 
 
 MODERN-ENGLISH VERSIFICATION. 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWIN B. SETZLER, M. A., PH. D., 
 
 Professor of Teutonic Languages in Newberry College, 
 Newberry, S. C. 
 
 CD 
 
 BALTIMORE: 
 FURST COMPANY, 
 19O4. 
 
LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Clots 
 
ON ANGLO-SAXON VERSIFICATION 
 
 FROM THE STANDPOINT OF 
 
 MODERN-ENGLISH VERSIFICATION 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWIN B. SETZLER, M. A., PH. D., 
 
 Professor of Teutonic Languages in Newberry College, 
 Newberry, S. C. 
 
 BALTI MORE : 
 FURST COMPANY. 
 1 9O4. 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY E. B. SETZLER. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 BOOK II. PAKT I. 
 ON ANGLO-SAXON VERSIFICATION, ETC. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 INTRODUCTION 1 
 
 CHAPTER I. IN GENERAL 4 
 
 1. The poems. 2. The dialect. 3. The accents. 4. The orders of 
 rhythm. 5. Arsis and thesis. 
 
 CHAPTER II. THE TYPES 10 
 
 1. The number of types. 2. Type A. 3. Type B. 4. Type C. 5. 
 Type D. 6. Type E. 7. Other possible types. 8. Kelative 
 frequency of each type. 9. Union of types in the line. Kepe- 
 tition of the same type. 10. The anacrusis ( or prelude) . 
 
 CHAPTER III. ALLITERATION 24 
 
 1. In general. 2. Functions of alliteration. 3. Rules of alliteration. 
 4. Place of alliteration. 5. Transverse alliteration. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. METRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE NORMAL LINE 35 
 
 1. Sievers' fundamental rules. 2. Structure of the normal line. 
 3. Suggestions to the student in analysing the normal line. 
 
 CHAPTER V. THE ANGLO-SAXON LONG LINE OR HEXAMETER 42 
 
 1. Occurrence. 2. Difference between the long line and the normal 
 line. 3. Structure of the long line. 4. Alliteration in the long 
 line. 5. The types. 6. Lines longer than six feet. 
 
 BOOK II. PAKT II. 
 
 METRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE WANDERER, SEAFARER, ETC. 
 PREFACE 49 
 
 CHAPTER I. ANALYSIS OF THE NORMAL LINES 51 
 
 1. Type A. 2. Type B. 3. Type C. 4. Type D. 5. Type E. 
 6. Suggested textual emendations. 
 
 CHAPTER II. ALLITERATION IN THE WANDERER, SEAFARER, ETC 84 
 
 CHAPTER III. ANALYSIS OF THE LONG LINES IN THE WANDERER, SEA- 
 FARER, ETC..." 85 
 
 1. Number of long lines. 2. Type A- A. 3. Type B-A. 4. Type A-B. 
 
BOOK II. PART I. 
 
 ON ANGLO-SAXON VERSIFICATION 
 
 FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MODERN ENGLISH VERSIFICATION. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 English prosodists, with some few honorable exceptions, have in 
 their treatises uniformly neglected the versification of the Anglo- 
 Saxon period. This neglect is surprising when we remember that, 
 in the main, the fundamental principles of English versification 
 are the same throughout all of, at least the historic period of the 
 language that in Modern English poetry we have no new basic 
 principle introduced, but merely the development and perfection of 
 germs that existed in the earliest Anglo-Saxon poetry. We surely 
 can study profitably Anglo-Saxon versification for the light it 
 throws upon Modern English (to say nothing of Middle English) 
 prosody ; and we can most profitably and efficiently study it in the 
 light which is in turn thrown upon it by Modern English versifica- 
 tion. 
 
 Since so great a diversity of opinion exists among scholars with 
 regard to the fundamental principles of Modern English prosody, 
 although Modern English poetry is a subject with which every 
 school-boy is familiar, we need not be surprised to find similar 
 conflicting opinions and contradictory theories among Anglo-Saxon 
 nietrists, inasmuch as the study of the earliest historic period of 
 our language has been, and is still in many places, so deplorably 
 neglected in even our high-schools and colleges. It would be 
 interesting, did the scope of this discussion permit, to notice the 
 various theories that have been advanced by different scholars. 
 Some, like Tyrwhitt, 1 have been unable to perceive even any 
 
 1 Conybeare (in his "On Anglo-Saxon Poetry" 1828) quotes Tyrwhitt as 
 saying in the preface to his " Chaucer" that he " can discover in the production 
 of our Anglo-Saxon bards no traces whatever of a regular metrical system, or even 
 of alliteration." 
 
 1 
 
2 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 rhythm at all in Anglo-Saxon poetry. Dr. Guest, in his great 
 work on " English Rhythms/ 7 takes the position that there is not 
 to be found " the slightest trace of temporal rhythm " in the 
 Anglo-Saxon poems. Prof. Hickes believed that Anglo-Saxon 
 verse was governed entirely by the classic laws of quantity. Prof. 
 Sweet (following Sievers) expresses the opinion in his "Anglo- 
 Saxon Reader" that "the number of syllables is indifferent as 
 long as the verse is not made too light on the one hand, or over- 
 loaded on the other hand." This theory, however, is opposed by 
 Lawrence in his " Chapters on Alliterative Verse," and by Heath 
 in his " The Old English Alliterative line." Lanier, in his brilliant 
 and scholarly work, " The Science of English Verse," makes the 
 same laws govern in Anglo-Saxon versification that operate in 
 Modern English prosody, and declares emphatically that Anglo- 
 Saxon rhythm, as well as all rhythm, is based upon musical 
 principles. Among the Germans (and they of all scholars have 
 most thoroughly investigated this subject in English prosody) we 
 have " confusion worse confounded." What with the " four-arsis" 
 theory of Lachmann, Miillenhoff, and others ; with the " two- 
 arsis " theory of Moller, Franck, and their followers ; and with the 
 multiplied variations and modifications of each of these theories by 
 their numerous disciples of varying reputation and scholarship, it 
 would be indeed an almost impossible task to unravel the thread 
 of truth from such a tangled skein of conflicting theories. 
 
 Happily we are not entirely at the mercy of the theorist in 
 determining the principles of Anglo-Saxon versification. Extensive 
 remains of the Early English poetry have been preserved to us, 
 and we have the impartial test of the actual facts of the prosody to 
 which we can subject all the various conjectures and theories. 
 And that theory which, of all those advanced up to the present 
 time, most nearly meets this test when viewed from the standpoint 
 of Modern English versification the theory which best accords 
 with the facts and most nearly explains all the phenomena is 
 that promulgated by Prof. Eduard Sievers in an article entitled 
 " Zur Rhythmik des Germanischen Alliterationsverses," which ap- 
 peared in volume x. (1885) and xu. (1887) of Paul and Braune's 
 " Beitrage der Deutschen Sprache und Literatur ; " and also a few 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 3 
 
 years later in his " Altgermanische Metrik " (1893). This theory, 
 with modifications in some particulars, is that which has been 
 adopted in this discussion. 
 
 The few deviations from Sievers' theory which have been per- 
 mitted here are such, in the main, as were suggested by a study of 
 the subject from the Modern English view-point by studying it 
 in its historical connection. It is extremely important, we believe, 
 that this connection between the Anglo-Saxon poetry and the later 
 English poetry be kept in mind in this study, for the connection is 
 vital and direct. We have to deal here, not with two different 
 languages, but with different periods of the same language. In 
 the Anglo-Saxon period we merely have the English in its infancy ; 
 there may be much in its poetry that is crude and imperfect 
 when measured by the standards of the Modern period, and yet 
 the fundamental principles of its versification are largely the same. 
 In both we have the rhythmic units marked-off by accent, and in 
 both we have the requirement that the logical-accent and the pro- 
 nunciation-accent shall coincide with the rhythmical accent. That 
 minor differences exist, does not affect the truth of the statement. 
 The Anglo-Saxon poetry, indeed, emphasizes the rhythm even at 
 the expense of the meaning more than does the Modern English 
 -just as our nursery songs do to-day -just as, in fact, all poetry 
 has done in the childhood of its development. Its recitation was 
 probably more musical than ours ; indeed, the reciter frequently 
 accompanied his poem with some musical instrument. And yet 
 we are not to conclude from this that the poetry was sung ; it was 
 probably only a musical recitation. As Prof. Sweet says, the fact 
 that the word-stress as well as the sentence-stress is rigorously 
 observed " proves that Old English poetry must have been recited, 
 not sung." In essential principles, the difference between Anglo- 
 Saxon versification and Modern English versification is not so 
 much in kind as in degree and Lanier was not far wrong in his 
 theory, however he may have erred in its application. It will be 
 profitable to keep this fact in mind in the study of the subject. 
 
4 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 IN GENERAL. 
 
 1. THE POEMS. Of the entire body of Anglo-Saxon Poetry, 
 only about thirty thousand lines, in round numbers, have been 
 preserved to us. 1 What proportion of the original amount was 
 entirely lost is a matter of conjecture. While it must have been 
 considerable, yet very probably the remains we have are fairly 
 representative of the whole. 
 
 The most important and the longest of the Anglo-Saxon poems 
 is the Beowulf. It contains 3183 lines. The other poems most 
 considerable in length are: Genesis 2935 lines; Andreas 1720; 
 Crist 1694; GuSlac 1353; Elene 1320; Daniel 765; Juliana 
 731 ; Phoenix 677 ; Exodus 589 ; and Solomon and Saturn 504. 
 In addition to these, there are a number of shorter poems, varying 
 in length from a few lines to three or four hundred ; some of these 
 shorter poems, however, have more poetic excellence than the 
 longer ones. Anglo-Saxon poetry covers a period of some three 
 or four centuries perhaps from the middle of the 7th century to 
 the middle of the llth. However, the dates of many of the earlier 
 poems are conjectural, and can not be fixed with certainty. It is 
 probable, indeed inasmuch as the poems were handed down for a 
 long time in the memory of men that some of them, such as 
 WidsrS, the Charms, the lays in Beowulf, etc., were composed at 
 a much earlier date than the 7th century ; perhaps before the 
 Teutons came over from the continent. 
 
 2. THE DIALECT. Although composed at widely different 
 periods, nearly all the poems have been transmitted in manuscripts 
 of the 10th and llth centuries; and that too by West-Saxon 
 scribes, and to a great extent in the West-Saxon dialect, although 
 all except the latest and a few earlier minor poems were composed, 
 in all probability, in the Anglian dialect. The most important of 
 
 1 At the present the best edition a complete one of the Anglo-Saxon poetry is 
 Grein-Wiilker's "Bibliothek der Angelsachsischen Poesie," Kassell, 1888. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 5 
 
 those transmitted in other than the West-Saxon dialect are : in the 
 Northumbrian dialect, Caedmon's Hymn, the Ruthwell Cross, 
 Bede's Death Speech, and the Ley den Riddle; in the Kentish, 
 Psalm 50, and Hymn II. 
 
 Metrically considered, however, this transmission of the poems 
 in a dialect different from that in which they were composed, and 
 at a later date, is of no very great importance. The main 
 rhythmical types are the same in all three dialects, as they are, 
 indeed, in all the Teutonic languages of that period. The chief 
 difference is, that the West-Saxon dialect frequently shows shortened 
 and contracted inflection endings, where the Anglian, in all prob- 
 ability, had only the longer, uncontracted forms. Inasmuch as 
 these inflection endings are always short and unaccented, they have 
 little effect on the rhythm, and it is perhaps better to disregard 
 them altogether, except in those cases where a substitution of the 
 Anglian form (if that can be determined with certainty) will give 
 a more common verse-type. For metrical purposes, the West- 
 Saxon dialect is as complete as any other, and it presents equally 
 clearly the fundamental principles of Anglo-Saxon versification. 
 Besides, it gives us the poems at a time when both the language 
 and the metre had attained a more advanced stage of culture and 
 a higher degree of polish ; and it seems that there is little to be 
 gained, from the metrical standpoint at least, in attempting to 
 reduce the poems to their original Anglian form. 
 
 3. THE ACCENTS. Anglo-Saxon, just as Modern English 
 versification, is based on accent and not on " quantity " that is, 
 accent is the means used to mark-off the units of primary rhythm. 
 Of course, it is true here, as also in Modern English, that all the 
 sounds necessarily have some " quantity," but this quantity is not 
 fixed for each sound, as it is in Latin and Greek, but it is variable, 
 even in the same line, and depends on the ease with which the 
 syllable can be uttered and the number of syllables by which it is 
 accompanied in the same measure, rather than on the nature of 
 the vowel as " long " or " short," or on the number of consonants 
 by which it is followed. 
 
 Anglo-Saxon differs from the Latin and the Greek again in the 
 character of its accents. There are here, as in Modern English, 
 
6 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 three kinds of accents : the word-accent, the sentence-accent, and 
 the rhythmical-accent, and the function of each is the same as 
 in Modern English. The word-accent is the stress of voice laid 
 on some syllable of a word of more than one syllable to indicate 
 its pre-eminence compared with the other syllables of the word. 
 For metrical purposes, monosyllables may be regarded either as 
 accented or unaccented, as the rhythm in any special case may 
 require. Compound words which have regularly a secondary 
 accent in prose, may retain that accent in poetry, where it does not 
 interfere with the rhythm. In case rhythmical accents fall on 
 both primary and secondary word-accents which sometimes 
 occurs the syllable of the secondary accent also receives the full 
 stress of the rhythmical accent, and in this respect is not distin- 
 guished from the primary-accent syllable. 
 
 The secondary accent of compounds varies in intensity with the 
 relative importance of each component part, and on the nature of 
 the relation of the parts to each other. As to whether or not a 
 secondary accent is to be recognized in the versification, will depend 
 upon the requirement of the rhythm in each particular case. This 
 view is supported by the fact that even in prose it is undecided in 
 many cases whether or not the compound should be pronounced 
 with a secondary accent. Again, there are some compound words 
 such as brimlffi&ndra, deftercweftdndra, etc. which some would 
 consider as having three word-accents, on the first, second and 
 third syllables respectively. In this case, the first and second 
 accents would coincide with the rhythmical accents, and be primary 
 accents in effect ; while the third would have only the force of a 
 secondary accent, and perform the function explained under " type 
 D," page 14. For metrical purposes, the word-accent even of 
 words of more than one syllable is obscured, unless it coincides 
 with a metrical accent. 
 
 The sentence-accent is the stress (greater than that of the word- 
 accent) given to a word in a clause, or " thought unit," to indicate 
 its pre-eminence among the words of the clause. Accompanying 
 this increased stress, there is usually a change of pitch as well. 
 The stress is not always the same, but it varies in degree according 
 to the logical and relative importance of the word on which it 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 7 
 
 falls. The sentence-accent regularly coincides with the word- 
 accent, except in such cases as where, for the purpose of contrast, 
 it falls on the usually unaccented prefix of two antithetical words. 
 Likewise, as has been said, the sentence accent regularly falls on 
 the most important words of the sentence ; that is, upon any word 
 that is logically the subject. Usually this is a substantive, although 
 it may be an adverb, a preposition, or some similar part of speech. 
 
 The rhythmical-accent is a stress of voice given to syllables (or 
 sounds) which are to be separated from each other in utterance by 
 at least approximately equal intervals of time. The rhythmical- 
 accent divides the line into rhythmical units, or measures, or feet. 
 Here, just as in Modern English, a foot may be defined as the 
 number of syllables marked-off by a rhythmical-accent ; and each 
 line contains as many feet as it has primary rhythmical-accents. 
 The rhythmical-accent is one of stress entirely, and is not accom- 
 panied by any variation in pitch. It must coincide with the word- 
 accent and the sentence-accent. In Modern English, with its 
 greater number of feet to the line, the rhythmical accent sometimes 
 falls on a word that has very little or no sentence-accent or word- 
 accent, but this is not the case in Anglo-Saxon. 
 
 4. THE ORDERS OF EHYTHM. (1) Primary Rhythm. 
 Anglo-Saxon rhythm differs very little from Modern English 
 rhythm. Poetic rhythm (as has been shown in Book I) depends upon 
 the occurrence of sounds in such a way that they can be co-ordinated 
 into equal time-groups, or units. In Modern English, the units 
 of primary rhythm are usually occupied by the same number of 
 sounds or syllables " substituted feet " of a different number of 
 syllables being frequently permitted. In Anglo-Saxon, however, 
 the number of syllables in each time-unit constantly varies ; and 
 even the order of the accent frequently changes but always within 
 certain definite limits. Where there is a greater number of 
 syllables in the foot or time-unit than the normal, the enunciation 
 is accelerated; where there are fewer, it is retarded. The very 
 nature of rhythm requires, as we have seen, that the ear be able to 
 perceive a regular succession of sounds, and to co-ordinate them into 
 groups covering at least approximately equal intervals of time. 
 
 The co-ordination of the sounds into equal time-groups is 
 effected by the regular recurrence of the rhythmical-accent; and 
 
8 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 the unit of primary rhythm is the interval between any two suc- 
 cessive rhythmical accents. If the measure contains only a single 
 sound, either this sound is prolonged, or the measure is filled out 
 with a pause ; and the same is true in those types of rhythm 
 where the two successive rhythmical accents come upon adjoining 
 syllables. 
 
 (2) Secondary Rhythm. The Caesura. In Modern English 
 the unit of the secondary rhythm is the line ; in Anglo-Saxon it is 
 the " type," or half-line : every normal half-line constitutes a unit 
 of secondary rhythm. The half-line consists of two feet, or units 
 of primary rhythm, which are more closely connected with each 
 other than with the remaining feet in the line. 
 
 The secondary rhythmic units are marked-off to the ear by a 
 pause between two successive half-lines. This pause is called the 
 caesura. The caesura performs a somewhat different function in 
 Anglo-Saxon from what it does in Modern English. In the latter 
 it is used to interrupt the rhythm and prevent rhythmic monotony ; 
 its position is variable in the line. Jn the Anglo-Saxon it is used 
 to mark the secondary rhythm, and its position is fixed. It comes 
 always between two successive half-lines. Although the caesura 
 here is regularly a rhythmical pause, it usually coincides with a 
 logical pause of more or less distinctness. That is, it can not 
 separate the parts of a word, nor can it separate words that are in 
 very close syntactical relation. For instance, it can not separate 
 a preposition from the word it governs, nor a limiting genitive 
 from its noun. There must be something of a logical pause a 
 pause in the sense however slight, as a condition for placing the 
 caesura. 
 
 The caesura is effective, in connection with alliteration, in 
 enabling one to determine the metrical type of each half-line. 
 The first alliterating word after the caesura (with very rare 
 exceptions) takes the first rhythmical-accent in the second half- 
 line, and is thus the key-note to the metrical structure of the 
 whole line. 
 
 The secondary rhythm in Anglo-Saxon is more marked than 
 the primary rhythm ; and in this respect it differs .from Modern 
 English. There especially in "run on" lines the secondary 
 rhythm is frequently very faint. In Anglo-Saxon this is the 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 9 
 
 case rather with the primary rhythm emphatically so where the 
 rhythmical-accents fall on the adjoining syllables of two different 
 feet. But the secondary rhythmic unit the, " type " or half-line 
 is always strongly marked. 
 
 (3) Tertiary Rhythm. The Phrase. The unit of tertiary- 
 rhythm in Anglo-Saxon is the line. It is marked to the ear, 
 first of all, by a pause. This pause does not differ in kind from 
 that which marks the half-line. It is, perhaps as a rule, of a 
 little longer duration, and the logical pause with which it coin- 
 cides is regularly more strongly marked. 
 
 But the tertiary rhythmic unit is further marked to the ear by 
 the very nature of the rhythm itself. In the Anglo-Saxon line 
 the rhythm is not one continuous forward movement as in the 
 Modern English, but the third and fourth feet, instead of making 
 a progressive continuation of the first and second, merely constitute 
 a complementary response to them. At the close of the first half- 
 line, the rhythm is, as it were, suspended, awaiting an answering 
 response in the second half-line. " Phrasing " in music is a 
 similar phenomenon though of much less frequent occurrence, 
 and rarely of so simple structure. The initial strain in the 
 opening measures finds its complement in the closing measures of 
 the phrase. It must be distinctly remembered in this connection, 
 however, that phrasing as represented in the Anglo-Saxon line 
 differs from the phrase in Modern English poetry ; in the latter 
 it is a thought-grouping which frequently interrupts the flow of 
 the rhythm; in the former, just as in music, it is a positive 
 rhythmic factor. 
 
 This phrasing effectively re-inforced by alliteration, as we shall 
 see later binds the constituents of the tertiary rhythm into such a 
 definite and compact whole l that the line is recognized by the ear 
 as pre-eminent among the rhythmic units. It is the tertiary 
 rhythm that is the most strongly marked rhythm in Anglo- 
 Saxon poetry. 
 
 5. ARSIS AND THESIS. A foot in Anglo-Saxon poetry con- 
 tains regularly (as in Modern English) two parts : an accented or 
 
 1 ' l Nicht der halbvers, sondern die beiden zusammengehorigen Halbverse, bilden 
 ein geschlossenes Ganze." Cremer, "Metrische und Sprachliche Untersuchung 
 Andreas, Guftlac, Phoenix," etc. 
 
10 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 stressed part, called the arsis ; and an unaccceuted part, called the 
 thesis. There are, however, feet that contain only an arsis, and 
 others that contain what is sometimes called a " secondary arsis," * 
 in addition to the regular arsis and thesis. Such feet are usually 
 found in connection with heavy compound words containing a 
 strong secondary accent, and they regularly either precede or fol- 
 low feet containing no thesis. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 THE TYPES. 
 
 1. NUMBER OF TYPES. According to Prof. Sievers, there 
 are five fundamental " types," or kinds, of secondary rhythmic 
 units, depending upon the kinds of feet of which they are composed, 
 and the order of arrangement of the accented syllable of the foot 
 with regard to the unaccented. If the initial syllable be accented, 
 it is called, as in Modern English, a descending rhythm ; if the 
 final syllable take the accent, it is carlled an ascending rhythm. 
 
 2. TYPE A. The first of Sievers' types, and the one of by far 
 the most frequent occurrence, is what he calls type A. In this 
 type the initial syllable in each foot takes the accent, and this 
 accented syllable is followed by one or more unaccented syllables. 
 The accented syllable is regularly " long " in quantity. The term 
 quantity is used in this discussion in the classic sense that is, a 
 vowel is considered " long " when " long by nature," or when 
 followed by two consonants. The writer is not prepared to main- 
 tain, however, that the Anglo-Saxons really followed the classic 
 rule with regard to the length of syllables. It is probable, on the 
 contrary, that they did not, but that they determined quantity very 
 much as is done in Modern English : by the importance of the 
 syllable, by the ease or difficulty of its enunciation, and by the 
 requirements of the metre. The adoption of this view would 
 simplify many of the variations of the fundamental types, which 
 are given in the following pages. However, as the question has 
 not yet been absolutely determined, we have followed Prof. Sievers 
 in marking long and short syllables according to the Latin and 
 
 1 For the objection to this term, see foot-note at the bottom of page 16. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 11 
 
 Greek rules for quantity, when the syllables occur in the arsis of 
 the foot. 
 
 Representing accented syllables (or arses) by a dash, and unac- 
 cented syllables (or theses) by a cross, the following would repre- 
 sent the fundamental and most common form of type A : 
 
 I*.H. 
 
 There are a great many variations of this fundamental form of 
 the type. The arsis instead of being long, is sometimes short (in 
 which case it is represented by a curve, instead of a dash), and the 
 thesis, instead of having only a single syllable, may contain any 
 number up to five. But this statement with regard to the thesis 
 applies only to the first thesis. In this type, the closing thesis of 
 a half-line is limited to two syllables. 1 The occurrence of two or 
 three syllables in the first thesis, especially if they are short and 
 easily enunciated, is very common. The occurrence of more than 
 three syllables is rare. 
 
 Another common variation of type A is the substitution of two 
 short syllables instead of one long syllable, as the arsis of the foot. 
 Metrically these two syllables are to be rendered in the time of a 
 single long syllable, and the first of them takes the principal stress 
 of the accent. This substitution is what is known as " resolution," 
 and it may occur in either foot of a type. 
 
 The following half-lines are examples of some of the most 
 common forms of type A, the metrical scheme in every case being 
 written under each. 
 
 Wl9nc bi wealle. W. 80-a 2 longe sce*olde. W. 3-b 3 
 
 L X | X || X I , 4X (I 
 
 hicgan to hdndum. Br. 4-a are* gebideS. W. 1-b 
 
 x x | >: x || : x x I x || 
 
 6ft him anhaga. W. 1-a leode ongetan. Ex. 90-b 
 
 x x x ^ x . x x 
 
 6ft ic sceolde ana. W. 8-a se waes haten Wulfstan. Br. 75-b 
 
 xxx ^ x 
 
 1 According to Prof. Sievers, it can contain only one. See the discussion under 
 " rules for Anglo-Saxon versification," page 35, et seq. 
 
 2 a indicates first half -line ; b, second half-line. 
 
12 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 If these examples be scanned as Modern English poetry is 
 scanned, we shall find that we have here a rhythm very similar to 
 our trochaic and dactylic rhythms in lines of the same number of 
 feet. And, of more importance, if we examine carefully, we shall 
 find that in those feet in the same half-line containing theses of a 
 dissimilar number of syllables, the ear demands that we give an 
 equal interval of time either by the slower enunciation of the 
 fewer-syllabled thesis, or by filling up that measure with a 
 pause otherwise there is no perception of musical rhythm. 
 
 3. TYPE B. The second of Sievers' types is type B. In it 
 the thesis of the foot comes first, and we have the accented syllable 
 last in each case. Here, as in case of type A, the accented syllable 
 is usually long. The rhythmic effect is somewhat similar to that 
 of the anapaestic and the iambic dimeter in Modern English. 
 
 Using the same marking as in the case of type A, the following 
 represents the most common form of type B : x x L \ x L ||. 
 
 Here again there are numerous variations of the normal form, 
 produced as before, by substituting a short syllable for the long 
 accented syllable, by increasing the number of syllables in the 
 thesis, or by the resolution of either arsis, or both. In the first 
 thesis we have examples of as many as five syllables ; in the second 
 thesis as many as three syllables may occur. It is to be noted that 
 the fundamental form of type B is not one syllable in each thesis 
 (x L | x L ||) the iambic rhythm as it is in type A, but that the 
 normal form of the type is two syllables in the first thesis thus 
 beginning the line with an anapaestic rhythm, as it were. 
 
 The following are examples of the most common forms of type 
 B, with the metrical scheme written under each : 
 
 it it 
 
 ne t5 wife wynn. Sea. 45-a Ic to soSe wat. W. 11-b 
 
 xx|x^|| X X I X jl 
 
 on urne eard. Br. 58-a and ealde swurd. Br. 47-b 
 
 XX' X ' X ' 
 
 X_JX_|| X_|X_|| 
 
 swa nu monna gehwylc. Sea. 90-a swa him Moyses behead. Ex. 101-b 
 
 xx I x x ^ || x x I X X jj 
 
 / j_ i j_ 
 
 8aet him aet fotum feoll. Br. 119-a se 'Se him lange aer. Ex. 138-b 
 
 xxx . x . 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 13 
 
 Other variations of the normal type are comparatively rare. 
 
 4. TYPE C. Type C, the third fundamental type as given 
 by Prof. Sievers, has no parallel among the regular rhythmic units 
 in Modern English poetry. Type A, in its simpler forms, is 
 similar to the trochaic and dactylic rhythms ; type B is likewise 
 similar to the iambic and anapaestic ; but type C is peculiar, in 
 that it commences and closes with a thesis, while the arses stand 
 in juxtaposition in the middle. 
 
 Though this type has no analogue among Modern English 
 rhythms, that it was genuinely rhythmical when recited as the 
 Anglo-Saxon gleeman gave it, can hardly be doubted ; only those 
 who deny the musical basis of Anglo-Saxon verse, will refuse to 
 admit this. But the rhythm is not a combination of the iambic 
 and trochaic rhythms ; such a combination would be impossible in 
 the Anglo-Saxon half-line. Instead, it is more nearly what we 
 call in Modern English an iambic rhythm with a feminine, or 
 double, ending. In reciting the rhythm of this type, the time 
 given to each foot, just as in the other types, must be approxi- 
 mately the same. But its distribution is here somewhat different. 
 The first arsis is followed by a pause which is equivalent to the 
 first thesis in time ; then the entire second arsis and second thesis 
 are rendered in the time of a single arsis, with the addition possibly 
 of as much time as is given to the second syllable of a double 
 ending in an iambic rhythm in Modern English. We have here 
 certainly the effect of the ordinary double ending. This rapid 
 rendering of the arsis and thesis of the second foot is facilitated by 
 the fact that the syllables of this foot are usually light and easily 
 enunciated ; especially is this the case with the arsis, which in 
 other types is regularly long. 
 
 The following are the two most common forms of type C : 
 
 x x ^ | ^ x || ; orxx^|6x||. 
 
 There are then the usual variations of these forms, by the resolu- 
 tion of the arses, and by increasing the number of syllables in each 
 thesis or both. The number of syllables in the first thesis may 
 be as many as five, while in the second thesis it is rare to find as 
 many as two, and even then such examples can possibly be classed 
 under other types. 
 
14 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 The following are examples of the most common forms of type 
 C, with the accompanying metrical scheme : 
 
 fcaet se eorl nolde. Br. 6-a and on cneo lecge. W. 42-b 
 
 X X L | L X || XX 
 
 Het tSa bord beran. Br. 62-a wft 3am teonhe"te. Ex. 224-b 
 
 x x . J u x || xx . I u x || 
 
 in brimlade. Sea. 30-a gedon wiUe. Sea. 43-b 
 
 x ^ | x || x . I . x || 
 
 / / 
 
 in uprodor. Ex. 4-a and sincftege. W. 34-b 
 
 x L | 6x || x L I J x || 
 
 There are fewer variations of this type than of types A and B. 
 
 5. TYPE D. The fourth fundamental type, according to 
 Sievers' classification, introduces us to another rhythmic unit 
 which has no parallel in Modern English. It is a type which 
 consists normally of a foot of a single syllable followed by a foot 
 of three syllables. This type would seem to contradict on its face 
 the fundamental principle of all rhythm that is, that rhythm de- 
 pends on the co-ordination by the ear of equal time-groups of sounds 
 and pauses, recurring at regular intervals. But this contradiction 
 is only apparent. We have here only further illustration of the 
 fact which has been already emphasized in Book I. We saw there 
 how, after the type of rhythm has been definitely established after 
 the time of each foot or measure has become thoroughly appre- 
 hended by the ear the number of sounds that comprise any 
 individual foot may be varied at pleasure within certain- limits, and 
 that rests and pauses may be used to complete the normal time of 
 the measure. We have a similar phenomenon here. The first foot, 
 although consisting of a single syllable, has approximately the same 
 time as the second ; but not all of this time is consumed in the 
 enunciation of the single syllable ; part of it is covered by a pause, 
 or rest. This pause gives opportunity to fix the organs of articu- 
 lation so that the following foot which usually consists of a heavy 
 compound may be more easily articulated. We do not deny, of 
 course, that it is possible to read such measures without the pauses 
 or rests. They can undoubtedly be read as prose as Tyrwhitt 
 doubtless read all Anglo-Saxon poetry, and as many readers read 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 15 
 
 similar passages in Modern English poetry to-day. We can read 
 a great deal of the very best poetry as prose, if we will. But no 
 one who is familiar with Anglo-Saxon verse, and who is acquainted 
 with the fundamental principles of rhythm, will believe that the 
 Saxon gleeman recited such types of rhythm in any other way than 
 with the pauses for there is no other way in which he could recite 
 them rhythmically. 
 
 In the form in which Prof. Sievers gives this type, there is, in 
 addition to the primary accent on each arsis, what is called a 
 " secondary accent " in the second foot. This secondary accent 
 must be carefully distinguished from the primary accents. The 
 latter are rhythmical accents, whose principal function is to mark- 
 off the rhythmical divisions that is, the feet. The former is 
 only a pronunciation accent, the chief effect of which is to empha- 
 size the relative importance of its syllable to others in the foot, and 
 to increase its " quantity " relative to them. Its chief rhythmical 
 effect perhaps is to emphasize the pause in the first foot by making 
 clear the three-syllabled time of the second foot which time the 
 ear requires to be equal in both feet, if a rhythmical effect shall be 
 perceived. If the Anglo-Saxon poet observed this accent at all in 
 his recitation, it is very likely it was only to the extent mentioned ; 
 and that, too, only in heavy compound words, containing in pro- 
 nunciation a heavy secondary accent. It is in connection with such 
 compound words that this type most frequently occurs. 
 
 The question is unsettled as to whether words having no 
 secondary pronunciation accent should be written with a secondary 
 accent in the metrical type. As was seen under the subject of word- 
 accent, there are some compounds which would, under this practice, 
 be entitled to three accents ; for example, brimlift&ndra would 
 require the scheme : ^ | ^ i x || ; A&ftercw&ft&ndra : t. x | L x || , 
 thus giving three pronunciation accents to such words. But it is 
 questionable, to say the least, whether the third syllable in such 
 words takes any preceptible accent in pronunciation, even in prose. 
 Those who hold that these secondary parts of compounds must 
 take both the word-accent and the rhythmical accent in the rhyth- 
 mical scheme (although it is doubtful in many instances whether 
 they take any accent at all in prose) have as yet by no means 
 established their contention. The only metrical reason for indi- 
 
16 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 eating the word-accent here, is that previously mentioned : it 
 emphasizes the demand for a pause in the previous foot to fill out 
 that measure by making clear the full length of the succeeding 
 measure, to which the first must be equal. This much can be 
 affirmed : a secondary accent should never be given so much force 
 as to obscure the rhythmical-accent, or to cause the secondary 
 word-accent to be mistaken for the rhythmical-accent. In such 
 case it would be almost impossible to give equal time to each foot, 
 and thus the rhythm would be destroyed. 
 
 There are two positions which the accented syllable of the thesis * 
 may occupy ; it may stand before, or it may stand after the other 
 syllable of the thesis. Its function is the same in either case, and 
 it is that which has already been explained. The two forms of 
 the type which this difference in the position of the accented thesis 
 gives are known as D' and D". The normal form of each is : D', 
 
 With both of these forms, we have most of the variations already 
 described for the preceding types ; the arsis may be short, or it 
 may be resolved, and the thesis may have an additional unaccented 
 syllable in it. A common variation is the insertion of a syllable 
 after the arsis in the first foot, thus providing that foot with a 
 thesis, and making it differ very little rhythmically from type 
 A. Especially is the difference slight if the inserted syllable be a 
 "heavy" one. 
 
 Sometimes there occur, in the case of heavy compound words 
 that usually take type D as their metrical form, two syllables in 
 the first foot. Such examples we have entered (contrary to Sievers) 
 under type A, inasmuch as the secondary accent merely a pro- 
 nunciation accent is not here needed to show the full time of the 
 measure, and from the rhythmical standpoint at least, is better 
 omitted. Also there rarely occurs a syllable inserted before the 
 accented syllable of the thesis in D'. 
 
 The following are examples, with their metrical scheme, of the 
 most common forms of both D' and D" : 
 
 1 This expression is used instead of the term "secondary arsis" given by some. 
 The latter term is unfortunate in that it may lead to the impression that the 
 syllable in question is entitled to a rhythmical accent which is emphatically not 
 the case, for such an accent would confuse the feet and destroy the rhythm. 
 
I 
 
 V 
 
 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 17 
 
 hre5sende. W. 102-a bri'mliSendra. Br. 27-b 
 
 L | - >. X || L | L X || 
 
 6ft earmc&irig. W. 20-a hand wisode. Br. 141 -b 
 
 faegum fromweardum. Sea. 71 -a aefter cwe^endra. Sea. 71 -b 
 x f- * i x|| ^x|-ix|| 
 
 weall wundrum heah. W. 98-a bord ord onfeng. Br. 110-b 
 
 i ri I ii 
 
 hreoftan hrim and snaw. W. 48-a hungor innan slat. Sea. 11-b 
 
 L X | L X i || x \ x \\ 
 
 The variations of the normal forms of type D are numerous, 
 although the type itself does not occur so frequently as the other 
 types already discussed. 
 
 6. TYPE E. The fifth and last type given by Prof. Sievers 
 is type E, which in form is the converse of D. The first foot of 
 this type contains three syllables, the second normally only one. 
 Here again the rhythm is preserved in the two feet of an unequal 
 number of syllables by supplementing the monosyllabic foot with 
 a pause, the equivalent of the difference between the time con- 
 sumed in enunciating the sound of that foot and those of the other 
 foot. The pause, coming at the end of the line, is easily and 
 accurately measured by the ear. 
 
 We have here the abrupt effect witli which we are familiar in 
 music, where the measure is completed by a " rest." The signifi- 
 cance of this abrupt effect noted by the ear, is better appreciated 
 if we remember that the single syllable of the monosyllabic foot 
 is not enunciated abruptly, but is really prolonged beyond the time 
 of the arsis of the other foot. This prolonging of the syllable is 
 itself the result of an effort of the " rhythmic sense " to complete 
 the measure. The abrupt effect is felt only because the single 
 monosyllable cannot be held the length of time required to give 
 the two heavy syllables plus the light syllable of the thesis, of the 
 other foot. The pause has to be inserted to complete the mono- 
 syllabic measure. This type is itself strong evidence of the musical 
 basis of Anglo-Saxon verse. 
 
18 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 Type E, as in the case of type D, is restricted almost exclusively 
 to heavy compounds occurring in connection with a single mono- 
 syllabic word. If the compound is followed by more than a single 
 syllable, the half-line is classed under type A (following Sievers), 
 in spite of the heavy compound word in the first foot. These 
 compounds which give type E have, of course, a secondary word- 
 accent on the second component part. The function which this 
 accent plays is similar to that of the secondary accent in type D. 
 It is merely a word-accent, and must not be given the function of 
 a rhythmical-accent. Whether it should appear at all in the 
 metrical scheme, is the same question that was discussed there, 
 and the reasons pro and con are the same. We shall generally 
 follow Sievers' precedent in using it, though he uses it also in 
 instances where there is apparently little justification for it from 
 the rhythmical standpoint. 
 
 In this type, as in the preceding, there are two positions which 
 the accented syllable of the thesis may occupy. It may precede 
 the unaccented part of the thesis, or it may follow it. The latter 
 position is rare. 
 
 The names given to the two forms of the type arising from this 
 difference in position of the accented part of the thesis, are 
 
 and E. Their normal forms are : E, L x | L || ; E, L x i | L \\ . 
 
 We have in addition to these, the ordinary variations of the 
 fundamental forms : that is, by the resolution of the arses, by the 
 substitution of short syllables for the long accented syllables, or 
 by the insertion of an additional syllable in the thesis, either before 
 or after the accented syllable of the thesis. 
 
 The following are some of the most common variations of both 
 
 E and E, with the accompanying metrical scheme : 
 freomaegum feorr. W. 21-a. hnmcealde sae. W. 4-b. 
 
 m6rewrges mod. Sea. 12-a. f&dohilte swurd. Br. 166-b. 
 
 ix 
 
 hordwearda hryre. Ex. 35-a. Cneomaga fela. Ex. 21-b. 
 
 L IX 1 6x || 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 19 
 
 sealtySa gelac. Sea. 3 5 -a. eadigra gehwam. Ex. 4-b. 
 
 7. OTHER POSSIBLE TYPES. Prof. Sievers includes all the 
 metrical forms of the Anglo-Saxon half-line under these five fun- 
 damental types, with their variations. In this he has been followed 
 by all who accept his theory of Anglo-Saxon prosody. However, 
 there are some examples which are usually classed under type E 
 that seem to suggest a different division into feet, and one that is 
 more in accord with the logical relation of the words themselves. 
 Such are the following, which have been selected from Exodus ; 
 the suggested metrical scheme is written under each : 
 
 Witrod gefeol. Ex. 491-b. deop lean gescgod. Ex. 506-b. 
 
 *x x * L x x L 
 
 meredeaS geswealh. Ex. 512-b. ham eft ne com. Ex. 507-b. 
 
 & x I x - II - x I x - II 
 
 Maegen call gedreas. Ex. 499-b. Josepes gestreon. Ex. 587-b. 
 
 $2 x | x || x x | x . || 
 
 faerspell becwom. Ex. 135-b. Wraecmpn gebad. Ex. 137-b. 
 
 L x | x L || t. x' | x L || 
 
 ohtnied gescraf. Ex. 137-b. grimhelm gespeon. Ex. 174-b. 
 
 X I X ^ X I X j 
 
 Also lines 191, 313, 303, 354, 371, 407, 459, 461, and others. 
 It is to be noted in nearly all of these examples that the weak 
 syllable " ge," which is logically closely connected with the word 
 to which it is prefixed, is the third syllable in the half-line. In a 
 rhythmical scheme it would go much better, from the logical 
 standpoint, with the word to which it belongs, rather than the 
 preceding word ; and it is doubtful, to say the least, whether it 
 should be placed under a type that will separate it from the word 
 of which it is a part. We have no instance where an inflection 
 ending which is somewhat similar to the " ge " in the intimacy 
 of its connection with the word to which it belongs is thus 
 separated from the stem of its word. In fact, it is against the 
 rule for a rhythmical unit to separate the parts of a word (com- 
 
20 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 pounds of course, being an exception), inasmuch as each foot 
 should always have at least some degree of logical unity in itself. 
 
 In addition to this, nothing can be said from the rhythmical 
 standpoint against the division of the half-line as we have marked 
 it above ; the rhythm itself suggests that division. However, 
 since the examples are so rare, (they occur almost exclusively in 
 the second half-line) we have followed Sievers and classed such 
 examples under E, rather than make a separate fundamental type 
 under which to classify them. 
 
 8. KELATIVE FREQUENCY OF EACH TYPE. Of the five 
 accepted types of the Anglo-Saxon half-line, those expressing a 
 descending rhythm are the most abundant. A itself is the type 
 of nearly half of all the lines. This, it will be observed, is just 
 the opposite of what is true in Modern English. There the des- 
 cending rhythm the trochaic and dactylic are rare compared 
 with the ascending iambic and anapaestic rhythms. The ratio of 
 the descending to the ascending rhythms in Modern English poetry 
 has been estimated to be about 1 to 1,000 ; in Anglo-Saxon it is 
 about 5 to 3. Type C is classed, of course, as an ascending 
 rhythm ; types D and E, as descending rhythms. 
 
 We give here the number of times the respective types occur in 
 the Beowulf, Elene, Juliana, Crist, Andreas, GuSlac, Phoenix, 
 Exodus, Battle of Maldon, Wanderer, and Seafarer. The figures 
 for the Beowulf are those given by Prof. Sievers ; for the next 
 six, by Dr. Cremer. 
 
 First half-line. Second half-line. 
 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 C 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 C 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 Beowulf 
 
 1701 
 
 293 
 
 501 
 
 454 
 
 138 
 
 1118 
 
 721 
 
 564 
 
 403 
 
 329 
 
 Elene 
 
 562 
 
 202 
 
 255 
 
 211 
 
 71 
 
 471 
 
 403 
 
 259 
 
 101 
 
 61 
 
 Juliana 
 
 346 
 
 106 
 
 141 
 
 113 
 
 22 
 
 277 
 
 218 
 
 154 
 
 40 
 
 35 
 
 Crist 
 
 703 
 
 303 
 
 278 
 
 284 
 
 90 
 
 727 
 
 468 
 
 275 
 
 99 
 
 88 
 
 Andreas 
 
 748 
 
 225 
 
 348 
 
 306 
 
 74 
 
 736 
 
 373 
 
 340 
 
 166 
 
 92 
 
 GuSlac 
 
 673 
 
 161 
 
 238 
 
 169 
 
 67 
 
 491 
 
 389 
 
 301 
 
 78 
 
 52 
 
 Phoenix 
 
 322 
 
 106 
 
 96 
 
 116 
 
 31 
 
 296 
 
 197 
 
 131 
 
 28 
 
 22 
 
 Exodus 
 
 296 
 
 43 
 
 67 
 
 107 
 
 49 
 
 297 
 
 78 
 
 51 
 
 52 
 
 85 
 
 Battle of Maldon 
 
 187 
 
 62 
 
 28 
 
 22 
 
 19 
 
 171 
 
 73 
 
 50 
 
 17 
 
 11 
 
 Wanderer 
 
 50 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 3 
 
 60 
 
 14 
 
 21 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 Seafarer 
 
 50 
 
 11 
 
 19 
 
 15 
 
 5 
 
 40 
 
 21 
 
 25 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 Sum 5638 1535 1994 1809 569 4684 2855 2171 1000 789 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 21 
 
 Total number of half-lines, 23,144 ; whole lines, 11,572. 
 
 Total of each type : A, 10,322; B, 4,490; C, 4,165 ; D, 2809 ; 
 E, 1,358. 
 
 Total of descending rhythm, 14,489 ; of ascending rhythm, 8,655. 
 
 9. UNION OF TYPES IN THE LINE. REPETITION OF 
 THE SAME TYPE. With regard to the union of the types in the 
 whole line, investigation so far has not been able to derive any 
 very definite laws. Dr. Cremer, after a careful study of some 
 7,500 lines, concludes that, in a general way, a descending rhythm 
 in the first half-line is likely to be followed by an ascending 
 rhythm in the second the ratio 'being about 3 to 1, and that the 
 character of the alliteration in the first type is influential in deter- 
 mining the type that will follow. He shows that type A with 
 alliteration in the first foot only, is followed approximately twice 
 as often by an ascending rhythm as is the case when there is 
 alliteration in both feet of the first type ; and four and a half 
 times as often as when there is alliteration in the second foot only. 
 
 A careful study of the Wanderer, Seafarer, Exodus, and Battle 
 of Maldon, shows that there is a tendency to repeat the same type, 
 not so often in the same line perhaps, but in the same half-line of 
 two consecutive lines sometimes of three or four. This repetition 
 is most frequent in the case of type A, because of the preponder- 
 ance of that type. Of the entire 2200 half-lines in these four 
 poems, we find the same type repeated in the same line, or appear- 
 ing in two consecutive lines, 253 times ; in three consecutive lines, 
 22 times ; and in four consecutive lines, 3 times ; thus making 
 a total of 278 lines, or about one-eighth of the whole. These 
 repetitions are distributed among the various types as follows : 
 A 208 examples of the occurrence in two consecutive lines, 20 of 
 the triple occurrence, and 3 of the quadruple occurrence; B 17 
 examples of the double occurrence, and 1 of the triple occurrence ; 
 C 1 1 examples of the double occurrence, and one of the triple ; 
 D 10 examples of the double occurrence ; and E 7 examples of 
 the double occurrence. 
 
 The most common position taken by the repeated types, is the 
 second half-line for each. Of this we have 68 examples of the 
 double occurrence, 16 of the triple, and 3 of the quadruple. Of 
 
22 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 each occurring in the first half, we have 47 examples in the case 
 of the double occurrence, and 6 of the triple. Of the occurrence 
 of the first in the second half of the first line, and the second in 
 the first half of the second, we have 59 examples. Of the occur- 
 rence of the first in the first half of the first line, and the second 
 in the second half of the second, we have 46 examples. And of 
 the repetition of the same type in the same line, we have 33 
 examples. From this it would seem that the poet sought to avoid 
 the monotony that might arise from the repetition of the same type 
 in the same line. 
 
 The following are examples of the double, triple, and quadruple 
 occurrence, with the repeated type in the most common position : 
 
 it it 
 
 in brimlade bldan sceolde. 
 
 i i 
 
 Nap nihtscua n6r&an snlwde. Sea. 30-31. 
 
 ofer leodwSrum tige scman, 
 
 byrnSnde beam. Mace stodon 
 
 ofer sceotendum sclre leoman. Ex. 110-111-112. 
 
 in eorSscrdefe edrl gehydde : 
 yiSde swa ftisne eardgeard aelda Scyppend, 
 
 6"$ ftaet btirgwara breaJitma lease, 
 
 eald 6nta gewe6rc idlu stodon. W. 84-85-86-87. 
 
 The conclusion seems to be that the poet allowed himself great 
 latitude in combining his types into the line, and that he was 
 governed only by the general principles of rhythm. 
 
 10. THE ANACRUSIS (or Prelude). In types beginning 
 with an accented syllable, we sometimes find one or two very 
 rarely more unimportant unaccented syllables preceding the type 
 proper. These constitute what is called an anacrusis, or prelude. 
 They are not to be considered as an essential part of the type, and 
 are to be recited very faintly and hurriedly perhaps slurred. 
 
 The anacrusis is not peculiar to Anglo-Saxon poetry, but is 
 found in Latin and Greek, and even in Modern English. It does 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 23 
 
 Dot seem to answer any special rhythmic purpose, or to perform 
 any designed function. It can contain no important or accented 
 word. It seems to be a kind of license of which the poet avails 
 himself when it would be inconvenient to put the words which 
 constitute the anacrusis in any other place. 
 
 The anacrusis occurs most frequently as we should expect, 
 since it is extra-metrical in the first half-line ; though we also 
 have a number of examples in the second-half. Types B and C 
 begin with a thesis, so they can not take an anacrusis. The extra 
 short syllables there, being prefixed to the thesis, merely make the 
 expanded thesis very common in both of these types. 
 
 The following are a few examples of anacrusis, which occurs 
 most frequently in type A, only rarely in type D, and more rarely 
 still in E : 
 
 ftaet he gewyrce. Sea. 74-a in blacum reafum. Ex. 212-b 
 
 ^:^x|^x|| x : . x | ^ x || 
 
 Saette he Saet daegweorc. Ex. 151 -a mid gafole forgyldon. Br. 32-b 
 
 x x : . x | L x|| x : ux x x | . x || 
 
 ne ymbe owiht elles. Sea. 46-a gehyre se Se wille. Ex. 7-b 
 
 xxx|.x|.x|| x:^xxx|^x|| 
 
 ofercom mid 8y campe. Ex. 21-a Saet he ealdordom. Ex. 317-a 
 
 xx:xx|^x|| x : ^ | ^ x i || 
 
 / / / v 
 
 Sa hwile se he mid hdndura. Br. 14-a t5aet fiaer modiglice. Br. 200-a 
 xr^xxx x| ^lx|| x :^|^xix|| 
 
 Net5urfonmeembeSturmere.Br.249-a ageat gylp wera. Ex. 514-a 
 
 aet hie lifigende. Ex. 264-a 
 
 X IL X 
 
24 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 ALLITERATION. 
 
 1. IN GENERAL. Alliteration consists, as in Modern Eng- 
 lish, in the use of a succession of words with the same initial 
 sound. There is this difference, however : each vowel or diph- 
 thong may alliterate with any other vowel or diphthong ; as, 
 
 ddl oftfte 2/ldo o&Se cgh6te. Sea. 70. 
 
 Each consonant alliterates only with itself, except that g alliter- 
 ates also with etymological j (i) ; as 
 
 ne ^old^i^fan, swylce iu wearon. Sea. 83. 
 (/pmelfeax ^nornath, wat his mwine. Sea. 92. 
 ofer <7re"nne ^rtind : Judisc feSa. Ex. 312. 
 
 Until the later Anglo-Saxon period, the consonant groups sc, 
 sp, and st, were treated as single letters, each group alliterating 
 only with itself, and not with the single initial consonants ; as, 
 
 StormsiS ftaer stfanclifu beotan, $aer him s6arn oncwaeiS. Sea. 23. 
 Se ges^elade stlfte grtindas. Sea. 104. 
 
 Towards the close of the period, however, this practice was not 
 observed. Also then an initial h before a vowel was frequently 
 disregarded, the vowel itself alliterating ; as, 
 
 H<5lof<rnus ^nlyfige'ndes. Judith, 180. 
 
 Syllables after prefixes such as be-, ge-, prepositions, etc., may 
 be considered as initial, and take alliteration ; as, 
 
 Mtre 6reostceare ge&iden haebbe. Sea. 4. 
 
 / V 
 
 be/iongen /trimgcielum Aaegl scurum fleag. Sea. 17. 
 ne swete forswelgan ne sar gefelan. Sea. 95. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 25 
 
 Likewise in compounds, the second part of the compound, as 
 well as the first, may be considered as initial, and alliterate ; as, 
 
 / j_ 
 ne ^6ld^i6fan, swylce iu waeron. Sea. 83. Also W. 3. 
 
 In the texts which give both c and &, they are the same letter 
 from the standpoint of alliteration, as well as in sound, and so 
 alliterate with each other ; as, 
 
 cwen to gebe"ddan. Hafde Ayninga wtildor. Beo. 666. 
 
 (Harrison & Sharp.) 
 
 2. FUNCTIONS OF ALLITERATION. (1) Key to Primary 
 Rhythm. Alliteration, which in Modern English poetry occurs 
 chiefly as an element of tone-color conducing to melody, performs 
 in Anglo-Saxon verse a function much more essential from the 
 rhythmic standpoint. It is the key to the Anglo-Saxon versifi- 
 cation, and divides the line into feet, just as the bar marks off the 
 notes of music into measures. Because of the varying number of 
 syllables in the thesis, and because of the different positions of the 
 rhythmical-accent in the various types, it would be almost impos- 
 sible in many cases, for the ear to make that co-ordination of the 
 recurrent groups of sounds which results in the perception of 
 rhythm. In Modern English poetry this co-ordination is effected 
 by the regular coincidence of the word-accent, or of the sentence- 
 accent, or of both, with the rhythmical accent ; but in Anglo- 
 Saxon the force of these accents is immensely intensified by alliter- 
 ation, and the co-ordination rendered correspondingly easier. 
 Alliteration or "head rhyme" as it is sometimes called, is almost 
 as effective in marking off the lines into feet, as end-rhyme is in 
 Modern English in dividing poetry into lines ; and the function 
 performed in each case is similar. The alliteration comes either 
 at the beginning of the foot (as in types A, D, E, and sometimes 
 C), or at the end (as in type B, and sometimes C) ; and as the 
 caesura divides the line into halves of two feet each, we are able 
 to determine these feet with as absolute certainty as in Modern 
 English versification, although the thesis may contain as many as 
 four or five syllables. 
 
 The longer the line and the more difficult the co-ordination, the 
 
26 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 more copious is the alliteration. In the " long lines," consisting 
 of six feet, double alliteration is the rule in the first half-line, and 
 sometimes it is threefold ; as, 
 
 #uman to 'Sam </yldnan <7ylde fte he him to #6de geteod. Dan. 204. 
 ^w^orfon fta Aa&$enan Meftas fram "Sam Aalgan cnihton. Dan. 267. 
 
 In those types composed of feet of an unequal number of 
 syllables that is, D and E double alliteration is much more 
 common than in the simpler types, A, B, and C. Dr. Frucht in 
 his " Metr. und Sprach. zu Elene, Juliana und Crist," finds that 
 for 10,000 half-lines of each type, there is double alliteration in 
 5,347 of type A, 3,236 of type B, 1,090 of C, 7,736 of D, and 
 6,462 of E. This increase of alliteration in the types composed 
 of feet containing an unequal number of syllables, helps the ear 
 to co-ordinate more readily these groups composed of such unequal 
 number of syllables. 
 
 (2). Means of Binding together ike half-lines. Another 
 function of alliteration is to bind together the two half-lines 
 into the normal line. Although the half-lines are separated by 
 the caesural pause, and in one sense each is complete in itself, 
 yet the recurring alliteration cements them into a more compre- 
 hensive and artistic whole, making, as already said, the line, and 
 not the half-line, the pre-eminent rhythmic unit in Anglo-Saxon 
 poetry. 
 
 Sometimes we have what might be considered as an approach to 
 a modified form of strophic structure. The alliterating letter is 
 repeated in two, or even three consecutive lines, thus binding them 
 more closely together, rhythmically at least, than are the others ; as, 
 
 j_^ 
 w^nede to wiste : wyrm call gedreas. 
 
 for -Son wat se sceal his winedryhtnes. "W. 36-37. 
 
 Mae"g ic be me sylfum so^giedd wr6can 
 
 srSas scgan, hu ic geswincdagurn. Sea. 1-2. 
 
 hwa iSaere waelstowe wealdan mote. 
 
 TFodon fta waelwulfas, for waStere ne mtiron, 
 
 wicinga werod wst ofer Pantan. Br. 95-96-97. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 27 
 
 Additional examples are : W. 48-49, 64-65 ; Sea. 63-64, 85-86 ; 
 Br. 29-30, 21-22, 71-72, 81-82, 110-111, 136-137, and others. 
 A yet more common phenomenon is the recurrence of the same 
 alliterating letter in every other line, and even in four alternate 
 lines in succession. The question naturally suggests itself here 
 as to whether this produces an effect at all similar to that of 
 Modern English rhyme. The following are examples : 
 
 iSonne he be clifum cnossa<5 calde ge^rungen. 
 
 forste gebunden, 
 
 Waeron fet mine 
 caldum clommum 
 fta he forS eode, 
 iSaet he mid orde 
 /lotan on ftam/olce 
 
 forwegen mid his waepne. 
 
 _/_ / 
 
 /rynd and ge/eran, 
 
 "Sonne eall iSisse worulde 
 
 / 
 swa nil missenlice 
 
 winde bewaune 
 
 hrime bihrorene, 
 
 / / 
 
 TForiaiS 'Sa wlnsalo, 
 
 dreame bidrorene ; 
 wlouc bi 
 
 "Saer ^a ceare seofedun. Sea. 8-10. 
 
 gemunde, 
 anne geraehte 
 ftaet se on/6ldan laeg 
 Ongann iSa winas manian, 
 Saethi/orSeoden. Br. 225-229. 
 weste stondeft, 
 geond $isne middangeard 
 weallas stonda'S, 
 hryiSge ^a ^deras. 
 wal'dend licga'S 
 
 duguS 4all gecrong 
 
 / / 
 
 sume wig fornom. W. 74-80. 
 
 Other examples are : W. 5-7, 6-8, 14-16, 26-28, 65-67, 85-87, 
 98-100 ; Sea. 28-30, 32-34, 54-56, 89-93 ; Br. 2-4, 15-17, 18-20, 
 etc. 
 
 (3). Element of Tone-color. Alliteration has incidentally 
 the additional function of ornamentation, as in Modern English. 
 The repetition of the sound is pleasing to the ear, and adds melody 
 to the line. Alliteration is an element of that " tone-color " in 
 which the ear takes such delight. 
 
28 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 3. RULES OF ALLITEKATION. The alliteration must fall 
 upon the most important word, or words, in the half-line. It 
 usually coincides with the word-accent, and it must coincide with 
 the sentence-accent, and with the rhythmical-accent; frequently 
 there is a conjunction of alliteration with all three accents. 
 
 As a rule, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, and such parts 
 of speech, do not take alliteration. This falls most frequently 
 upon nouns, and substantives in general ; and of two substantives 
 occurring together, the more important always takes the allitera- 
 tion. Prepositions and similar words may alliterate, however, 
 when they are especially emphatic, and thus become of leading 
 importance in the sentence ; as, 
 
 Hwaet ! ge nu eagum to on loeiaiS 
 
 edldum edrue and aefter 6n. Phoen. 237-238. 
 
 GeAyrst -Su, saelida Awaet this folc s^cgeiS ? Br. 45. 
 
 h6t iSa up b6ran a$elinga gestreon, Beo. 1920. 
 
 Nouns (including the substantive forms of the verb) and adjec- 
 tives are, in general, the most important words in a sentence, and 
 consequently most often take the alliteration. Of two or more 
 nouns of equal importance in the same half-line, the one which 
 occupies the emphatic position that is, which comes first regu- 
 larly takes the alliteration. If any other word should be especially 
 emphatic, however, the alliteration falls upon that, no matter what 
 part of speech it is. The principle is, that alliteration marks the 
 important idea, by whatever word it is expressed. 
 
 4. PLACE OF ALLITEEATION. Alliteration falls always 
 upon the arsis, never upon the thesis of a foot. 
 
 In every complete line there must be at least one alliterating 
 word in each half. There is no principle in Anglo-Saxon versi- 
 fication more inflexible than this. The very few lines which show 
 an entire lack of alliteration are due, almost without question, to 
 a corruption of the text. In the four poems analysed in Book II, 
 Part II, there are only three such ; they are : Sea. 25, Ex. 339, 
 and Ex. 413. The first of these is marked as corrupt in the text; 
 there is a break in the manuscript in the line following the second ; 
 and it is highly probable that the third is likewise defective. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 29 
 
 A foot is allowed only one alliterative word ; where examples 
 occur apparently outside of this rule, they are to be considered as 
 merely accidental, and not as an intentional effort for triple allitera- 
 tion in the line. Such examples are the following : 
 
 up ateah on slaep ; gesan stddon. Ex. 490. 
 
 d"ngan ofer eorSan ^rrfelafe. Ex. 403. 
 
 Oft ic scolde ana whtna gehwylce. W. 8. 
 
 adl o$$e yldo tfSe fcghete. Sea. 70. 
 
 iis sceal ord and ecg aer geseman. Br. 60. 
 
 TFind wearS JFulfmaer waelraeste geceas. W. 113. 
 
 There is usually only one alliterative word in the second half- 
 line ; and as a rule, that is in the arsis of the first foot. This is 
 the principal alliterating word in the line, and it is sometimes 
 called the " head stave." In the four poems referred to above, 
 only two certain examples of lack of alliteration in this place were 
 met with ; these are : 
 
 sigora gesynto, -Saer ge srSien. Ex. 272. 
 
 saes act 6nde. Wigbord scmon. Ex. 466. 
 We have also : 
 
 ra$e aet Mde Offa for&eawen, Br. 288, 
 
 but the line is marked in the text as being corrupt. 
 
 Alliteration in both feet in the second half-line is rare. The 
 following are examples : 
 
 </rete$ ^liwstafum 6re6rne ^eondsceawaiS. W. 52. Also 15. 
 adl o$$e 2/ldo 63$e ecghete. Sea. 70. 
 
 Me sfndon to ^ seamenn snelle. Br. 29. Also 165, 198, 
 
 230, 32, 44. 
 
 Seodenholde $a waes -Sridda wic. Ex. 87. Also 187, 
 
 190, 295, 451, 38, 113, 298. 
 
30 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 More unusual still in normal lines, is double alliteration in both 
 half-lines. It occurs in the following places in these poems : 
 
 ftaet ge $isne ^arraes mid ^afole for^yldon. Br. 32. 
 
 2/rre and dndraed dgeaf him dndsware. Br. 44. 
 
 /r6cne ge/ylled /rumbearna /ela. Ex. 38. Also 113, 398. 
 
 Also Sea. 70 and W. 52 and 111 (long lines). 
 
 By far the most common type of alliteration is double alliter- 
 ation in the first half-line, with alliteration in the first foot only 
 of the second half-line ; as, 
 
 Oft him anhaga are geblde^S. W. 1. 
 
 Mtre 6reostcare ge&iden haebbe. Sea. 4. 
 
 /eorr a/ysan and/orS gangan. Br. 3. 
 
 / 
 wraeclico wordriht wera cneorissum. Ex. 3. 
 
 Of the total 1114 complete lines in the Wanderer, Seafarer, 
 Battle of Maldon, and Exodus, 570 more than half are of this 
 type. The number in each poem is : W. 70 ; Sea. 58 ; Br. 147 ; 
 and Ex. 295. In proportion to the number of lines in each poem, 
 the occurrence of each type is fairly uniform ; it comprises about 
 61% of W., 55% of Sea., 45% of Br., and 51% of Ex. 
 
 The next most common type is alliteration in the first foot only 
 in each half-line; as, 
 
 e6rlas fornomon c^sca $r$e. W. 99. 
 
 edrfoShw'ile 6ft Srowade. Sea. 3. 
 
 $aet se eorl nolde i/rhfto geftolian. Br. 66. 
 
 V / 
 
 Mgendra gehwam Zangsumne raed. Ex. 6. 
 
 There are 294 examples of this type a little more than one- 
 fourth of the entire number. 17 lines of this number might pos- 
 sibly be classed under other types. The type is distributed as 
 follows among the individual poems : W. 25, Sea. 29, Br. 69, 
 and Ex. 171. The occurrence is not quite as uniform proportion- 
 ally as in the preceding type. The following is the per cent, of 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 31 
 
 each poem of this type : W. 22 %, Sea. 27 %, Br. 21 %, and Ex. 
 30%. 
 
 The third type in frequency of occurrence is alliteration in the 
 second foot of the first half-line and in the first foot of the second 
 half-line; as, 
 
 J. 
 
 ftaet br3 in eorle ^dryhten fteaw. W. 12. 
 
 Maeg ic be me sylfum so^giedd wre"can. Sea. 1. 
 
 be 'Sam man mihte oncnawan ftaet se cwlht nolde. Br. 96. 
 
 ftaer him geseald sigora waldend. Ex. 16. 
 
 This type numbers 218 examples, 30 of which could possibly 
 be included elsewhere. They are distributed as follows : W. 14, 
 Sea. 12, Br. 97, Ex. 95. The per cent, of each poem under this 
 type is: W. 12%, Sea. 11%, Br. 30%, Ex. 16J%. We note 
 here that the occurrence of this type is by no means uniform in 
 these poems, and that the frequency of its use corresponds in a 
 general way with the supposed date of the poem. The earlier 
 poems, the Wanderer, the Seafarer, and Exodus use it very spar- 
 ingly ; while the Battle of Maldon, which comes nearly three 
 centuries later, has nearly one-third of the entire number of its 
 lines of this type. The explanation of the cause of this increase, 
 and its rhythmical significance, is a question beyond the scope of 
 this discussion. 
 
 The remaining types of alliteration are insignificant in their 
 occurrence. We find seven examples of the first foot in the first 
 half-line alliterating with both feet in the second half-line ; as, 
 
 ne maeg we"rigmod wyrde wrSstondan. W. 15. 
 
 Me s&idon to the' sa^menn snelle. Br. 29. Also 165, 198, 230. 
 
 / / _%_ 
 swa $aer e6rp w6rod ec anlaeddon. Ex. 194. Also 97. 
 
 Four of these examples are in the late poem, the Battle of Maldon. 
 
 There is one example in these poems of the first foot in the first 
 
 half-line alliterating with the second foot in the second half-line : 
 
 saes aet ende. Wigbord scmon. Ex. 466. 
 
32 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 Also a single example of the second foot only in each half, allit- 
 erating : 
 
 rafte wearS aet Mlde Oifa forAeawen. Br. 288. 
 
 This line is marked in the text as probably corrupt. 
 
 Again we have both feet in the first-half alliterating with the 
 second foot in the second-half; three examples : 
 
 / / / 
 
 wigan wigheardne, se waes, haten JFulfstan. Br. 75. 
 
 / / / 
 
 <7od on greote a maeg gnornian. Br. 315. 
 
 j_ i 
 sigora gesynto ftaer ge srSien. Ex. 272. 
 
 The first of these is marked in the text as probably corrupt. 
 
 Likewise the second foot in the first-half alliterating with both 
 feet in the second-half ; four examples : 
 
 I I / ' _*_ 
 
 nu se agend ^p araede. Ex. 295. 
 
 __,_ j_ 
 Waeron ^gypte ft oncyrde. Ex. 451. Also 190, 187. 
 
 Two of these examples, all of which occur in Exodus, might be 
 included elsewhere. 
 
 5. TRANSVERSE ALLITERATION. Very rarely we find the 
 first foot in the first half-line alliterating with the first foot in the 
 second half-line, while at the same time the second foot in the first 
 half-line alliterates with the second foot in the second half-line ; as, 
 
 Ge/iyrst $u saelida Awaet 'Sis folc s6ge$? Br. 45. 
 on/6r$we"gas folc aefter wolcnum. Ex. 350. 
 
 There occurs also very rarely the first foot of the first half-line 
 alliterating with the second foot of the second half-line, and the 
 second foot of the first half-line alliterating with the first foot of 
 the second half; as, 
 
 .AeTter $am w6rdum we"rod call aras. Ex. 299. 
 
 Twaet we/e"or and neah ge/rigen Mbaft. Ex. 1. 
 
 Dr. Frucht, in his dissertation before referred to, takes the 
 position, in opposition to Eieger, that this "transverse alliteration" 
 is not to be considered as an artistic form, striven for by the poet 
 himself. In support of his view, he shows that in 1,406 normal 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 33 
 
 lines, without double alliteration in the first foot, in the three 
 poems which he analysed, there were only 64 examples of trans- 
 verse alliteration ; as there are just 1 9 different alliterating letters, 
 or groups of letters, he argues that we must expect 74 examples 
 (1,406 -r- 19), even if this transverse alliteration be purely acci- 
 dental. This calculation, it seems to the writer, is worth little in 
 showing how frequently transverse alliteration may be expected 
 to occur. All that it shows is that in 1,406 alliterating lines, 
 each alliterative letter may be expected to appear 74 times, pro- 
 vided all the alliterating letters are used with the same degree of 
 frequency. But as there are in both half-lines a number of orders 
 in which a letter may stand and yet alliterate (he excludes only 
 one of these double alliteration in the first half-line) his calcula- 
 tion by no means shows that in 74 cases out of 1,406 the alliterating 
 letter will take in each half-line either of the two orders which 
 give transverse alliteration. 
 
 While Dr. Frucht's argument is by no means final on the 
 subject, yet the rarety of the occurrence of the phenomenon seems 
 to be sufficient to indicate that the Anglo-Saxon poet did not 
 specially strive after it. Perhaps it is going too far to say that 
 he did not consciously perceive it as alliteration. It is more 
 probable that he felt that to introduce a secondary alliterating 
 letter into the line would weaken the force of the primary allitera- 
 tion, and that the unity of the half-line would be impaired by 
 connecting the separate feet of the half-lines, rather than the half- 
 lines themselves, by alliteration. 
 
 Summary of the types of alliteration in the Wanderer, Seafarer, 
 Exodus, and Battle of Maldon. (The feet are numbered a, b, c, 
 d, in the order of their occurrence in the normal line.) 
 
 fa-cl fa-d) No 
 
 Wanderer : 
 
 .a-b-c 
 70. 
 
 a-c 
 25. 
 
 b-c a-c-d a-b-c-d 
 14. 1 2 
 
 b-c-d a-b-d 
 
 a-d 
 
 b-d jb-aj 
 
 Ib-c/ 
 
 allit. 
 
 * of whole type, 
 
 , 61* 
 
 22* 
 
 12* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Seafarer : 
 
 58. 
 
 29. 
 
 12. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1. 
 
 * of type. 
 
 55* 
 
 27* 
 
 11* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Exodus : 
 
 295. 
 
 171. 
 
 95. 
 
 2. 
 
 3. 
 
 5. 1. 
 
 1. 
 
 0. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 2. 
 
 * of type. 
 
 51* 
 
 30* 
 
 16J* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Battle of Maldon : 
 
 147. 
 
 69. 
 
 97. 
 
 4. 
 
 2. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. 
 
 * of type. 
 
 45* 
 
 21* 
 
 30* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, 
 
 570. 
 
 294. 
 
 218. 
 
 7. 
 
 8. 
 
 5. 3. 
 
 1. 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 
 2. 
 
 4. 
 
34 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 No. lines in each poem : Wanderer 115; Seafarer 106 ; Exodus 
 570 ; Battle of Maldon 323. Total, 1,114. 
 
 The above classification has been made according to the prin- 
 ciples which the writer conceives to govern in alliteration, and 
 which have already been stated. He has classed as double 
 alliteration all cases where there are two words in the same half- 
 line with the same initial sound, provided both are of sufficient 
 importance to receive either a word-accent or a sentence-accent 
 without doing violence to the meaning. This has led him to class 
 as alliterating, 48 words in type a-b-c, 3 in type a-c-d, and 2 in 
 a-b-c-d, in the Wanderer, Seafarer, and Battle of Maldon, which 
 are not so marked in Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Reader the text that 
 has been largely used for these three poems. The following are 
 some examples (the additional alliterating word being printed 
 entirely in italics) : 
 
 wod wintercearig ofer waftema geband. W. 24. 
 
 wdriaft fta winsalo, waldend licgaft. W. 78. 
 
 Also W. 3, 32, 56, 64, 81, and 105. 
 
 gQcunnod in ceole ce"arselde fela. Sea. 5. 
 
 Nap nihtscua worSan sniwde. Sea. 31. 
 
 Also Sea. 27, 28, 36, 63, 81, 87, and 88. 
 
 Megan to Mndum and /iige godum. Br. 4. 
 
 fta stod on staefte, strSlice clypode. Br. 25. 
 
 Also Br. 11, 14, 23, 43, 59, 66, 89, 90, etc. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 35 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 METRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE NOEMAL LINE. 
 
 1. SIEVERS' FUNDAMENTAL RULES. Prof. Sievers, in his 
 article on the "Rhythm of the Anglo-Saxon Alliterative Line" in 
 Paul and Braune's Reiirage, lays down, on pages 220-222, Vol. 
 X, the following "fundamental rules for the structure of the 
 second half-line" : 
 
 " 1. The half-line consists of two parts, each containing an arsis. 
 For lack of a better name, we shall designate these parts as ' feet.' 
 
 " 2. Both of these feet are either two-syllable, or the one is 
 one-syllable, the other three-syllable. A one-syllable foot consists 
 merely of an arsis ; a two-syllable foot consists of an arsis and a 
 thesis ; and a three-syllable foot of an arsis and a two-syllable 
 thesis, one syllable of which has a secondary accent ; or, otherwise 
 expressed, of a primary arsis, a ' secondary arsis/ * and a thesis. 
 
 " 3. From this it follows that both feet are not to be considered, 
 as a matter of course, as measures of equal time in the sense of 
 the rhyme-verse. Equal duration of the feet can be admitted in 
 general only of those verses which consist of two-syllable feet. 
 In the case of those formed after the scheme 1 + 3 syllables, or 
 3 + 1, the greater expansion of the one foot is made compensation 
 for the shortening of the other. 
 
 " 4. The two-syllable feet are either falling in rhythm (trochaic), 
 or rising (iambic) ; the three-syllable feet are only falling, with a 
 secondary accent on the second or third syllable. Rising and fall- 
 ing types can be united with one another in interchange at pleasure, 
 it being presumed that the whole half- verse will not become longer 
 than four syllables. (Compare No. 2). Only in the first do we 
 find the half-line expanded into greater length (2 + 3 and 3 + 2). 
 
 "5. The arsis consists, as a rule, of a syllable having a primary 
 accent ; more rarely of heavy suffixes or ending syllables. 
 
 " The bearer of the accent can be, in general, only a long sylla- 
 
 1 The objection to this term has been given on a previous page. 
 
36 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 ble, or the resolution of this into x. Only in the case of two 
 accented syllables coming together (also in the case of a primary 
 and a secondary accent) can the second accented syllable be short- 
 ened to u. 
 
 " 7. The theses are completed mostly through suffixes and end- 
 ing syllables ; also through enclitic and proclitic words ; but only 
 exceptionally by the members of compound words. (These, how- 
 ever, must not take a principal accent.) Moreover, such compounds 
 in the thesis, as a rule, in turn exercise a marked influence on the 
 following arsis. 
 
 " 8. The closing thesis of every half-line which ends with a 
 thesis, must be monosyllabic. The middle thesis, in whatever 
 type, is mostly monosyllabic ; very often it has two syllables, 
 rarely more. The initial thesis of a rising initial verse usually 
 has from one to three syllables, rarely more. 
 
 " 9. Real anacruses before otherwise completed rhythmic lines 
 (of four or five syllables) appear only as exceptions. " 
 
 As has already been noted, we do not follow Sievers altogether 
 in the above rules, especially number 3 and number 8. Our reasons 
 for differing with him in the former case have already been given, 1 
 and it is unnecessary to repeat them. They are based on our 
 conceptions of the requirements of all poetic rhythm Anglo-Saxon 
 included. 
 
 Prof. Sievers has gone to great lengths in his endeavor to restrict 
 the closing thesis of each half-line within the limits he has set. 
 He has been compelled to change grammatical forms, to substitute 
 in many places a conjectural Anglian dialect for the West-Saxon, 
 to give the same syllable a different " quantity " in different con- 
 nections, and sometimes to disregard ordinary rhythmical require- 
 ments. It is doubtful if the results have been worth the effort ; 
 it makes little difference in the historical development of English 
 metre whether Sievers' contention "that only one syllable is 
 admitted in the closing thesis of a half-line " be true or not. He 
 himself admits that it is not true of the West-Saxon dialect 
 the dialect in which the principal poems are transmitted and it 
 
 1 See p. 14, ante. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 37 
 
 certainly is not true of Modern English. If his contention be 
 admitted, the chief result is only to show that the Anglian dialect 
 followed the old Norse in limiting the closing thesis of the half- 
 line to a single syllable. But the old Norse limited the other 
 thesis as well/ and why the Anglian dialect should follow it in 
 one thesis and not in the other, if the restriction is one of so great 
 importance, has not as yet been made very clear. On the other 
 hand the Saxon, and the Old High German generally, as Prof. 
 Sievers himself has shown in the same article, observed no such 
 limitation, but used two-syllable closing theses with perfect free- 
 dom. 
 
 Above all, it seems to us that there are many cases in which the 
 requirements of the rhythm demand that we admit a type with 
 two syllables in the closing thesis. We give some examples from 
 the early poems, the Wanderer, Seafarer, Exodus, and Beowulf 
 (the whole line is quoted in each case) : 
 
 wmtra dael in woruld-rice TFita sceal geSyldig. W. 65. 
 
 x x x I 6x xx || x x x | x || 
 
 TForiaS $a winsalo waldend licgaS. W. 78. 
 
 and graedig (/ielleS anfloga. Sea. 62. 
 
 'Or 
 
 ^ x x | . x || . x I ^ x x || 
 
 edlle onmedlan eorSan rices. Sea. 81. 
 
 ^ x | x x || ^ x . x || 
 / 
 
 ftaet ge gewurSien wuldres aldor. Ex. 270. 
 
 wraetlicu waegfara o"S i^olcna hrof. Ex. 298. 
 
 Mlige Aeahtreowe swa h&eleft gefrunon. Ex. 388. 
 
 XX I XXI X L/X X wX 
 
 nu us ioceras Veteran secga^. Ex. 530. 
 
 - x l- xx ll ^ x l^ x ll 
 
 J See Supplement II of Part II, (pp. 520, et seq.) of Sievers' article already 
 referred to, in Paul and Braune's JBeitrdge, Vol. X. 
 
38 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 word waeron wynsume. Eode TPealhSeow forS. Beo. 613. 
 
 L x x | x x || xx 4 I x . |] 
 
 /yrd-searu /uslicu hine /yrwyt braec. Beo. 232. 
 
 L x x | . x x || x x ^ I x u || 
 
 Beowulf maftelode on him iyrne scan. Beo. 405. 
 
 x \ 6x x x \\ x x I x || 
 
 /Sorh is me to s^cganne on sefan mmum. Beo. 473. 
 
 L x x x | . x x || x 6x ^ x || 
 
 Jtfynte se wanscaSa manna cynnes. Beo. 713. 
 
 x x | x x || X I X jj 
 
 Sean hie hira ieag-gyfan 6anan folgedon. Beo. 1103. 
 
 L xxx|^l xx || u 
 
 A great many similar examples might be quoted, but the above 
 are sufficient. In the Wanderer, Seafarer, and Exodus alone 
 there are at least 101 half-lines in which the rhythm seems to 
 demand that they be classed under type A, with two syllables in 
 the closing thesis. Of these, 88 are in the first half-line, and only 
 13 in the second. This proportion indicates what is true gener- 
 ally : the two-syllable closing thesis is very rare in the second 
 half-line. 
 
 We have cited no examples from the Battle of Maldon, inas- 
 much as Prof. Sievers admits the occurrence of two-syllable closing 
 theses in the later poems. It is interesting to note in this con- 
 nection, however, that of the 646 half-lines in the Battle of Maldon, 
 we have classed only 35 under this type, making about 5J ^ ; 
 while of the 1582 half-lines of the other three poems, there are 
 101 under this type, making 7 ^ showing thus a greater pro- 
 portion under the earlier poems. 
 
 Whether we have examples of two-syllables in the closing thesis 
 under C, is a doubtful question. If they really occur, they must 
 be, from the very nature of the rhythm of C, light and easily 
 enunciated. They must be such that they can be given in con- 
 nection with the preceding arsis in the time of a normal arsis ; 
 otherwise they will change the character of the rhythm from the 
 ascending to the descending, and so change- entirely the nature of 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 39 
 
 the type. The following are examples that might possibly be 
 classed under type C : 
 
 Ic S6 Sancige. Br. 173. to on IdciaS. Ex. 278. 
 
 x . | x x || x u I . x x || 
 
 for Son wat se Se sceall. W. 37. ne syn godes Seodscipes. Ex. 528. 
 xx - | - xx ll xx & I - x x II 
 
 Sonne hi maest mid him. Sea. 84. a maeg gnornian. Br. 315. 
 xx^j^ xx || x u I ^xx|| 
 
 ac hi faestlice, Br. 82. 
 
 X L | L X X || 
 
 Se Saer baldlicost. Br. 78. 
 
 x L | L x x || 
 
 By using anacrusis, these and similar examples would fall under 
 type D ; and perhaps the argument as a whole is in favor of plac- 
 ing them there, although anacrusis is to be avoided, unless distinctly 
 demanded by the rhythm. 
 
 2. STRUCTURE OF THE NORMAL LINE. (1) Every com- 
 plete normal line is composed of two half-lines. These are, in 
 general, of equal length or time though this period of time 
 may be occupied by a different number of sounds (or pauses) in 
 each half-line. The division between the two half-lines is marked 
 by a caesural pause, which falls uniformly in the metrical center 
 of the line. It must not separate the syllables of a word, nor, as 
 a rule, words joined in very close syntactical relation ; and it 
 regularly coincides with a logical pause. 
 
 (2). Each half-line of every normal line contains two, and only 
 two, feet or measures. Each foot must contain one, and only one, 
 primary rhythmical-accent. The part of the foot which takes the 
 rhythmical-accent is called the arsis. Feet usually consist of an 
 arsis and an unaccented syllable, or syllables, called the thesis. 
 The thesis can not take a rhythmical-accent. There are feet which 
 consist of an arsis only. 
 
 (3). The feet in the same half-line are approximately equal in 
 length in recitation, although they may (and usually do) consist of 
 an unequal number of sounds. The possible number of sounds in 
 
40 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 a single foot may range (under definite limitations) from one to six. 
 In the case of the greater number of syllables, it is essential that 
 they be light, unemphatic, and easily enunciated ; otherwise the 
 verse will have a heavy dragging effect. If a foot consists of an 
 arsis alone, the lack of a thesis is supplied by a pause. The other 
 foot then in the half-line will regularly contain a thesis of two sylla- 
 bles, one of which usually has a secondary pronunciation-accent. 
 
 (4). A foot is classed as an ascending rhythm, or as a descend- 
 ing rhythm, accordingly as the unaccented or the accented part 
 comes first. The ascending rhythms correspond to the iambic and 
 anapaestic rhythms in Modern English, while the descending cor- 
 respond to the trochaic and dactylic. Feet of the descending rhythm 
 are much the more numerous in Anglo-Saxon poetry. 
 
 (5). The arsis, or accented part of a foot, usually consists of the 
 most important syllable of an important word in the sentence. It 
 always has a rhythmical-accent, and regularly takes besides, either 
 a word-accent, or a sentence-accent, or both. The syllable which 
 constitutes the arsis is usually the important syllable of a noun, or 
 adjective, or verb ; but it may be an adverb, a preposition, or a 
 conjunction, if this have a sentence-accent. 
 
 (6). The arsis is usually long in quantity. Even where not 
 long in the classic sense, the sentence-accent or pronunciation- 
 accent falling on it may cause it to be held longer in enunciation 
 than the so-called " long " syllable (according to classic rules) in 
 an adjoining thesis. When the syllable immediately preceding 
 has an accent either a rhythmical-accent (as in type C), or a 
 secondary word-accent (as in heavy compounds), the syllable con- 
 stituting the arsis in the second foot is frequently a light or 
 " short " syllable, even in the classic sense. This is doubtless to 
 compensate for the previous heavy syllable, the short syllable 
 being more easily enunciated in that connection than another long 
 one would be. Sometimes instead of a single long syllable con- 
 stituting the arsis, it consists of two short or light syllables. This 
 is called the " resolution of the arsis." The first of these syllables 
 takes the stress of the accent, and the second is joined to it as an 
 enclitic. Both together are pronounced in the time of a normal arsis. 
 
 (7). The thesis normally consists entirely of unaccented sylla- 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 41 
 
 bles one or more. The usual number is from one to three ; 
 theses of a greater number of syllables than three are rare. The 
 number of syllables which the thesis of a foot may have is 
 restricted to some extent by the verse-type to which the foot 
 belongs. In type A, the closing thesis of the half-line is not per- 
 mitted more than two syllables ; the closing thesis of C rarely, if 
 ever, has more than one. Theses beginning a verse type have a 
 greater fondness than any others for many syllables. The sylla- 
 bles of the thesis are not necessarily " short " in the classical 
 sense ; they may be " long " as well. The chief requirement is 
 that they do not take a sentence accent, or a metrical accent. In 
 types D and E, one of the syllables of the thesis regularly takes a 
 secondary word-accent the accent belonging to the second part 
 of a compound word ; but this must be carefully distinguished 
 from a rhythmical-accent. 
 
 (8). The first arsis in the second half-line, is always the first 
 word that alliterates in that half-line, and every alliterating word 
 in either half-line represents an arsis. Only words that are 
 important in the line words that take a sentence-accent, or a 
 word-accent, or both can be considered as alliterating. 
 
 (9). Anacrusis may occur with any half-line that commences 
 with a descending measure. It performs no rhythmical function, 
 however, and it is to be avoided wherever possible in analysing 
 the metrical structure. 
 
 3. SUGGESTIONS TO THE STUDENT IN ANALYSING THE 
 NORMAL, LINE. 
 
 1. Fix the arses by means of the alliterating words (beginning 
 with the second half-line), the sentence-accents, and the word- 
 accents. 
 
 2. Be guided by the ordinary principles of rhythm in classify- 
 ing the types. 
 
 3. Prefer simple and regular types ; repeat when possible types 
 that have occurred in neighboring lines. 
 
 4. Emphasize the thought by means of the verse type ; do not 
 sacrifice sense to sound ; let the thought determine the sentence 
 accent. 
 
 5. Avoid anacruses, unless actually necessary. 
 
42 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 6. Represent as syllables in the verse type the consonants, /, n, 
 and r, in all words in which they are pronounced as separate syllables. 
 
 7. Remember that Anglo-Saxon versification is "accentual," 
 and that quantity here has the same definition as in Modern Eng- 
 lish, rather than that of Latin or Greek. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE ANGLO-SAXON LONG LINE, OR HEXAMETER. 
 
 1. OCCURRENCE. In addition to the Anglo-Saxon normal 
 line of four feet, there are met with in Anglo-Saxon poetry between 
 four and five hundred long lines, or " expanded lines," containing 
 six feet each. These long lines are very generally distributed 
 throughout the poetry ; the principal poems which do not contain 
 any, are the Juliana, the Battle of Maldon, and the West-Saxon 
 translation of the Psalms. They occur most commonly in groups, 
 but are also found now and then occurring singly in the midst of 
 normal lines. Likewise single normal lines are sometimes found 
 in a group of long lines. Whether a normal half-line and a long 
 half-line can be united into a whole line, is still an unsettled ques- 
 tion. 1 The requirements of the rhythm would argue against it. 
 
 It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between a long line and 
 a normal line with anacrusis, or with an expanded thesis. Espe- 
 cially is this the case where the long line occurs isolated in the 
 midst of short lines. Perhaps the best way to treat such lines is 
 to make them conform to the metrical types of the surrounding 
 lines, if it can be done without violence to rhythmical principles. 
 It is not probable that the Anglo-Saxon poet, more than the 
 Modern English poet, would change the character of the rhythm 
 for a single line only, without a good reason. The " rhythmic 
 impulse," as well as the nature of the thought, should be care- 
 
 ^chipper in his "Englische Metrik" (page 48), takes the position that they 
 can, but the examples he cites are hardly conclusive. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 43 
 
 fully considered in classifying such lines. As a rule the long lines 
 are used where a stately, majestic movement seems to be demanded. 
 2. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LONG LINE AND NORMAL LINE. 
 The chief formal difference between the long line and the normal 
 line is the difference in the number of feet ; the normal line con- 
 tains four, the long line six feet. But the rhythmical difference 
 is much more considerable than would be indicated by this. In 
 the rhythm of most of the long lines, we have something altogether 
 different from that of the normal line. We have a rhythm which, 
 in some cases at least, approaches very nearly our Modern Eng- 
 lish dactylic hexameter especially where the caesura falls in the 
 middle of the line. This will be perceived from a comparison of 
 the following lines : 
 
 $m ofer fteoda gehwylce Eal Su hit getSyldum healdest. 
 
 xx|.xx|^x|| x xx|^x| ^ x || 
 
 Travelingthe vale with mine eyes green meadows and lake with green island 
 ^ x x | . x x . x L x **. L x x I . x || 
 
 mae*gen mid modes snyttrum. Ic Se sceal mine gelaestan. 
 
 X 
 
 Dark in its basin of rock and the bare stream flowing in brightness 
 
 L x x | . x x | . xx|^ x \ L * x \ L x|| 
 
 j_ I I 
 
 freode swawit fiirSum spraecen $u scealt to frofre weorSan. 
 xxx|-x (Sx||^xx^x|^x|| Beo. 1706-08 
 
 Thrilled with beauty and love in the wooded slope of the mountain. 
 L x|^xx|^ xx|.x'|^ xx|. x || 
 
 Campbell. 
 
 We think it will be evident to anyone who reads these lines 
 rhythmically, that there is a similarity in the largeness and sweep 
 of the rhythm in each case that is very striking. But while these 
 rhythms are very like each other, they are both very different 
 from the Latin and Greek dactylic hexameter. 
 
 3. STRUCTURE OF THE LONG LINE. There are two 
 theories of the structure of the long line. Prof. Sievers suggests 
 that it consists of an ordinary type with L x . . . . l or . . . . x L , 
 prefixed. On the other hand, K. Luick (in Paul and Braune's 
 
 1 The dots indicate the number of additional short syllables that may occur. 
 
44 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 Beitrage, Vol. XIII) proposes the theory that it is the result of 
 the moulding together of two ordinary types that before the 
 first type is regularly completed, there is added to it one of the 
 five regular types. The latter view is rather the more probable, 
 and as it explains very well all the phenomena, and gives an 
 intelligible basis for naming the types of the long lines, we have 
 adopted it here. 
 
 4. ALLJTEKATION IN THE LONG LINE. Alliteration is 
 more abundant in the long line than in the normal line. Two 
 alliterating words in the first half-line are the rule, and sometimes 
 we find even three ; as, 
 
 #uman to iSam </yldnan #ylde ~$e he him to #6de geteod. Dan. 204. 
 
 /iwe"orfon $a Aae*$enan Meftas fram "Sam Mlgan cnihton. Dan. 267. 
 With double alliteration in the first half-line, it usually falls on 
 the first and second arses ; as, 
 
 /rofre to JPaeder on he*ofonum ftaer us call seo/aestnung stondaft. 
 
 W. 115. 
 Earely the second and third arses have the alliteration ; as, 
 
 waeron hyra raedas rice simian hie r6dera waldend. Dan. 457. 
 There are possibly examples of alliteration on the first and 
 third arses, if we include as long lines such as the following from 
 the '" Rhyme Poem " : 
 
 Dreamas swa her gedreosaiS dryhtscype gehreosaft. Reiml. 55. 
 
 Hf her me"n forftjosaft feahtras 6ft geceosaft. Reiml. 56. 
 
 Such lines, however, can perhaps be better analysed as normal 
 lines with expanded theses ; the connection and the thought do 
 not suggest the majestic movement of the long line. 
 
 There are rare examples of single alliteration in the first half- 
 line ; in this case the alliteration usually falls on the second arsis ; as, 
 
 i i ^ i_ i 
 
 %e me swa leoht oftywde and mine leode genrede. El. 163. 
 
 In the second half-line single alliteration is the rule, and that 
 falls regularly upon the second arsis ; as, 
 
 br<5 se $e eaftmod Ie"ofai5 cy me$ him seo dr of h^ofonum. 
 
 Sea. 107. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 45 
 
 There are two exceptions, with alliteration on the first arsis, 
 in the second half-line in Gn. Exodus ; as, 
 
 sty ran sceal mon sfrongum mode storm, of holm gebringe'S. 
 
 Gn. Ex. 51. 
 
 Rarely we have double alliteration in the second half-line, which 
 falls then either on the first and second arses ; as, 
 
 $wa cwaeft snottor on mode gesaet him sundor aet rune. W. 111. 
 
 wuldorcyninges word geweotan iSa iSa witigan iSry. And. 801, 
 
 or on the second and third arses ; as, 
 
 naes him sweg to sorge $on ma fte sunnan scima. Dan. 264. 
 
 5. THE TYPES. As already remarked, the types of the 
 long lines can best be explained as resulting from the merging 
 together of two normal types the second type (minus an initial 
 thesis in B and C) following immediately after the first foot of the 
 first type. In the long lines transmitted to us, the following types 
 are represented : 
 
 l_Type A-A. 1 -x.... | ^ x . |-x|| 
 feorh of feonda dome. Ex. 570-a. 
 
 L x | L x | L x || 
 
 $aer $u ftolades si&San. Cr. 1410-b. 
 
 L x | ujj x I L x || 
 
 2_Type A-B. L x . . . | L \ x L \\ 
 
 waesce^ his warig hr%l. Gn. Ex. 99. 
 
 L x x | L | x dx || 
 
 3_Type A-C. * ( . . . x L \ L x || 
 
 wlitige to woruldnytte. Gen. 1016. 
 
 ^ xxx 
 
 4_Type A-D. - x . . | - | ^ 
 
 bSalde byrnwigg^nde. Jud. 338. 
 
 .Xl.\.X 
 
 1 The dots in the metrical scheme represent the highest number of additional 
 syllables that occur in the thesis. 
 
46 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 5 Type A-E. 
 
 sweord and swatigne helm. Jud. 338. 
 
 x L x L 
 
 6 Type B-A. x-x...|-x.|-x|| 
 alaetan liges ganga. Dan. 263. 
 
 x : x | ^ x I i x || 
 
 This type is thus given by Sievers. The requirements of the 
 rhythm would rather class such examples under type A-A. with 
 anacrusis. 
 
 7_Type B-B. .x-|...x-|.x-|| 
 
 ~3a gewat se 6ngel up. Dan. 441. 
 
 x x ^ I x ^ I x i || 
 
 8_Type B-C. ..x-|...x-|-x|| 
 
 and nahte ^aldfeondum. Dan. 454. 
 
 x L L X 
 
 9Type B-D. . x L 
 
 on eorSan tinswaeslicne. Jud. 65. 
 
 x L\ x . I L i x || 
 
 This is according to Sievers 7 classification. But the rhythmic 
 requirements would be met better, by treating these examples 
 with anacrusis, and classing them under A-D. 
 
 10 Type B-E. x-...|-ix|.-|| 
 
 ne fte'arf he $y Sdleane gefeon. Gen. 1523. 
 
 Here again we have followed Sievers ; but the rhythm rather 
 demands that we treat the half-line with anacrusis (the first syl- 
 lable is always short and unimportant anyway) and class the 
 examples under A-E. 
 
 H_Type C-A. x L | L x . | - x || 
 
 geseo^ sorga maeste. Cr. 1209. 
 
 X L \ L x 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 47 
 
 12 Type C-C ..... x L \ L 6 x || 
 
 ne se bryne beotmaecgum. Dan. 265. 
 
 L L x 
 
 x x L L L 
 
 13 Type C-D. 
 
 $a he Syder folc samnode. Dan. 228-b. 
 
 X x dx I L I L x || 
 
 14 Type C-E. 
 
 L - x L 
 
 forSon waerlogona sint. Gen. 2409-b. 
 
 X 6 | L ux X | L || 
 
 In the above types we have given only the normal or at least 
 the simplest form. In each case occur the various modifications 
 that were met with in the discussion of the types of the normal 
 line : anacrusis, the resolution of the arses, increased number of 
 syllables in the thesis, etc. The last-mentioned variation attains 
 its maximum in the type A- A, where occur as many as five syl- 
 lables in the thesis ; as, 
 
 d6l br3 se i$e him his dryhten ne ondraedeft. Sea. 106-a. 
 
 uxxxx x|^xxx|^x|| 
 
 Of the types given above, A- A is by far the most common. 
 Prof. Sievers, in his " Altgermanische Metrik," gives the follow- 
 ing figures for a total of 848 half-lines analysed : A-A (all forms) 
 565. 1 A-B, 31. A-C, 26. A-D, 12. A-E, 20. B-A, 121. B-B, 9. 
 B-C, 8. B-D, 16. B-E, 3. C-A, 15. C-C, 9. C-D, 2. (?), C-E, 1. (?). 
 
 The fact that so nearly all of the examples belong to type A-A, 
 may have suggested to Prof. Sievers the theory that the long line 
 is formed by prefixing L x . . . . , to the normal types. 
 
 6. LINES LONGER THAN six FEET. Prof. Sievers thinks 
 that we have perhaps a few lines of eight feet or at least, half- 
 lines of four feet ; as, 
 
 6alle him brim blodige -Suhton. Ex. 572. 
 
 ^x x| C| xx|^x|| 
 
 e"ngel in $one ofn innan becwom. Dan. 238. 
 
 1 Were B-A classed here ( with anacrusis) as the rhythm seems to require, this 
 number would be increased to 686, leaving only 162 examples of all other types. 
 
48 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 beheoldon $aet 6nglas dryhtnes ealle. Cr. 9. 
 x : . x x | . x 4 x -j -. x || 
 
 He also suggests that some of the longer half-lines classed by 
 him among the half-lines containing but three feet, should possibly 
 be included here instead. However, since these examples are so 
 rare, and inasmuch as they can all (by means of anacrusis or 
 expanded thesis) be scanned as ordinary long lines, it seems to us 
 unnecessary to make another class. Besides, in every case cited, 
 the other half-line with which each example is connected has only 
 three feet; and the rhythmic requirements would argue against 
 making here a half-line of four feet complete one of three. We 
 certainly have no more reason (if as much) for supposing that the 
 poet would thus destroy the balance of the rhythm of his long 
 line, sooner than he would in the case of the normal line, by 
 uniting a three foot half-line with a two foot half-line. Both are 
 rhythmic improbabilities, and can be admitted only on unmis- 
 takable proof. 
 
BOOK II. PART II. 
 
 METRICAL ANALYSIS 
 
 OF THE WANDERER, SEAFARER, EXODUS, AND BATTLE OF 
 MALDON (DEATH OF BYRHTNO^). 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 We have selected these four poems for analysis for several 
 reasons. In the first place, chronologically they cover nearly the 
 whole Anglo-Saxon poetic period. The Exodus is attributed by 
 Stopford Brooke l to the latter part of the seventh century or the 
 first part of the eighth ; Wiilker thinks that the Wanderer and 
 the Seafarer were written in the ninth (Brooke puts them in the 
 first quarter of the eighth) ; while the date of the Battle of Mai- 
 don is fixed by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle itself in the last decade 
 of the tenth. The Parker manuscript gives the date of the battle 
 as 993 ; the Laud manuscript, and the Canterbury manuscript, 
 (in the Cottonian collection), give it as 991. The poem was 
 written by an eye-witness, and in all probability immediately after 
 the battle, inasmuch as the poet does not seem to have yet learned 
 the names of any of the enemy, even the names of their leaders. 
 
 Another reason for selecting these poems for analysis is that the 
 three shorter ones the Wanderer, the Seafarer, and the Battle of 
 Maldon are found in most of the Anglo-Saxon readers, and the 
 student who wishes can verify the results for himself from his own 
 text. It will at least acquaint him with the scientific method in 
 the study of Anglo-Saxon prosody. 
 
 A third reason for this selection is that the more important 
 poems have already been analyzed by Sievers, Frucht, Cremer, 
 and others ; and as the principles upon which the present analysis 
 is made differ very little in essential particulars from the theories 
 
 1 In his " English Literature from the beginning to the Norman Conquest." 
 
 49 
 
50 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 maintained by them, a repetition of their work would be super- 
 fluous. Sievers has analyzed the Beowulf, Frucht the Elene, 
 Juliana and Christ, and Cremer the Andreas, GuSlac, and Phoe- 
 nix, and also those analyzed by Frucht. The summary of their 
 results is given in brief in the table on page 20, of Book II, 
 Part I. 
 
 The texts used in this discussion are Grein-Wiilker's " Biblio- 
 thek der Angelsachsischen Poesie" and Sweet's "Anglo-Saxon 
 Reader " ; the latter has been chiefly used in the study of the 
 Wanderer, the Seafarer, and the Battle of Maldon. Prof. Sweet's 
 emendations have, as a rule, been accepted ; very few additional 
 ones have been attempted. It is a practice so easily carried too 
 far (witness the efforts of the German metrists along this line) that 
 it seemed preferable to fit the metrical scheme to the poetry as it 
 has been transmitted, rather than to attempt to mould the poetry 
 to fit some pre-conceived metrical theory. By giving the vowel 
 of a word a different quantity when that same word appears in 
 different connections, or by expanding or contracting inflection 
 endings at will, it might be possible to derive a very pretty theo- 
 retical scheme, but wherein such a scheme would be of much prac- 
 tical utility in studying Anglo-Saxon poetry as we have it, does 
 not appear. 
 
 The few emendations suggested have all been noted at the close 
 of the analysis ; they are only such as were obviously demanded, 
 and where the substitution of the emended form would avoid an 
 unusual variation of the rhythmical type. 
 
 The abbreviations used here are the same as those used in Part 
 I ; that is, W. for the Wanderer, Sea. for the Seafarer, Ex. for 
 Exodus, and Br. for the Battle of Maldon. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 51 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 METKICAL ANALYSIS OF THE NORMAL LINES. 
 
 1. TYPE A. Fundamental type : L x | L x || . This type 
 occurs much the most frequently of all of the five. Of the nearly 
 2200 half-lines contained in these four poems, no fewer than 
 1150 more than half are of this type. The type is very evenly 
 distributed between the two half-lines; the first half has 586 
 examples, the second 566. 
 
 I. The normal type : one syllable in each thesis : L x | ^ x || . 
 
 a. 1 b. 
 
 wlonc bi wealle. W. 80. fae"grost limped. Sea. 13. 
 
 6nwist e^les. Ex. 18. leofne fleogan. Br. 7. 
 
 Also W. 90, 103, 104; sum 4. W. 3, 10, 13, 18, 19, etc. ; sum 
 
 28. 
 
 Sea 3, 10, 11, 25, etc. ; sum 13. Sea. 15, 26, 30, 31, etc. ; sum 20. 
 Ex. 22, 26, 41, 42, etc. ; sum 75. Ex. 2, 5, 12, 13, 23, etc. ; sum 
 
 157. 
 Br. 3, 13, 15, 18, 54, etc.; sum 22. Br. 7, 14, 16, 18, etc. ; sum 86. 
 
 (a) with one-syllable anacrusis : x : L x | L x || . 
 a. b. 
 
 ftaet he gewyrce. Sea. 74. ne sar gefelan. Sea. 95. 
 
 alyfed IjlSsrS. Ex. 44. $aes folces ealdor. Br. 202. 
 
 Also Sea. 96. Ex. 421, 434, Ex. 212, 238, 547. 
 442, 528, 560, 294, 207, 
 363. Br. 37, 226, 234. 
 
 (6) with two-syllable anacrusis :xx:^x|^x||. 
 a. b. 
 
 swa nu missenlice. W. 75. sr&San grame wtirdon. Ex. 
 
 144. 
 Also Ex. 151, 239, 325. Ex. 259, 383. 
 
 1 "a" indicates the first half-line, "b" the second. 
 
52 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 (c) with three-syllable anacrusis : xxx:^x|^x||. 
 
 a. b. 
 
 / ^ i 
 
 ne ymbe owiht e~lles. Sea. 46. ^a hie oiSlaeded haefdon. Ex. 
 
 569. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x | 4 x || , 
 
 a. , b. 
 
 M&udes miltse. W. 2. ganetes hleo^or. Sea. 20. 
 
 haeleftum s6cgan. Ex. 7. daroi$ of handa. Br. 149. 
 
 Also W. 12. Sea. 13, 51, 63, W. 21, 39. Sea. 63. Ex. 8, 16, 
 75, 92. Ex. 92, 204, 258, 46, 31, 97, 102, etc. ; sum 24. 
 etc.;sumll. Br. 94, 120, 126, Br. 79, 85, 100, 106, 219, 
 201, 214, etc. ; sum 9. etc. ; sum 12. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x: <& x | L x || . 
 
 a. b. 
 
 ftaet ic waes on Myrcon. Br. 217. 
 
 (b) two syllable anacrusis : x x : 39 x j x || . 
 
 a. b. 
 
 Nalles hige gehyrdon. Ex. 307. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ x | 6$ x. 
 
 a. b. 
 
 winter wtinade. Sea. 15. lebfre duguiSe. W. 97. 
 
 horse and hr^er-gleaw. Ex. 13. be\3rmas trymian. Br. 17. 
 
 Also Sea. 24, 80. Ex. 78, 158, Ex. 61, 146, 183, 209, 228, 
 etc. ; sum 15. etc. ; sum 12. Br. 70, 205, 
 
 305. 
 
 (a) one syllable anacrusis : x: L x | u^ x || . 
 
 j 
 
 "Saet waeron cyningas. Ex. 185. 
 
 (3). Resolution of both arses : & x | & x || . 
 yfeles h6gode. Br. 133. Also Ex. 416. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 53 
 
 (4). The first arsis is short : x | L x || 
 
 ftaet from Noe. Ex. 378. daeg waes maere. Ex. 47. Also 
 
 166, 82, 286, 555. 
 (5). The second arsis is short : L x | 6 x || 
 
 softfaest cyning. Ex. 9. fe*alwe we"gas. W. 46. maegburh 
 
 Also Ex. 149, 282, 445. heora. Ex. 55. Also W. 58. 
 
 Sea. 1. Ex. 236, 263, 358, etc. ; 
 
 sum 9. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 a. b. 
 
 Wanderer, 7. 33. 
 
 Seafarer, 24. 24. 
 
 Exodus, 120. 215. 
 
 B. of M., 35. 104. 
 
 Total: 186. Total: 376. 
 
 Total in whole line, 562. 
 
 As the above summary shows, this is the most common form of 
 type A, and it occurs much more frequently in " b " than in " a" ; 
 in Exodus nearly twice as often ; in the Battle of Maldon three 
 times, and in the Wanderer nearly five times, as often. About 
 25 of the above examples might possibly be included elsewhere ; 
 this would, of course, depend upon a difference in interpretation, 
 necessitating a change in the sentence-accent. 
 
 II. Two syllables in first thesis : ^ x x | L x || 
 
 calde geSrungen. Sea. 8. 
 hreran mid hondum. W . 4. 
 
 wraeclico w6rdriht. Ex. 3. beot he gelaeste. Br. 15. 
 
 Also W. 33, 42, 43, 53, etc.; W. 1, 5, 8, 15, 16, 20, etc.; sum 
 sum 9. Sea. 34, 55, 56, 79, 16. Sea. 9, 36, 39, 69, etc.; 
 88, 70. Ex. 16, 19, 34, 38, sum 10. Ex. 35, 45, 62, 76, 
 etc.; sum 51. Br. 5, 12, 21, 89, etc.; sum 54. Br. 65, 14, 
 30, 44, etc. ; sum 37. 80, 90, etc. ; sum 33. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : L x x | L x || 
 genap under nihtSelm. W. 96. 
 
54 O* Amglo-Saam 
 
 in eeole- Sea. 5. 
 
 Br. 182. his ealdre gelaestan. Br. 11. 
 Also SOL 28, 95. Ex. 259, Br. 55, 66, 68, 84, 146, 189, 
 269, 487. Br. 32, 36, 176, 242. 
 202, efe.; 8am 10. 
 
 (b) two-syllable anacrusis : xx:xx|\x| 
 ~ $f campe. Ex. 21. 
 
 1. Reflation of the first arsis: g x x | x || 
 
 wfnian mid wynnum. W. 29. haegl feoll on eorSan. Sea. 32. 
 
 hafoc wi aes hohes. Br. 8. Sider waeron fuse, Ex.196. 
 Abo W. 11, 8, 32, 36. Sea, 1, W. 55, 65, 105. Ex. 196, 
 
 39, 87, 100. Ex. 127, 191, 221, 226, etc,; sum 12. Br. 
 
 172, 557, 465. Br. 50, 87, 22, 64, 128, 260, 280. 
 
 194,227, etc.; sum 14. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : ^ x x | L x | 
 
 gegrfmod wearS ae gu^Srinc, mid gafole forgyldon. Br. 32. 
 Br. 138. Also Br. 20, 59, 212, Br. 96. 
 221. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis :- x x j ^ x || 
 
 hrime bihrorene. W. 77. since berofene. Ex. 36. 
 
 widgijie weroda. Ex. 137. maerfci gefreinedon. Sea. 
 
 Also W. 79. Ex. 235, 27, W. 31, 38, 77. Ex. 43, 444. 
 
 336, etc.; sum 9. Br. 151, Br. 6, 25, 51, 38, 2 
 
 280,296. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x:^xx|^x| 
 
 - 
 
 fin* liaVlf 1fr m> Ex. 252. 
 
 e he him to dtignSe, Br. 197. Abo 243. 
 
 3. Resolotion of both arses : & * * \ & x\\ 
 bogxn waeron bysige. fe. 110. weoruld under heofonum. W. 107. 
 Also 111. 
 
On Anglo-Saxxm Versification. 
 
 mae^en o$$e merestream. Ex. Dagas sind gewitene. Sea. 80. 
 110. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : 3 x x J $$ * \] 
 gedroren is iSeos dtiguS eall. $a flotan stodon gearowe, Br 
 
 Sea. 86. 
 Hi bugon $a fram headuwe, Br. 185. 
 
 4. First arsis is short : 
 
 x x L x 
 
 Hwaet ! ge nu eagtim. Ex. 278. fi^m se i5e laedde, Kx. 54. 
 
 x . 1ftrt wael feol on eorSan. Br. 126. 
 
 on iSam geraedum. Br. 190. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : w x x | ^ x | 
 to hwon hine Dryhten. Sea. 43. 
 he braec ^Sonne bordweall. Br. 277. 
 
 SCMHAKT. 
 
 a. b. 
 
 Wanderer, 17. '23. 
 
 Seafarer, 15. 13. 
 
 Eiodos, 72. 7a 
 
 Battle of M., 76L 
 
 Total in a : 180 Total in b : 163 
 Total in whole line, 343. 
 
 This is the most common variation of the normal type ; and as 
 the above figures indicate, it occurs with very nearly equal fre- 
 quency in each half-line. In the individual poems, its propor- 
 tional frequency is greatest in the Battle of Maldon, and least in 
 the Seafarer and Exodus. About 20 of the half-lines included 
 above could be analysed as other types by changing the sentence 
 accent and giving a slightly different interpretation. 
 
 III. Two syllables in the second thesis : ^ x j L x x . 
 6ft him anhaga. W 1. gielleS anfloga. Sea. 62. 
 
 tinbefohtene. Br. 57. leode 6ngeton. Ex. 90. 
 
 Also W. 6, 7, 38, 40, etc. ; W. 53, 104. Sea, 25. Ex. 153, 
 
56 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 sum 11. Sea. 14, 81, 89, 99. 180, 188, 219, etc.; sum 9. 
 Ex. 37, 58, 60, 254, 289, Br. 5, 318. 
 etc. ; sum 33. Br. 38, 215, 
 303, 311, etc.; sum 9. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x: x | ix x || , 
 
 ftaet ge gewurftien. Ex. 270. 
 
 Gehyrst ftu saelida. Br. 45. Also 
 Ex. 126, 123, 409. Br. 51. 
 
 (b) two-syllable anacrusis : xx:^x|^xx||. 
 oft ftaet hie on Guftmyrce. Ex. 59. 
 
 oft ftaet he his sincgyfan. Br. 278. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : 6$ x | L x x || . 
 
 baftian brimfuglas. W. 47. wifterlean agyfen. Br. 116. 
 
 Also Ex. 8, 283, 380. Br. 220. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis :x:^xxf.xx||. 
 fte wile gealgian. Br. 52. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ x | j x x || . 
 
 cuftra cwidegiedda. W. 55. 
 haefde foregenga. Ex. 120. 
 Also W. 62, Ex. 17, 177, 241, 
 301, 565. Br. 127, 309, 294. 
 
 (a) one syllable anacrusis : x:^x | xxx||. 
 gesStte sigerice. Ex. 27. Also 
 562. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 14. 2. 
 
 Seafarer, 4. 2. 
 
 Exodus, 49. 9. 
 
 B. of M., 17. 4. 
 
 Total in a: 84. Total in b : 17. 
 Total in whole line, 101. 
 

 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 57 
 
 This modification of type A is not admitted by Prof. Sievers, as 
 has already been explained in Book II, Part I, page 35, et seq. y 
 where likewise our reasons for not following his classification have 
 been given in full. Prof. Sievers would class these examples under 
 D, with a thesis in the first foot, but we are convinced that the 
 Anglo-Saxon poet, in the recitation of these verses, did not mar 
 the smoothness of rhythm by putting upon the thesis of the 
 second foot the secondary stress that D requires. 
 
 Of the above examples, 38 of the half-lines might be classed 
 under a different type by a slight change of the sentence accent. 
 As is shown by the summary, the type is rare in the second half- 
 line ; it occurs five times more frequently in the first. The pro- 
 portional occurrence of the type is greatest in the Wanderer and 
 Exodus. 
 
 IV. Two syllables in both theses : ^ x x | . x x || . 
 he"alde his hord cofan. W. 14. 
 
 eorSan and uprodor. Ex. 76. 
 
 Wodon iSa waelwulfas. Br. 96. 
 Also W. 78. Ex. 130, 182, 183, 
 
 273, etc.; sum 11. Br. 24, 
 
 95, 266. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis :x:^xx|^xx||. 
 
 ac a hafaiS longunge. Sea. 47. 
 Also Br. 63, 79, 142, 196. 
 
 1. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ x x | & x x || . 
 modige me'teiSegnas. Ex. 131. Also 297. 
 ongunnon lytegian. Br. 86. 
 
 2. Resolution of both arses : 6$ x x | 6$ x x || . 
 Micel is $eos menigeo. Ex. 553. Also 555. (?) 
 
 3. Second arsis is short : ^ x x | d x x || 
 yldo him on fare<5. Sea. 91. 
 
58 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 2. 
 
 Seafarer, 2. 
 
 Exodus, 15. 
 
 Battle of M., 9. 
 
 Total in a : 28. 
 
 This type, like the preceding, is not admitted by Prof. Sievers ; 
 but, as seen from the examples, there are several half-lines that 
 can hardly be classed elsewhere, if the rhythm be preserved. The 
 type seems to be entirely lacking in the second half-line. 
 
 Five of the above examples might be classed under other types. 
 
 V. Three syllables in the first thesis, one in the second: 
 
 L x x x | L x || 
 
 6ft ic sceolde ana. W. 8. earfefta gem/ndig. W. 6. 
 
 $aer ic ne gehyrde. Sea. 18. se waes haten Wulfstan. Br. 75. 
 Also W. 41, 50, 97, 65. Ex.24, W. 14. Ex. 249, 81. Br. 
 
 69, 73, 86, 109, etc.; sum 31. 297. 
 
 Br. 11, 19, 31, 55, 76, etc.; 
 
 sum 23. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis :x:ixxx|^x|| 
 
 he le't him $a of handon. gehyre se $e wille. Ex. 7. Also 
 
 Br. 7. Also Br. 23, 56, 70, 81, Br. 282. 
 117, 136, 193, 228. Ex. 266. 
 
 (b) two-syllable anacrusis : xx:^xxx|x|| 
 Oferfor he mid y f6lce. Ex. 56. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : & x x x | L x || 
 
 bodigean aefter btirgurn. Ex. for 'San wearS her on felda. Br. 
 510. 241-a (?). 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x:uxxxx|^x|| 
 to raiSe hine gelStte. Br. 164. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ x x x | u^ x || 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 59 
 
 hu hine on ge*ogu$e. W. 35. dreamas sind gewitene. Sea. 86. 
 
 Hwilum of 'Sam w6rode. Ex. 
 
 170. Also Sea. 50, 98. W. 49. Br. 67, 216. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : x x x | x x || 
 ne mihte -Saer for waetere. Br. 64. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 7. Wanderer, 2. 
 
 Seafarer, 4. Seafarer, 1. 
 
 Exodus, 35. Exodus, 3. 
 
 B. ofM., 37. B. ofM., 4. 
 
 Total m a : 83. Total in b : 10. 
 
 Total in whole line, 93. 
 
 This variation of the normal type is found most frequently in 
 the first half-line ; and in the individual poems, in the Battle of 
 Maldon. There are 14 half-lines among the above examples that 
 might be classed elsewhere with a slight change in the interpre- 
 tation of the thought. 
 
 VI. Three syllables in the first thesis and two in the second : 
 
 L X X X \ L X X 
 
 Ongietan sceal gleaw haele. W. 73-a. 
 
 / 
 w^rcan iSone wihagan. Br. 
 
 102. Also Br. 261, 286. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x x x | L x x || 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x:xxxx|xx|| 
 Ne maeg him iSonne se flaesc- 
 
 homa. Sea. 94. 
 i 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 1. Seafarer, 1. B. of M., 3. 
 
 Total (all in a), 5. 
 
 This type is of very rare occurrence ; it does not appear in the 
 second half-line. 
 
 VII. Four syllables in the first thesis, one in the second : 
 
 X X X X I X 
 
60 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 yftde swa $isne eardgeard. W. 85-a. 
 
 aerende to iSam 6orle Br. 28. 
 
 Also W. 88. Ex. 30, 228. Br. 
 
 10, 28, 35, etc.; sum 10. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x:^xxxx|^x|| 
 
 be iSam man mihte oncnawan. 
 Br. 9. Also Br. 14. 
 
 1. With resolution of the second arsis : L x x x x | x x || 
 hi willaS eow to gafole. Br. 46. Also Ex. 117, 376, 463. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 2. Battle of Maldon, 1. 
 
 Exodus, 5. 
 
 B. of M., 13. 
 
 Total in a : 20. Total in b : 1. 
 
 Total in whole line, 21. 
 
 VIII. Four syllables in the first thesis and two in the second : 
 
 x x x x I . x x || . 
 
 se $e nu fram this wigplegan. Br. 316. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x:^xxxx | ^xx||. 
 ne fttirfon me embe Sturmere, Br. 249. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 Battle of Maldon, 2. Total in whole line, 2. 
 
 2. TYPE B. Fundamental type : x L \ x L || . 
 
 This type numbers 325 examples not quite one-third as many 
 as type A. It occurs most frequently in the second half-line in 
 all the poems except the Wanderer. Its occurrence is propor- 
 tionally rarest in Exodus. There are 139 examples in the first 
 half-line, and 186 in the second. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 61 
 
 I. Normal type : x x L \ x L || . 
 
 a. b. 
 
 Ne maeg werigmod. W. 15. mid his sylfes miht. Ex. 9. 
 
 ne to wife wynn. Sea. 45. fte her ricost eart. Br. 36. 
 
 Also W. 22, 39, 60, etc. ; sum 7. W. 9, 11, 32, 33, 43, etc.; 
 
 Sea. 77. Ex. 12, 28, 48, 49, sum 8. Sea. 12, 18, 29, 33, etc.; 
 
 etc. ; sum 11. Br. 5, 27, 60, sum 7. Ex. 48, 22, 91, etc. ; 
 
 77, etc. ; sum 19. sum 27. Br. 38, 50, 78, etc.; 
 
 sum 18. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x ^ | x L || . 
 
 Het iSa haeleiSa hleo. Br. 74. ne to worulde hyht. Sea. 45. 
 
 fte him maenigne oft. Br. 188. ic on b6teran raed. Ex. 269. 
 
 Also Ex. 339, 471, Br. 147, 250. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : x x L \ x x || . 
 
 <Saet waes wlglic werod. Ex. 223. hwaer cwom ma^^um gyfa. 
 Also Ex. 43, 425, 439, 452. W. 92. Ex. 27. Br. 222, 
 Br. 2, 218. 267, 299, 76. Sea. 21. 
 
 3. Second arsis is short : x x L \ x c || . 
 
 Simle ^reora stim. Sea. 68. swa him mihtig god. Ex. 314. 
 
 Also Ex. 85, 310, 377, 426. aer him leoTost waes. Br. 23. 
 
 Sea. 6. Ex. 152, 380, 399. 
 Br. 190, 211. 
 
 4. Resolution of the first arsis ; the second arsis is short : 
 
 x x c | x (. || . 
 
 sumne fugel oftbaer. W. 81. 
 he to mae*niguni spraec. Ex. 552. 
 Also Br. 31, 276. 
 
 5. Both arses are short : x x 6 | x (, \\ . 
 
 seo $e fre*o$e sceal. Ex. 422. 
 
62 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 8. Wanderer, 11. 
 
 Seafarer, 3. Seafarer, 11. 
 
 Exodus, 20. Exodus, 38. 
 
 B. of M., 23. B. of M., 29. 
 
 Total in a: 54. Total in b : 89. 
 
 Total in whole line, 143. 
 
 We have called this the normal form of type B because it 
 occurs much more frequently than the form x L \ x L ||. This is 
 true, not only of the four poems treated in this discussion, but 
 likewise of those analysed by Sievers, Frucht, and Cremer com- 
 prising all together over 10,000 lines and it is probably equally 
 true of the whole body of Anglo-Saxon poetry. 
 
 The type is found most frequently in the second half-line, occur- 
 ring there almost twice as often as in the first. Among the above 
 examples, there are nine that might be classed under other types 
 by slightly changing the interpretation. 
 
 II. One syllable in each thesis : x L \ x L || 
 and hwilpan sweg. Sea. 21. wrSfeonda nr3. Sea. 75. 
 
 on liSra last. Ex. 167. and ealde swurd. Br. 47. 
 
 Also Ex. 237, 337, etc.; sum Sea. 90. Ex. 17, 71, etc.; sum 
 
 7. Br. 58, 125, 162, etc.; 10. Ex. 11. Br. 215, 237. 
 
 sum 6. 
 
 1. Kesolution of the first arsis : x x | x L || 
 
 and w6reda god. Ex. 432. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis: x L \ x 6$ \\ 
 
 his swaesne sunu. Ex. 402. wiS wra^ra gryre. Ex. 20. 
 
 $a stdd on sta^e. Br. 25. him eallum wile. Ex. 261. 
 Also Br. 115. 
 
 3. Resolution of both arses : x 6$ \ x 6$ \\ . 
 
 on geofones sta$e. Ex. 580. swa haleS geMnon. Ex. 388. 
 
 4. Second arsis is short : x L \ x w II . 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 63 
 
 on folc getael. Ex. 299. hu gae*stlic bi$. W. 73. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 1. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 1. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 10. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 2. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 8. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 14. 
 
 
 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 3. 
 
 Total in a : 19. 
 
 Total in b : 20. 
 
 Total in whole line, 39. 
 
 This type is pretty evenly distributed between the two half-lines. 
 There is one example among the above that could possibly be 
 classed elsewhere. 
 
 III. Two syllables in the second thesis : x L \ x x L || . 
 
 mid halige hand. Ex. 485. aet hilde ne deah. Br. 48. 
 Also Br. 29, 72. Ex. 37, 215. Br. 49. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x 6$ \ x x L || . 
 
 gaft ricene to us. Br. 93. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : x L \ x x x || . 
 gesilrS him biforan. W. 46. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 1. Exodus, 2. 
 
 Exodus, 1. B. of M., 3. 
 
 B. of M., 2. 
 
 Total in b : 5. 
 
 Total in a : 4. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 9. 
 
 Two of these examples might be included under other types. 
 
 IV. Two syllables in each thesis : x x L \ x x L || . 
 
 hwaer ic fe"orr o&Se neah. W. 26. hwilum ylfete song. Sea. 19. 
 
 / / i_ 
 
 forSon anra gehwilc. Ex. 187. and ne forhtedon na. Br. 21. 
 
 Also W. 51,63,72. Sea. 90. Sea. 46. Ex. 101, 204, 304, 
 Ex. 227, 230, 476. Br. 22, etc.; sum 10. Br. 34, 77, etc.; 
 91, 128, etc. ; sum 12. sum 6. 
 
64 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x ux | x x L || . 
 
 ofer waftema gebind. W. 57. ofer waftema gebiiid. W. 24. 
 
 ne his gifena ftaes god. S. 40. se fta menigeo beheold. Ex. 205. 
 Also Br. 112, 320. Ex. 488. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : x x L \ x x 6$ \\ . 
 
 ne to forht ne to fae"gen. W. 68. fta ic aer ne gefraegen. Ex. 285. 
 ofer holma gelagu. Sea. 64. oiSfte Iel5fne gewrecan. Br. 208. 
 
 nu ic ah milde me" tod. Br. 175. 
 
 Also W. 92, 93. Br.263. Ex. 255, 561. 
 
 3. Second arsis is short : x x L \ x x o || . 
 
 he gehleop Sone eoh. Br. 189. $e him Drihten forgeaf. Br. 148. 
 Also Br. 198, 295, 191. Br. 245. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 8. Wanderer, 1. 
 
 Seafarer, 3. Seafarer, 2. 
 
 Exodus, 6. Exodus, 13. 
 
 B. of M., 20. B. of M., 9. 
 
 Total in a : 37. Total in b : 25. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 62. 
 
 Of the above examples, nine may be classed under other types by 
 a slight change of the sentence accent. 
 
 V. Three syllables in the first thesis : x x x L \ x L || . 
 
 Sonne on wae"cne$ 6ft. W. 45. full oft iSaet earn bigSall. Sea. 
 
 / / 24 
 
 Saet him aet fotum feoll. Br. 119. _ 
 
 AI i5 -IQ* 0^70 se ^e him lange aer. Ex.138. 
 Also Br. 186, 273. W. 75, 82 Sea. 27, 64, 65. 
 
 Ex. 199, 275, etc.; sum 6. 
 Br. 10, 13, 28, etc.; sum 15. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x x 6x \ x L || . 
 Saet hine weroda g6d. Ex. 23. Also Br. 16. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : x x x L \ x 6x \\ . 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 65 
 
 ftaet ftaer gelaSe mid him. Ex. $y laes him we*sten gryre. Ex. 
 206. Also Ex. 428. 117. Br. 30, 140, 252. 
 
 3. First arsis is short : x x x 6 | x L || . 
 
 / 
 and niman friiS aet us. Br. 39. 
 
 4. Second arsis is short : x x x L \ x u || . 
 
 Saet se on eorSan laeg. Br. 157. 
 Also Br. 168, 204, 227. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 1. Wanderer, 2. 
 
 Exodus, 3. Seafarer, 4. 
 
 B. of M., 4. Exodus, 7. 
 
 B. of M., 23. 
 
 Total in a : 8. Total in b : 36. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 44. 
 
 VI. First arsis resolved ; three syllables in the second thesis : 
 
 x x. I x x x L || . 
 
 u iSe eow. Br. 48. 
 
 VII. The first arsis resolved; the second short; the first 
 thesis has two syllables, the second three : xx^ | xxxu||. 
 
 ne in geogirSe to iSaes hwaet. Sea. 40. 
 
 VIII. Three syllables in the first thesis ; two in the second : 
 
 ^ xx.i 
 
 ne naefre gielpes to georn. W. 69. and iSonne godan forlet. Br. 187. 
 gesealde waepna ge weald. Ex. 20. Also W. 107. 
 
 1. First arsis resolved : x x x g$ | x x jj . 
 
 ftaet he swa miceles ge'Sah. Ex. 143. 
 
 $a ic on w6rulde gebad. Br. 174. 
 
 2. Second arsis resolved : x x x L \ x x 6$ \\ 
 
 %Q ic on morgen gefraegn. Ex. 98. Also Br. 90. 
 
 3. Second arsis is short : xxx^:|xxu|| 
 
 $e him $a wtinde forg^af. Br. 139. 
 
66 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 2. Exodus, 1. 
 
 Exodus, 2. B. of M., 3. 
 
 B. ofM., 1. 
 
 Total in a : 5. Total in b : 4. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 9. 
 
 IX. Four syllables in the first thesis : x x x x ^ | x ^ || . 
 
 for $on ne maeg weorSan. wis. and to iSaere hilde stop. Br. 8. 
 W. 64. 
 
 forSon him gelyfe$ lyt. Sea. 27. $a he ftone cniht genam. Ex. 406. 
 Also Br. 71, 239 (?). 
 
 1. Resolution of the second arsis :xxxx|xgf|j. 
 Ne br3 him to hearpan hyge. Sea. 44. 
 
 2. Resolution of both arses : x x x x g; | x gx. )| . 
 
 $onne eall iSisse worulde wela. W. 74. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 2. Exodus, 1. 
 
 Seafarer, 2. B. of M., 1. 
 
 B..of M., 2. 
 
 Total: 6. Total: 2. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 8. 
 
 X. Three syllables in each thesis : xxx^|xxx^||. 
 
 ne in his daedum to iSaes deor. ne him his Dryhten to ^aes hold. 
 Sea. 41. Sea. 41. 
 
 Total in both halves, 2. 
 
 XI. Four syllables in the first thesis, two in the second : 
 
 xxxx. I x x ^ || . 
 
 ForSon $aet (is) eorla gehwam. -Sara 3e him drihten bebead. Ex. 
 Sea. 72. 520. 
 
 'Seah $e him on healfa gehwam. i5e 'Saet he on hilde gecranc. Br. 
 Ex. 209, 324.. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 67 
 
 1. Second thesis is short : x x x x | x x u || . 
 ForSon ic ge$6ncan ne maeg. W. 58. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 1. Exodus, 1. 
 
 Seafarer, 1. B. of M., 1. 
 
 Exodus, 1. 
 
 Total : 3. Total : 2. 
 
 Total in both halves, 5. 
 
 XII. Five syllables in the first thesis, one in the second : 
 
 xxxxx^ I x ^ || . 
 
 ne mihte $a on fotum Ifng. Br. 171. 
 
 1. Resolution of the second arsis : xxxxx^ | x gx || 
 
 Sa hwile "5e he waepen maege. Br. 235. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Battle of Maldon, 1. Battle of Maldon, 1. 
 
 Total in both half -lines, 2. 
 
 3. TYPE C. Fundamental type : x L \ L x || . 
 
 This type occurs a little less frequently than type B. It is 
 very evenly distributed between the two half-lines, there being 
 136 examples in the first, and 147 in the second. 
 
 I. Normal type : x x L \ L x || . 
 
 / __/_ _/_ 
 
 for 'Son domgeorne. W. 17. ftaet ic hean streamas. Sea. 34. 
 
 and gewurSodne. Ex. 31. ftaet se cniht nolde. Br. 9. 
 
 Also W. 94, 109. Sea. 9, 57, W. 42, 66, 67, etc. ; sum 8. 
 
 69, 78. Ex. 82, 153, 124, Sea. 51, 83. Ex. 127, 163, 
 
 etc.; sum 12. Br. 6, 89, 236, 291, etc.; sum 8. Br. 
 
 225,260,317. 136, 153, 182, etc. ; sum 10. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x 6$ \ L x || . 
 
 i 
 mine ce&re cwrSan. W. 9. fore medodrince. Sea. 22. 
 
 / 
 aefter bealusrSe. Ex. 5. us to scype gangan. Br. 40. 
 
 Also Sea. 60, 96. Ex. 25, W. 54, 69. Sea. 56, 87. Ex. 
 75, etc. ; sum 12. Br. 129, 29, 52, 131, etc. ; sum 8. Br. 
 137, 306. 41, 61, etc. ; sum 13. 
 
68 
 
 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : x x 4 1 f x || . 
 
 wrS a fynd wfredon. Br. 82. Also 256. 
 
 3. Resolution of both arses : x x ^ 6$ x || . 
 $aer $a cSare seofedun. Sea. 10. 
 
 4. First arsis is short : x x u | L x || . 
 
 her bi feoh lake. W. 108. Sieh he graef wille. Sea. 97-a. 
 Also Br. 276. 
 
 5. Second arsis is short : x x L \ 6 x || . 
 
 ne se hreo hyge. W. 16. $aet ic fe"orr heonan. Sea. 37. 
 
 he waes leof gode. Ex. 12. and se a&sche're. Br. 69. 
 
 Also W. 19, 59, 67,86, 101. W. 23, 70, 94, 103. Sea. 
 
 Sea. 53, 67. Ex. 33, 110, 44, 70, 92. Ex. 268, 274, 
 
 157, etc.; sum 15. Br. 62, 337, 224, etc.; sum 7. Br. 
 
 98, 100, 145. 91, 104, 268, 290. 
 
 6. Resolution of the first arsis, the second arsis being short : 
 
 x x & I J x || . 
 
 se gesta^elade. Sea. 104. ofer hre'fterlocan. Sea. 58. 
 
 Also Ex. 172, 397, 542. Br. 199. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 Seafarer, 
 Exodus, 
 B. of M., 
 
 11. 
 10. 
 42. 
 14. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 Seafarer, 
 Exodus, 
 B. of M., 
 
 14. 
 12. 
 23. 
 
 30. 
 
 Total in a : 77. 
 
 Total in b : 79. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 156. 
 
 We have called this the normal form of type C, inasmuch as 
 more than half of all the examples are included under it. There 
 are more than twice as many examples here as there are under the 
 form x L | L x || . It is to be noted that nearly half of these 
 examples are of the form x x L \ 6 x || , illustrating the principle 
 discussed in Book II, Part I, that where two rhythmical-accents 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 69 
 
 fall on adjoining syllables, the second of these syllables is fre- 
 quently, if not regularly, a light or " short " syllable. 
 
 Fourteen of the above examples could possibly be included 
 under other types, if a slight change be made in the interpretation, 
 necessitating a corresponding change in the sentence-accent. 
 
 II. One syllable in each thesis : x L \ L x || . 
 
 , / 
 
 in brfmlade. Sea. 30. gedon wille. Sea. 43. 
 
 ftaes daSgweorces. Br. 148. geseon mlhton. Ex. 83. Sea. 69. 
 Also Ex. 271, 315, 393, 401, Ex. 185, 434, 442, 562. Br. 
 etc.; sum 7. Br. 293. 3, 197, 224, 291. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x | L x || . 
 
 geond lagulade. W. 3. his wine"dryhtnes. W. 37. 
 
 to da6ge iSissum. Ex. 263. geblden hae"bbe. Sea. 4. Sea. 7, 
 Also Ex. 516. 59, 101. Ex. 1, 64, 365, etc.; 
 
 sum 7. Br. 4, 56. 
 
 2. Resolution of both arses : x rfx | rfx x || . 
 mid friSe %ian. Br. 179. 
 
 3. First arsis is short : x (, \ L x || . 
 on not feran. Br. 41. 
 
 4. Second arsis is short : x L \ (, x || . 
 
 in geardagum. W. 41. and sinc^ege. W. 34. 
 
 on flodwegas. Sea. 52. Also and uprodor. Sea. 105. Ex. 26. 
 
 Br. 109. W. 83. Sea. 83. W. 35, 58. Ex. 32, 68, 86, 
 
 Ex. 4, 10, 66, 68, etc. ; sum etc. ; sum 10. 
 13. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 3. Wanderer, 4. 
 
 Seafarer, 3. Seafarer, 7. 
 
 Exodus, 21. Exodus, 22. 
 
 B. of M., 5. B. of M., 7. 
 
 Total in a: 32. Total in b : 40. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 72. 
 
70 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 Here we find again that nearly half of the examples are of the 
 type x L | J x || in accordance with the principle mentioned under 
 I above. 
 
 III. 1 Two syllables in the second thesis : x L \ L x x || . 
 
 $e $aer baldlicost. Br. 78. ac hi faestlice. Br. 82. 
 
 Also Br. 116, 173. 
 
 1. The first arsis is short : x u | L x x || . 
 
 to on I6cia3. Ex. 278. Also Br. 315. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 B. of M., 4. Exodus, 1. B. of M., 1. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 6. 
 
 One of the above examples might be classed elsewhere. 
 
 IV. Two syllables in each thesis : x x L \ L x x || . 
 
 for $on wat se fte sceal. W. 37. $aet hi iSaer bricgweardas. Br. 85. 
 
 Also Sea. 84, 85. Br. 106, 
 258. Ex. 51. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x 6x \ L x x || . 
 
 ne syn godes ^codscipes. Ex. 528. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 1. Seafarer, 2. Exodus, 1. B. of M., 3. Exodus, 1. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 8. 
 
 Two of these examples might be classed elsewhere. 
 
 V. Three syllables in the first thesis : x x x L \ L x || . 
 
 ofrSe mec freondleasne. W. 28. ftaet he his monn dryhten. W. 41. 
 
 Also 66. $a he gemo't haefde. Br. 199. 
 
 Also Ex. 319. 
 
 ftonne we swa hearde. Br. 33. 
 
 1 III and IV can be classed under D with anacrusis. 
 
On Anglo-feaxon Versification. 71 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : x x x j | L x || . 
 
 gemon he sflesecgas. W. 34. se $e on lagu fundaft. Sea. 47. 
 
 and $oiie stde he"alden. Br. 19. 
 Also Br. 193, 194, etc. ; sum 
 6. W. 93. Ex. 172. 
 
 2. Resolution of both arses : x x x 6* \ 6* x || . 
 ongann fta winas manian. Br. 228. 
 
 3. First arsis is short : x x x | L x || . 
 
 gif hine god lete. Ex. 413. Also Sea. 99. 
 
 4. The second arsis is short : x x x L \ C x || . 
 
 ftaet he his feYSlocan. W. 13. hu ic geswmcdagum. Sea. 2. 
 .*_ 1_. -L , -^ ongann $a for$ b6ran. Br. 12. 
 
 '' 
 
 n w Sea. 102. Br. 57, 44. W. 2. 
 
 Also W. 10, 18, 31. 
 
 5. Both arses are short : x x x u | u x 
 aer he onwe*g scyle. Sea. 74. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 8. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 3. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 1. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 5. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 1. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 4. 
 
 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 11. 
 
 Total in a : 10. Total in b : 23. 
 
 Total in both halves, 33. 
 
 There are two doubtful examples among the above. By change 
 of the sentence-accent they may be classed elsewhere. 
 
 VI. Four syllables in the first thesis : x x x x ^ | ^ x || . 
 Saet he a his saefore. Sea. 42. Also Sea. 102. Br. 34. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : xxxx^x | ^ x || . 
 
 i 
 ftonne he be clifum cnossaft. Sea. 8. fte we oft aet meodo spraecon. 
 
 Also Sea. 58. W. 27. Br. 212. 
 
72 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 2. Second arsis is short : xxxx^ | o x || . 
 ofer $one ford faran. Br. 88. Also Ex. 414. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Seafarer, 4. Seafarer, 1. 
 
 Exodus, 1. B. of M., 1. 
 
 B. of M., 2. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 9. 
 
 VII. Five syllables in the first thesis : xxxxxi|^x||. 
 
 iSonne hit aenig mae$ waere. Br. 195. 
 SUMMARY. 1. 
 
 4. TYPE D. Fundamental types: D/ , ^ ' "* J ' 
 
 A little more than one-tenth of the 2,200 half-lines in the four 
 poems belong here. This type is most frequent in the first half- 
 line, occurring there nearly twice as often as in the second. In 
 the individual poems, it is found most frequently in the Seafarer 
 and Exodus. 
 
 I. Normal type of D' : L \ L x || . 
 hrrS hrelisende. W. 102. feorh 6rtngeS. Sea. 71. 
 
 f61c ferende. Ex. 45. Also brfmllSSndra. Br. 27. 
 
 Sea. 22, 38, 56, 73. Ex. 84, W. 51, 60. Ex. 156, 178, 
 96, 119, etc. ; sum 14. Br. 184, 187, etc. ; sum 11. Br. 
 121, 122, 219, 254, 308. 122, 165, etc. ; sum 8. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : $$ | i x || . 
 
 w&dan wraeclastas. W. 5. w6ruld 6nntte$. Sea. 49. 
 
 wigan wigheardne. Br. 75. we*rod forbaernde. Ex. 123. 
 
 Also Ex. 112, 133, 175, 223, Ex. 3, 217, 420, 500. Br. 
 
 503. Br. 262. 255. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ | & x || . 
 
 unswiciendo. Ex. 424. Also Ex. 561. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 73 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : L \ 6$ x || . 
 iSaet hie lifigende. Ex. 264. 
 
 3. Resolution of both arses : ^ | 6$ x \\ . 
 swaefon s6ledreamas. Ex. 36. 
 
 Mcon lagustreamas. Br. 66. 
 Also Ex. 257, 341, 527. 
 
 4. Resolution of the accented part of the thesis : ^ | L 5 x || . 
 
 ymbwicigean. Ex. 65 (?). 
 folc somnigean. Ex. 217 (?). 
 
 By writing the forms ymbwician and somnian, these lines would 
 be brought under the more common type : L \ L i x || . 
 
 5. Resolution of the first arsis and of the accented part of the 
 thesis : 6$ \ L 0^ x || . 
 
 s6mod ae'tgae'dere. Ex. 214. 
 Also Ex. 247. 
 
 6. First arsis is short : u | L x || . 
 brim be"rstende. Ex. 477. Also Ex. 443. 
 
 7. Second arsis is short : L \ 6 x || . 
 
 mismicelra. Ex. 373. eor^cyninga. Ex. 392. 
 
 Also Ex. 412. 
 
 8. The first arsis is resolved, the second short : ^ | u i x || . 
 fe"la meoringa. Ex. 62. heofon cyninge. Ex. 410. 
 
 9. Accented syllable of the thesis is short : ^ | L o x || . 
 6ft earmcearig. W. 20. 6ft 3r6wade. Sea. 3. 
 
 la-5 leodhata. Ex. 40. hand wlsode. Br. 141. 
 
 Also Sea. 31, 59. Br. 61. Sea. 35. Ex. 40, 158, etc.; 
 Ex. 50, etc. ; sum 11. sum 6. B. 251. 
 
 (a) One-syllable anacrusis : x : L \ L u x || . 
 ageat gylp w^ra. Ex. 514. (?) 
 
74 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 10. First arsis is resolved ; accented syllable of the thesis is 
 short : & | ^ x || . 
 
 nearo nrSwaco. Sea. 6. byrig faegriaiS. Sea. 48. 
 
 godes andsacan. Ex. 15. hyse unweaxen. Br. 152. 
 
 Also Ex. 219, 458, 474, 526. Ex. 48, 78, 113, 242, etc.; 
 
 sum 9. 
 
 (a) One-syllable anacrusis : x : 6$ \ L d x || . 
 Ne sleh $u, Abraham. Ex. 418. 
 
 11. Resolution of the second arsis: accented syllable of the 
 thesis is short : ^ | j a x || . 
 
 hreo haeglfare> W. 105. ecg grymetode. Ex. 408. 
 
 Also Br. 42, 309. 
 
 12. First arsis is short ; accented syllable of the thesis is short : 
 |^x||. 
 
 fre6m folct6ga. Ex. 14. grrS faestnian. Br. 35. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 4. Wanderer, 2. 
 
 Seafarer, 7. Seafarer, 5. 
 
 Exodus, 50. Exodus, 38. 
 
 B. of M., 9. B. of M., 15. 
 
 Total in a : 70. Total in b : 60. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 130. 
 
 This type is remarkable for the number of the variations of the 
 normal form that occur ; most of these are in Exodus. 
 
 Sixteen of the above examples may, with a change of the 
 sentence-accent, be classed under other types. 
 
 II. One-syllable first thesis : ^ x | ^ i x || . 
 
 faegum fromweardum. Sea. 71. deope geond$5nce$. W. 89. 
 
 , Also 52. 
 
 blicon bordhreoiSan. Ex. 159. 
 
 %i he 6$erne. Br. 143. aeTtercw<33ndra. Sea. 71. 
 
 Also Ex. 168,437,519, 531. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 75 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : 3 x | L x || . 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : Q x |. ^.ix J| . 
 abrocene burhwardas. Ex. 39. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ x | 6x x \\ . 
 
 v 
 
 sohte seledreorig. W. 25. 
 Also Ex. 55, 102, 181, 284, 
 453, etc. ; sum 10. 
 
 3. Resolution of the accented part of the thesis : ^ x | L ux x || . 
 Wolde reordigean. Ex. 256. e6rSan forgiefenne. Sea. 93. 
 
 folmum werigean. Ex. 237. 
 Also Ex. 190. 
 
 By writing reordigan and werigan the examples 256-a and 237 -b 
 would be brought under a more common type. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : x | gj x || . 
 bihongen hrimgicelum. Sea. 17. 
 
 4. The accented part of the thesis is short : L x | L 5 x || . 
 bitre breostceare. Sea. 4. wop up ahafen. Ex. 200. 
 faegerf6rhlocan. Ex. 267. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : ^ x | i a x || . 
 forbaerned burhhleo^u. Ex. 70. 
 
 5. Resolution of the second arsis ; accented syllable of the thesis 
 is short : ^ x | gx d x || . 
 
 hatum heofoncolum. Ex. 71. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 1. Wanderer, 2. 
 
 Seafarer, 3. Seafarer, 2. 
 
 Exodus, 20. Exodus, 3. 
 
 B. ofM., 1. 
 
 Total in a: 25. Total in b : 7. 
 
 Total in whole line, 32. 
 
76 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 Sixteen of the above examples might possibly be classed elsewhere. 
 
 III. Two unaccented syllables in the thesis : ^ x | L i x x || . 
 wonn waelceasega. Ex. 164. Also Ex. 44. 
 
 SUMMARY : Exodus, 2. 
 
 I. Normal type D" : L \ L x i || 
 we*all wundrum heah. W. 98. flod blod gewod. Ex. 462. Also 
 
 Hlud hedges cyrm. Ex. 107. 
 
 Also Sea. 32. Ex. 140, 169, b6rd ord on feng. Br. 110. 
 220, 291, etc.; sum 8. Br. 
 42, 107, 157, 169, 238, 247. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x:^x|^xi||. 
 Saet he" ealdord6m. Ex. 317. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : & | L x ^ || . 
 
 m6naiS modes lust. Sea. 36. dtigu$ call gecr6ng. W. 79. 
 Also Ex. 47, 105, 203, 450, Ex. 41, 300, 346, 550, 447, 
 576. Br. 210, 283. 499. 
 
 2. Both arses are resolved : * i . 
 
 hSofon iSider becom. Ex. 46. 
 
 3. Accented syllable of the thesis is short : L \ L x 5 || . 
 fa&t fyrd getrum. Ex. 178. feorr 6ft gemdn. W. 90. 
 
 Also W. 30. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : L \ L x i || . 
 $aet eow mihtig god. Ex. 292. 
 
 4. First arsis is resolved ; the accented syllable of the thesis 
 is short : ^ | L x c> || . 
 
 aifenleoS. Ex. 165 and 201. 
 Also Ex. 537, 203, 234. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 77 
 
 5. Second arsis is resolved; accented part of the thesis is 
 short : L \ & x o || . 
 
 frod faedera cyn. Ex. 29. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 2. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 3. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 2. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 10. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 22. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 1. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 8. 
 
 
 
 Total in a: 34. Total in b : 14. 
 
 Total in both halves, 48. 
 
 Two of these examples might possibly be classed elsewhere. 
 II. One syllable in the first thesis : L x | L x i || . 
 hrebsan hrim and snaw. W. 48. htingor innan slat. Sea. 11. 
 
 Wod $a wlges heard. Br. 130. haefde wltig g6d. Ex. 80. 
 Also Br. 60. Ex. 214, 346, Sea. 79. Br. 130. 
 567. 
 
 1. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ x | t$ x i || . 
 singed sumeres weard. Sea. 54. 
 
 2. Resolution of the accented part of the thesis : ^ x | ^ x ^ || . 
 Bedrwas blostmum nimaft. Sea. 48. 
 
 3. Resolution of the first arsis, and also of the accented part 
 of the thesis : x x | L x ux || . 
 
 we*roda wuldor cyning. Ex. 547. 
 
 4. The accented part of the thesis is short : L x | L L s || . 
 _/_ 
 
 waeron inge m5n. Ex. 190. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x:^x | xC||. 
 Forl^t a dr^nga sum. Br. 149. 
 
78 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 1. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 2. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 2. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 1. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 5. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 1. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 3. 
 
 
 
 Total in a : 11. Total in b : 4. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 15. 
 
 Six of these half-lines might possibly be included elsewhere. 
 
 III. Two syllables before the accented part of the second 
 thesis : ^ | _ x x i || . 
 
 eald fnta geweorc. W. 87. Also Ex. 490. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : ^ | ^ x x i || . 
 atol fSa gewealc. Sea. 6. Also Ex. 381, 455, 588. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 1. Seafarer, 1. Exodus, 4. 
 
 Total, 6. 
 
 Two of the above examples might be classed elsewhere, with a 
 change in the interpretation. 
 
 IV. A syllable after the accented part of the thesis : ^ | ^ x i x || . 
 
 bae~rst bordes laerig. Br. 284. 
 
 (a) One-syllable anacrusis : x:^|^xix||. 
 
 _L ' . v 
 
 ftaet iSaer modiglice. Br. 200. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : j | L x i x || . 
 flugon forhtigende. Ex. 452. 
 
 Also Ex. 91, 379, 515. 
 
 2. The accented syllable of the thesis is short : L \ L x w x || . 
 wod wintercearig. W. 24. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 Wanderer, 1. Exodus, 4. B. of M., 2. Total, 7. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 79 
 
 Several of these examples might possibly be included under 
 other types. 
 
 V. One syllable first thesis, and two syllables before the accented 
 syllable in the second thesis : ^ x | L x x i || . 
 
 hrusan heolstor biwrah. W. 23. 
 Also W. 110. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 Total Wanderer, 2. 
 
 The second of the above examples might be classed under 
 another type. 
 
 5. TYPE E. Fundamental types : j , * ^ * j ^ jj 
 
 This is the rarest of the five types, numbering in all only 187 
 half-lines. It occurs most often in the second half-line ; and of 
 the individual poems, it is most abundant in Exodus, which con- 
 tains nearly three-fourths of all the examples collated here. 
 
 I. Normal type E' : ^ i x | ^ || . 
 freomaegum feorr. W. 21. Iscealdne sae. Sea. 14. 
 
 wicinga ar. Br. 26. langsumne raed. Ex. 6. 
 
 Also W. 54, 91. Sea. 19, 26. W. 4, 12, 17, 44, 98. Sea. 
 Ex. 32, 53, 90, 97, 111, etc.; 73. Ex. 15, 34, 50, 58, etc.; 
 sum 18. Br. 92, 114, 146, sum 41. Br. 134, 143, 154, 
 155,267. 164. 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : <& x | L || . 
 
 m^rewerges mod. Sea. 12. woruld dreama lyt. Ex. 42. 
 
 Also Sea. 93. Ex. 277, 349, Sea. 17, 28. Br. 166. Ex. 
 364, 482, 488, 540. 115, 306, 316, 329, etc. ; 
 
 sum 10. 
 
 2. Resolution of the accented part of the thesis : ^ 5 x | L || . 
 
 / j_ 
 
 Eastsaxena ord. Br. 69. blodegesan hweop. Ex. 477. 
 
 Also Ex. 134. Also Ex. 198, 587, 265. 
 
80 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 3. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ * \ <& \\. 
 
 hordwarda hryre. Ex. 35. werigne sefan. W. 57. 
 
 Also Ex. 101, 232, 300, 390, cearsflda fela. Sea. 5. 
 489, 511. Br. 49, 73, 97, Ex. 21, 24, 38, 63, 66, etc.; 
 298. sum 8. Br. 108. 
 
 4. Resolution of both arsis : & - x | ^ || . 
 
 wlnemaega hryre. W. 7. 
 Also Br. 249. 
 
 5. First arsis is short : u i x | L || . 
 
 tinearge menu. Br. 206. God ana wat. Br. 94. 
 
 Also Br! 256. 
 
 (a) one-syllable anacrusis : x : d x | L || . 
 on fdegerne sweg. Ex. 566. 
 
 6. Accented part of the thesis is short : L u x | L || . 
 
 aettr&ne ord. Br. 47. Also fa6st6na worm. Ex. 56. Also 
 Ex. 290. Ex. 491. 
 
 7. Resolution of the first arsis ; accented part of the thesis is 
 short : & C x \ L || . 
 
 Ae^elr&des eard. Br. 53. Also Sigelwara land. Ex.517. 
 Br. 203. 
 
 8. Resolution of the second arsis ; accented part of the thesis 
 is short: L x | ^ || . 
 
 Rub&ies sunu. Ex. 332. halige spraece. Ex. 517. 
 
 9. Resolution of both arses ; accented part of the thesis is 
 
 short : & & x | & || . 
 
 Ae"3elrdes ftegen. Br. 151. 
 
 10. Second arsis is short : L x | u || . 
 
 Israela cyn. Ex. 358. Also gylpwordum spra^c. Br. 274. 
 Ex. 371, 430, 494, 517, Ex. 14, 67, 88, 258, 279, 417, 
 524. Br. 279. 487. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 81 
 
 11. Resolution of the first arsis; the second arsis is short: 
 
 & IX I 6||. 
 
 gryrelwSa sum. Br. 285. maegenwlsa trtim. Ex. 553. 
 
 12. Resolution of accented part of the thesis; the second arsis 
 is short with one syllable preceding the thesis : L x $$ x | d || . 
 
 healifaedera sum. Ex. 357. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 3. 
 
 Wanderer, 
 
 7. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 4. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 
 5. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 42. 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 75. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 18. 
 
 B. of M., 
 
 10. 
 
 Total in a: 67. Total in b : 97. 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 164. 
 
 Six of these examples could possibly be entered under other 
 types, with a change in the sentence-accent. 
 
 II. One syllable in the second thesis : L x | x L || . 
 
 \ I i 
 
 s&ilty^a gelac. Sea. 35. waelradste geceas. Br. 113. 
 
 wSrSeida gewedld. Ex. 383. Als Ex ' 4 > 6 > 109 ' 128 > 
 
 Also Ex 330. 338 ' 344 ' 446 " 
 
 1. Resolution of the first arsis : 6$ ^ x | x L || . 
 lifigdndra gehwam. Ex. 6. h^ofonbeacen astah. Ex. 107. 
 
 2. Resolution of the second arsis : x \ * $$ \\ . 
 
 V. 
 
 aSflastum gewtina. Ex. 473. 
 
 The accented part of the thesis is short : ^ c> x | x L || . 
 Aefdna gehwam. Ex. 108. 
 
 4. The first arsis is resolved ; the second arsis is short, and the 
 accented part of the thesis is resolved : j ^ x | x d || . 
 
 faeder a&3elo gehwaes. Ex. 361. 
 
82 
 
 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Seafarer, 
 Exodus, 
 
 Exodus, 
 B. of M., 
 
 9. 
 1. 
 
 10. 
 
 Total in a : 6. Total in b 
 
 Total in both half-lines, 16. 
 
 Three of these examples might possibly be classed elsewhere. 
 
 I. Normal type of E" : L x i | L || . 
 No examples in these poems. 
 
 1. The first arsis is short, the second resolved : ^ x i | ^ || . 
 
 / 
 winelaes gtima. W. 45. Also Br. 45. 
 
 2. The second arsis is short, the accented part of the thesis is 
 resolved : L x 3 | d || . 
 
 lyftedoras braec. Ex. 251. Also Ex. 273. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 Wanderer, 1. Exodus, 2. B. of M., 1. Total, 4. 
 
 One of these examples might be included elsewhere, with a 
 change in the sentence-accent. 
 
 II. A syllable after the accented part of the thesis : ^ x i x | L || . 
 / _\^ / 
 
 modewaega maest. Ex. 499. 
 
 (a) two-syllable anacrusis :xx:^xix|^||. 
 
 / \ 
 aer him Wigellnes be"arn. Br. 300. 
 
 1. Resolution of the second arsis : ^ x i x | 6$ \\ . 
 
 _L ^ 
 
 Abrahames sunum. Ex. 18. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Exodus, 1. B. of M., 1. Exodus, 1. 
 
 Total, 3. 
 
 GENERAL SUMMARY OF TYPES. 
 
 
 W. 
 
 Sea. 
 
 Ex. 
 
 Br. 
 
 W. 
 
 Sea. 
 
 Ex. 
 
 Br. 
 
 Total. 
 
 A 
 
 50 
 
 50 
 
 296 
 
 190 
 
 60 
 
 40 
 
 297 
 
 170 
 
 1153 
 
 B 
 
 23 
 
 11 
 
 43 
 
 62 
 
 15 
 
 21 
 
 77 
 
 73 
 
 325 
 
 C 
 
 23 
 
 19 
 
 67 
 
 29 
 
 21 
 
 25 
 
 51 
 
 51 
 
 286 
 
 D 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 107 
 
 23 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 52 
 
 17 
 
 242 
 
 E 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 49 
 
 19 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 85 
 
 12 
 
 186 
 
 Total. 
 
 111 
 
 100 
 
 562 
 
 323 
 
 111 
 
 100 
 
 562 
 
 323 
 
 2192 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 83 
 
 6. SUGGESTED CHANGES IN THE TEXT TO PREVENT THE 
 OCCURRENCE OF ISOLATED, OR EXTREMELY RARE VARIA- 
 TIONS OF A NORMAL TYPE. 
 
 feoh. Br. 39-a, should probably have the diphthong long, thus 
 giving the metrical scheme L x | L x || , instead of C x | L x || , 
 which is found nowhere else in these poems. 
 
 haeleft. Ex. 78-a, should be changed, for the same reason, to the 
 more common form, haelefias. 
 
 gefraege. Ex. 368-b, and gefraegost, Ex. 394-b, if written with 
 the diphthong long, gefraege and gefraegost, would avoid a 
 variation of the normal type which is found nowhere else. 
 
 feor. Ex. 1-a, should be changed to feorr the regular form 
 for a similar reason. 
 
 flot. Br. 4 1-a, should be flote, the regular form of the dative. 
 
 habaft. Ex. 1-b, gives a much more common type if changed to 
 to the regular form, habbaft. 
 
 men. Ex. 373-a, should be written menn, to avoid an unusual 
 variation of the normal type. 
 
 sivipode. Ex. 463-b, for a similar reason, should probably be 
 swippode. 
 
 bodigean. Ex. 510-a, should be changed to either bodian, or 
 bodigan y the regular forms, to avoid an unusual variation. 
 
 cyn. Ex. 265-b, should likewise be changed to the full form, cynn. 
 
 God. Ex. 432-b, and 94-b, and Br. 262-b, would avoid a varia- 
 tion of the normal type that perhaps occurs only in these 
 places, if changed to God. The word occurs a number of 
 times in these four poems, and in almost every case, to 
 make the syllable long would class it under a much more 
 common type. This seems to suggest that rhythmically 
 the Anglo-Saxon poet made no distinction between God 
 and god. 
 
84 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ALLITERATION IN THE WANDERER, SEAFARER, EXODUS, 
 AND BATTLE OF MALDON. 
 
 In these four poems there are, including transverse alliteration, 
 eleven types of alliteration in all. Numbering the feet a, b, c, d, 
 in the order in which they occur in the line, these types may be 
 represented as follows : 
 
 a-b-c, a-c, b-c, a-c-d, a-b-c-d, b-c-d, j j^ j | j c j , a-d, a-d-d, b-d. 
 
 Only three of these types of alliteration are very common : 
 a-b-c, a-c, and b-c. The first occurs more frequently than all the 
 other types put together ; there are 570 examples of it in these 
 four poems. The type a-c occurs next in frequency in the earlier 
 poems, but b-c in the Battle of Maldon. The per cent, of the 
 Wanderer, Seafarer, and Exodus under a-c, is about 28 ; of the 
 Battle of Maldon, about 30. The per cent, of the first three 
 poems under b-c, is about 15 ; of the Battle of Maldon, about 30. 
 From these figures, it seems that the latter type of alliteration 
 grew in favor in the later period. 
 
 TABULAR SUMMARY. 
 
 Type. Wanderer. Seafarer. Exodus. Battle of Maldon. Total. 
 
 a-b-c. 70 58 295 147 570 
 
 69 294 
 
 97 218 
 
 4 7 
 
 2 8 
 
 5 
 
 1 2 
 
 1 1 
 
 2 3 
 1 1 
 
 a-c. 
 
 25 29 
 
 171 
 
 b-c. 
 
 14 12 
 
 95 
 
 a-c-d. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 a-b-c-d. 
 
 2 1 
 
 3 
 
 b-c-d. 
 
 
 5 
 
 fare. \ 
 \b-d.i 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 a-d. \ 
 \b-c.} 
 
 
 2 
 
 a-d. 
 
 
 
 a-d-d. 
 
 
 1 
 
 b-d. 
 
 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 85 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 ANALYSIS OF THE LONG LINES IN THE WANDERER, SEA- 
 
 FARER, EXODUS AND BATTLE OF MALDON. 
 
 1. NUMBER OF LONG LINES. There are in these four 
 poems altogether but fourteen certain long lines. Of these, five are 
 in the Wanderer (111-115); five are in the Seafarer (23, 103, and 
 106-108) ; and four are in Exodus (411 and 570-572). No long 
 lines are found in the Battle of Maldon. 
 
 These fourteen Hues arrange themselves under the following 
 types : 
 
 2. TYPE A-A. Normal form : L x | <L x | L x || . 
 
 / / 
 
 swa cwaeS snottor on mode. W. 111-a 
 
 L x | L X x | L X || . 
 
 Wei biS Sam Se him are seceS. W. 114-b 
 
 u X X X X I X f X {{ . 
 
 Til biS se Se his treowe gehealdeS. W. 112-a 
 
 C x xxx|^lx x ^ x || . 
 
 beorn of his breostum acySan. W. 113-a 
 
 L x x| L x x|^x||. 
 
 eorl mid elne gefremman. W. 114-a 
 
 L x | L x X | L X || . 
 
 frofre to Faeder in heofonum. W. 115-a 
 
 __ _ 
 
 Saer us call seo fa^stnung st^ndeS. W. 115-b 
 
 ^ x || . 
 
 stormas Saer stanclifu beotan. Sea. 23 -a 
 - x x|-xx|-x||. 
 
 / 
 
 Saer him stearn oncwaeS. Sea. 23-b 
 
 L x | L\ L X || . 
 
 dol biS se Se him his Dryhten ne ondraedeS. Sea. 106 -a 
 ^xxxxx| ^ x x x I i x || . 
 
 cymeS him se deaS unSinged. Sea. 106-b 
 x x L x L x . 
 
86 On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 Micel biS se Meotudes egsa. Sea. 103 -a 
 
 & X X | ^ X I ^ X || . 
 
 Eadig biS se Se eaSmod leofaS. Sea. 107-a 
 ^ x x x x I ^ x I ^ x || . 
 
 cymeS him seb ar of heofonum. Sea. 107-b 
 & x x I L x I & x || . 
 
 Me*otod him Saet mod gest&SeleS. Sea. 108-a 
 
 & x x | L x | 6$ x || . 
 
 feorh of feonda dome. Ex. 570-a 
 
 ^ X I L X | L X || . 
 
 Seah t5e hie hit fr4cne gen6Sdon. Ex. 570-b 
 
 L x x 
 
 weras under waetera hrofas. Ex. 571 -a 
 
 u^ x x | ux x | . x || . 
 
 ealle him brimu blodige Siihton. Ex. 572-a 1 
 
 L X X X X | ^ X X | i X || . 
 
 Surh Sa heora beadosearo waegon. Ex. 572-b 
 
 L x xx| ux x x I ^ x || . 
 
 3. TYPE B-A. (According to Sievers). Normal form: 
 
 X L X I L X | L X || . 
 
 gesaet him sundor aet rune. W. 111-b 
 
 x . x I <. x x I L x || . 
 
 ne sceal naefre his torn to rycene. W. 112-b 
 
 x x ^x x|.i x|u^x||. 
 
 nemSe he aer Sa bote cunne. W. 113. 
 x x ^x x|^x|^x||. 
 
 for Son hi seo molde oncyrreS. Sea. 103-b 
 x x - x | _xx|_x||. 
 
 for Son he in his medhte gelyfeS. Sea. 108-b 
 
 x x ^xx| ^Ixx 
 
 gesawon hie Saer wealles standan. Ex. 571-b 
 
 X X X XI X I * X 
 
 1 Or : ealle him brimu blodige iStihton, with a change of sentence-accent, making 
 it C-A. 
 
On Anglo-Saxon Versification. 
 
 87 
 
 This type occurs only in the second half-line. As noted in the 
 discussion in Book II, Part I, these examples can be classed under 
 A- A, with anacrusis ; as, 
 
 gesaet him sundor aet rune. 
 x:^ x| L x x | . x || 
 
 nemSe he aer t$a bote cunne, 
 x x : . x x| x | x || , 
 
 etc. 
 4. TYPE A-B. Normal form : L \ x - | x L \\ . 
 
 Up araemde se eorl. Ex. 411 -a 
 
 *. | X <. I X X L || . 
 
 5. TYPE C-A. Normal form : x ^ | L x | L x || . 
 a. b. 
 
 wolde slean eaferan smne. Ex. 411-b 
 
 XX L x x L x . 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 Type 
 
 Wanderer, 
 Seafarer, 
 Exodus, 
 
 Total, 
 
 a. 
 
 A-A. 
 5 
 5 
 3 
 
 13 
 
 A-B. 
 
 
 b. 
 
 
 A-A. 
 
 B-A. 
 
 C-A. 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 We find from the above summary that the most common type 
 of the long line is A-A. The second most common type is B-A, 
 which rhythmically is the same as A-A with an anacrusis. 
 
THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE 
 STAMPED BELOW 
 
 AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS 
 
 WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN 
 THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY 
 WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH 
 DAY AND TO $1.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY 
 OVERDUE. 
 
 SEP 2 1968 1 8 
 
 REC'D LD OCTfr *G(M PM 
 
 Due end of SUMMER 
 
 , . . .,.. . - ' - " 
 
 & S'?9 
 
 LD 21-95m-7,'37 
 
YC 1803!