ALCAICKS
ALCAICKS, in the ancient Poetry, a Name common to several Kinds of Verses; thus called from the Poet Alcaeus, the Inventor thereof. See VERSE. The first Species of Alcaicks, consists of two Dactyls and two Trochees: As, Exilium impositura cymbae.There is another Kind, consisting of five Feet, of which the first is a Spondee or Iambic; the second an Iambic;the third a long Syllable; the fourth a Dactyl; the fifth a Dactyl or Amphimacer: As these of Horace, Omnes eodem cogimur, omnium Versatur urna, serius, ocius Sors exitura, —Besides these two Kinds of Verses, which are called Alcaick Dactylics, there is a third sort, called simply Alcaick whereof the first is an Epitrite, the second and third Choriambics, and the fourth a Bacchius; as, Cur timet flavum Tiberim tangere? Cur olivum?The Alcaick Ode, consists of four Strophes, each of which contains four Verses; the two first are Alcaick Verses of the second Kind; the third an Iambic Dimeter Hypercatalectic, i.e., of four Feet and a long Syllable: As, Sors exitura, et nos in æternum The fourth is an Alcaick of the first Kind.——The entire Alcaick Strophe is as follows;Omnes eodem cogimur, omnium Versatur urna, serius, ocius Sors exitura, et nos in æternum Exilium impositura cymbae.