elegeion

[annis]

[face=spionic]h)/dh e(tai=ron e)/xeij a)ll' h(/du gela|=j para/ q' h(=sai:
  nu=n de\ di/dwj xa/ritaj ta\j e)me\ dei= mh\ e)/xein;[/face]

[whiteoctave]

delightful as ever, W. what is your policy on Hermann's bridge? i recently wrote a little 6 line Grk. elegiac on the (prestated) topic of 'junk food'. iambics, however, are on my mind: this morning i had a University exam in which 15 or so lines of english had to be turned into them.

~D

[annis]

what is your policy on Hermann's bridge?

Well, hell. I'll have to fix that.

i recently wrote a little 6 line Grk. elegiac on the (prestated) topic of 'junk food'.

And how does twinkie scan? Jaffa cake?

[annis]

How about:

[face=spionic]h)/dh e(tai=ron e)/xeij a)ll' h(dulogei=j para/ q' h(=sai:
  nu=n de\ di/dwj xa/ritaj ta\j e)me\ dei= mh\ e)/xein;[/face]

[Kasper]

What's Hermann's bridge anyway

[annis]

What's Hermann's bridge anyway

A bridge is a place in the line where a word break is forbidden. Hermann's bridge says I cannot have a break in the fourth foot like so: - u | u. In my case, [face=spionic]h(/du[/face] | [face=spionic]gela=|j[/face] breaks the rule.

The rule isn't absolute, but for a Greek poet to break it is quite rare.

[Kasper]

Thanks Wll! (I'll have to try to translate your poem soon!)