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Elision

Poetry is a form of music. One sings differently than one speaks. For instance, certain vowels are drawn out in English. In French, a final 'e' is pronounced when sung but not when spoken. So it is with Latin poetry. Elision or the act of eliding words is an important concept to grasp in order to scan Latin poetry and hear it sing to you.

Rules of Elision

1. If two words are in the same poetic line with one word ending in a vowel and the next beginning with a vowel, a diphthong or an h, the first word loses its final vowel.

Example: Catullus 5, line 1

Vivamus mea Lesbia › atque › amemus.
reads
Vi va/ mus me a / Les bi / at qu / ame mus.

One has thus a five foot verse in hendesyllabic meter.

Example 2: Catullus 4 line 24

novissimo › hunc ad usque limpidum lacum.
reads
no vis / si munc / ad us /que lim / pi dum / la cum.

One has thus a 6 foot verse in iambic trimeter. (3 groups of 2 iambs each)

2. If two words are on the same poetic line and the first word ends in m and the second word begins with a vowel or an h, the syllable with the m is omitted.

Example: Catullus II, line 2

quicum ludere, quem › in sinu tenere.
reads
qui cum / lu de re / quin si / nu te/ ne re.

One has thus a five foot verse in hendesyllabic meter.

3. If two words are on the same poetic line and the first word ends in a diphthong with the second beginning with a vowel, another diphthong or h, the diphthong is omitted.

Example: fragment from Virgil, Aeneid

..causae › irarum ...
reads
...cau si ra rum

As you read through the poems of Catullus and Horace be aware of the elision that occurs, think about the sound of the words, say them aloud and ask yourself why the poet chose certain word order. Remember a Latin poet has freedom to order words in many ways so what effect do you think the poet is trying to achieve?

Joan Jahnige 2004

Interpreting Poetry Index >