4436. LANGUAGE (Greek), Accent.—
Against reading Greek by accent, instead of
quantity, as Mr. Ciceitira, proposes, I raise both
my hands. What becomes of the sublime measure
of Homer, the full sounding rhythm of
Demosthenes, if, abandoning quantity, you
chop it up by accent? What ear can hesitate in
its choice between the two following rhythms?
“Τὸν, δ’απαμειβὸμενος προσεφὴ πόδας
ωκὺσ Αχίλλευς,
and
Τον δ’απμειβομενός προςεφὴ ποδας ώχυσ
Αχίλλευς.”
the latter noted according to prosody, the
former by accent, and dislocating our teeth in
its utterance; every syllable of it, except the
first and last, being pronounced against quantity.
And what becomes of the art of prosody?
Is that perfect coincidence of its rules with the
structure of their verse, merely accidental? or
was it of design, and yet for no use?—
To John Adams. Washington ed. vii, 114.
(M.
1819)
