ALCAICS, in ancient poetry, a denomination given to several kinds of verse, from Alcæus, their inventor.
The first kind consists of five feet, viz. a spondee, or iambic; an iambic; a long syllable; a dactyle; another dactyle: such is the following verse of Horace,
Omnes | eodem cogimur | omnium
Versatur utrius | serius | ocyus |
Sors exitara.
The second kind consists of two dactyles and two trochees: as,
Exilium | impositura | cymbe.
Besides these two, which are called dactylic Alcaics, there is another styled simply Alcaic; consisting of an epitrite; a choriambus; another choriambus; and a bacchius: the following is of this species,
Cur timet folvum Tiberim tangere, cur | olivum?