in ancient poetry, a denomination given to several kinds of verse, from Alcaeus their inventor.

The first kind consists of five feet, viz. a spondee, or iambic; an iambic; a long syllable; a dactyl; another dactyle: such is the following verse of Horace,

Omnes | ex | dem | cognitum | omnium | Versatur | ur | nis | ferius | ocyus |

Sortis exitura.

The second kind consists of two dactyles and two trochees: as,

Exilium impotestra | cymba.

Besides these two, which are called dactylic Alcaics, there is another styled simply Alcaic; consisting of an epitrite; a coriambus; another coriambus; and a bacchus: the following is of this species,

Cur timent flaveam Tiberim tanigres, cur olivicum?

ALCAIC Ode, a kind of manly ode composed of several strophes, each consisting of four verses; the two first of which are always Alcaics of the first kind; the third verse is a diameter hypercatalectic, or consisting of four feet and a long syllable; and the fourth verse is an Alcaic of the second kind. The following strophe is of this species, which Horace calls minaces Alcal camena.

Non pessilestem multa vocaveris Relle beatum: rectius occupat Nomen beati, qui deorum Muneribus fapienter ut, &c.