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 dactyle; another dactyle; such is the following verse of Horace,

Omnes | eodem cognimur, | nonunum Versatur urbis | ferius | ocyus | Sors exitura.

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

Exilium impotitura | 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 fia|gum Tiberin tan|gere, cur | olivum?

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.

Alcei camene.

Non possidentem multa vocaveris Reste beatus: rectius occupat Nomen beati, qui deorum Muneribus sapienter uti, &c.