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HEMISTICH

Volume 10 · 70 words · 1815 Edition

in Poetry, denotes half a verse, or a verse not completed.

Of this there are frequent examples in Virgil's Aeneid; but whether they were left unfinished by design or not is disputed among the learned: such are, Ferro accincta vocat, Aen. ii. 614. And, Italium non sponte sequor, Aen. iv. 361.

In reading common English verses, a short pause is required at the end of each hemistich or half verse.