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

Omnes | e|odem cogimur, | omnium Versa|tur ur|na | serius | ocyus | Sors exitura.

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

Exili|um impos|tura | cymbae.

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

Cur timet flavi|um Tiberim 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 dimeter hypercatalectic, or consisting of four feet and a long syllable; and the fourth verse is an alcaic of the second kind. The following strope is of this species, which Horace calls minaces Alcet camena.

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