Note 885 — Chapter VI · METRE AND RHYTHM IN GREEK TRAGEDY

It is therefore possible to scan the ordinary iambics of dialogue as trochees:—

˃ – ⏑ – ˃ – ⏑ – ˃ – ⏑ – ειθ ⁝ ωφελ | Αργους | μη δι|απτασθ|αι σκαφ|οςꞈ (Medea, 1).

This is the method followed by Dr. J. H. H. Schmidt, and of course changes altogether the rules given above (§ II), but will hardly perplex the student. It has the advantage of bringing “iambic” dialogue closer to lyric and to episodic trochees, but it has seemed more convenient to keep the traditional statement.