Note 88 — Chapter III · FROM SHAKESPEARE TO MILTON—THE CLOSE OF THE FORMATIVE PERIOD
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Oct., Iamb., and Troch. { This, this | is he; | softly | awhile;
Let us | not break in up|on him.
Dec. O change | beyond | report, | thought, or | belief!
Alex. See how | he lies | at ran|dom, care|lessly | diffused,
Hexasyl. With lan|guished head | unpropt,
Hexasyl. hyperc. As one | with hope | aban|doned,
Hexasyl. hyperc. And by | himself | given o|ver,
Oct. In sla|vish hab|it, ill-fit|ted weeds |
Tetrasyl. O'er-worn | and soiled.
Alex. Or do | my eyes | misre|present? | Can this | be he?
Oct. cat. That he|roic, | that re|nowned,
Dec. Irre|sisti|ble Sam|son whom, | unarmed,
Alex. No strength | of man | or fier|cest wild | beast could | withstand;
Alex. Who tore | the li|on as | the li|on tears | the kid;
Dec. Ran on | embat|tled ar|mies clad | in iron,
Hexasyl. And, wea|ponless | himself, |
Alex. Made arms | ridi|culous, | useless | the for|gery
Dec. Of bra|zen shield | and spear, | the ham|mered cuirass,
Dec. Chalyb|ean-tem|pered steel | and frock | of mail
Hexasyl. Ada|mante|an proof:
Hardly anything here needs remark, except the use made of the old catalectic octosyllable beloved from Comus days, with its trochaic cadence, and that of half-Alexandrines or hexasyllables. There is only one monometer, towards the centre or waist of the scheme ("O'er-worn and soiled").