Spondaic Line in the Aeneid
What metrical effect does Vergil employ in the final line of the passage below to enhance the description of the reunion between Dido and Sychaeus?
tandem corripuit sese, atque inimica refugit
in nemus umbriferum, coniunx ubi pristinus illi
respondet curis aequatque Sychaeus amorem.
(Aeneid 6.472–474)
A
The final foot creates a spondaic cadence that produces strong closure emphasizing the permanence of love
B
The fifth foot contains an unexpected dactyl that disrupts the line’s rhythm
C
Dactylic rhythm accelerates toward the line end showing Dido’s eager reunion
D
Weak caesura creates enjambment that continues the thought into the next line
Question Leaderboard
Not enough data yet to show leaderboard.