§9.4.95iique, si non ternas syllabas habebunt, repetendi erunt (absit enim poetica observatio), neque minus duobus; alioqui pes erit, non numerus.
And these, if they do not have three syllables each, must be repeated (for poetic observation should be absent), and not less than two [feet]; otherwise there will be a foot, not a rhythm.
potest tamen vel unus esse dichoreus, si unus est, qui constat e duobus choreis.
However, even one dichoreus can be sufficient, if it is a single foot, which consists of two chorei.
§9.4.96itemque paean, qui est ex choreo et pyrrhichio, quem aptum initiis putant, vel contra, qui est e tribus brevibus et longa, cui clausulam adsignant; de quibus fere duobus scriptores huius artis loquantur.
Likewise the paean, which consists of a choreus and a pyrrhichius, which they think suitable for beginnings, or on the contrary, that which consists of three shorts and a long, to which they assign the conclusion; of which two, generally, the writers of this art speak.
alii omnes, ut quocunque sit loco longa, temporum quod ad rationem pertinet,paeanas appellant.
All others, in so far as the proportion of times is concerned, call them paeans, in whatever position the long syllable may be.
§9.4.97est et dochmius, qui fit ex bacchio et iambo vel ex iambo et cretico, stabilis ut clausulis et severus.
There is also the dochmius, which is formed from a bacchius and an iambus, or from an iambus and a cretic, stable and solemn for conclusions.
spondeus quoque, quo plurimum est Demosthenes usus, non eodem modo semper se habet.
The spondee too, which Demosthenes used most, does not always behave in the same way.
optime praecedet eum creticus, ut ut hoc, de qua ego nihil dicam, nisi depellendi criminis causa.
It is best preceded by a cretic, as: "de qua ego nihil dicam, nisi depellendi criminis causa".
non nihil est, quod supra dixi multum referre, unone verbo sint duo pedes comprehensi an uterque liber.
It is not of little importance, as I said above, whether two feet are contained in one word or each is free.
Sic enim fit forte criminis casa; molle archipiratae, mollius, si tribrachys praecedat, facilitates, temeritates.
For thus, for example, "criminis causa" becomes strong; "archipiratae" is soft, and softer still, if a tribrachys precedes, as "facilitates, temeritates".
§9.4.98est enim quoddam ipsa divisione verborum latens tempus, ut ut pentametri medio spondeo, qui nisi alterius verbi fine, alterius initio constat, versum non efficit.
For there is a certain hidden time in the very division of words, just as in the middle spondee of a pentameter, which, unless it consists of the end of one word and the beginning of another, does not make a verse.
potest, etiamsi minus bene, praeponi anapaestos: muliere non solum nobili, verum etiam nota.
An anapaest can be prefixed, though less well, as: "muliere non solum nobili, verum etiam nota".
cum anapaestus et creticus, §9.4.99iambus quoque, qui est utroque syllaba minor (praecedet enim tres longas brevis), sed et spondeus iambo recte praeponitur: armis fui.
Since the anapaest and the cretic, the iambus also [can be prefixed], which is shorter than both syllables [of the spondee] (for a short will precede three longs); but also a spondee is correctly placed before an iambus, as: "armis fui".
cum spondeus, et bacchius, sic enim fiet ultimus dochmius: §9.4.100in armis fui.
Since the spondee [is so placed], the bacchius is too, for thus the end will become a dochmius: "in armis fui".
ex iis quae supra probavi apparet molosson quoque clausulae convenire, dum habeat ex quocunque pede ante se brevem: illud scimus ubicunque sunt, esse pro nobis.
From what I have approved above, it appears that the molossus also is suitable for a conclusion, provided that it has a short syllable before it from any foot, as: "illud scimus ubicunque sunt, esse pro nobis".
§9.4.101minus gravis erit spondeus, praecedentibus palimbacchio et pyrrhichio, ut iudicii Iuniani, et adhuc peius priore paeane, ut Brute, dubitavi; nisi potius hoc esse volumus dactylum et bacchium.
The spondee will be less heavy if preceded by a palimbacchius and a pyrrhichius, as: "iudicii Iuniani"; and still worse with a preceding first paean, as: "Brute, dubitavi"; unless we prefer to consider this as a dactyl and a bacchius.
Duo spondei non fere se iungi patiuntur, quae ut versu quoque notabilis clausula est, nisi cum id fieri potest ex tribus quasi membris: cur de perfugis nostris copias comparat is contra nos? una syllaba, duabus, una.
Two spondees hardly allow themselves to be joined, which is a notable conclusion in verse too, except when this can be done from three quasi-members, as: "cur de perfugis nostris copias comparat is contra nos?"—one syllable, two syllables, one syllable.
§9.4.102ne dactylus quidem spondeo bene praeponitur, quia finem versus damnamus ut fine orationis.
Even the dactyl is not well placed before the spondee, because we condemn the end of a verse at the end of prose.
bacchius et claudit et sibi iungitur: uenenum timeres; vel choreum et spondeum ante se amat: ut venenum timeres.
The bacchius both concludes and joins with itself, as: "uenenum timeres"; or it loves to have a choreus and a spondee before it, as: "ut venenum timeres".
contrarius quoque qui est, cludet, nisi si ultimam syllabam longam esse volumus, optimeque habebit ante se molosson: civis Romanus sum; aut bacchium, quod hic potest, nos possemus.
That which is its opposite (the antibacchius) also concludes, unless we wish the last syllable to be long, and it will best have a molossus before it, as: "civis Romanus sum"; or a bacchius, which is possible here: "nos possemus".
§9.4.103sed verius erit claudere choreum praecedente spondeo, nam hic potius est numerus, nos possemus et Romanus sum.
But it will be more correct to say that a choreus concludes with a preceding spondee, for this is rather the rhythm, as "nos possemus" and "Romanus sum".
claudet et dichoreus, id est idem pes sibi ipse iungetur, quo Asiani sunt usi plurimum; cuius exemplum Cicero ponit, patris dictum sapiens temeritas filii comprobauit.
The dichoreus also concludes, that is, the same foot joined to itself, which the Asiatics used very much; of which Cicero gives the example: "patris dictum sapiens temeritas filii comprobauit".
§9.4.104accipiet ante se choreus et pyrrhichium: omnes prope cives virtute, gloria, dignitate superabat.
The choreus will also receive a pyrrhichius before it, as: "omnes prope cives virtute, gloria, dignitate superabat".
cludet et dactylus, nisi eum observatio ultimae creticum facit: muliercula nixus ut litore.
The dactyl also concludes, unless the rule of the last syllable makes it a cretic, as: "muliercula nixus ut litore".
habebit ante se bene creticum et iambum, spondeum male, peius choreum.
It will well have before it a cretic and an iambus, but badly a spondee, and worse a choreus.
§9.4.105cludit amphibrachys: Q. Ligarium ut Africa fuisse, si non eum malumus esse bacchium.
The amphibrachys also concludes, as: "Q. Ligarium ut Africa fuisse", unless we prefer to consider it a bacchius.
non optimus est trochaeus, si ulla est ultima brevis, quod certe sit necesse est;
The trochee is not the best, if the last syllable is short, which indeed must be the case; otherwise how will the dichoreus, which pleases most people, conclude?
alioqui quomodo claudet, qui placet plerisque, dichoreus? illa observatione ex trochaeo fit anapaestus.
By that rule, an anapaest is formed from a trochee.