Congreve’s Poetic Form in his Pindaric Ode on Marlborough

 

Strophes and Antistrophes

 

Lines = 7

Meter = baseline* iambic with varying feet in waning, waxing pattern end-rhymed thus (u = unstressed syllable; X= stressed syllable):

 

Pentameter       a          uX uX uX uX uX

Pentameter       a          uX uX uX uX uX

Trimeter           b          uX uX uX

Tetrameter        c          uX uX uX uX

Tetrameter        c          uX uX uX uX

Pentameter       b          uX uX uX uX uX

Hexameter        b          uX uX uX uX uX uX

 

Epodes

 

Lines = 14

Meter = baseline iambic with varying feet in sonnet-like rhyme scheme thus:

 

Tetrameter        a          uX uX uX uX

Tetrameter        b          uX uX uX uX

Tetrameter        a          uX uX uX uX

Tetrameter        b          uX uX uX uX

Pentameter       c          uX uX uX uX uX

Tetrameter        d          uX uX uX uX

Trimeter           c          uX uX uX

Tetrameter        d          uX uX uX uX

Tetrameter        e          uX uX uX uX

Trimeter           e          uX uX uX

Trimeter           f           uX uX uX

Trimeter           g          uX uX uX

Tetrameter        g          uX uX uX uX

Pentameter       f            uX uX uX uX uX

 

 

 

Baseline, because the first line of the poem scans thus, with 2 dactyls before the regular iambic beat starts:

 

Daughter of Memory, immortal muse = Xuu Xuu uX uX

 

This variation works as quantitative verse because the syllable count for the line remains 10

 

 

 

Glossary for Congreve’s Myths, Geography & History

 

Calliope                                  Muse of eloquence, epic and heroic poetry

 

Castalian Spring                     inspiring waters at Delphi, near the oracle

 

Pierian Spring                         nspiring waters, source of knowledge in arts and sciences

 

Alcides Guardian arm            Achilles, and his shield

 

Orpheus’ harp                        Orpheus, son of Calliope; his lyre

 

Cyllenes                                  mountain in Arcadia, haunt of Hermes

 

Latona’s son                           Apollo, god of poetry. He was given the first lyre by Hermes

 

Mantuan fire                          image of Virgil’s poetic skill

 

Maeonian flame                     image of Homer’s poetic skill

 

Tithon’s bed                           where Eos/Aurora/Dawn slept with Tithon, a mortal whom she

                                                fell in love with

 

Boyn                                       river in Ireland; where William III put down Irish rebellion

 

Tiber                                       river at Rome

 

Augusta                                  poetic for England

 

Zembla                                    nova Zembla; arctic country

 

Astrea                                     goddess of justice

 

 

Marlbro                                  John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough

 

7-mouthed Ister                      the Danube and its tributaries

 

Blenheim                                in Bavaria, on the Danube; site of the battle against Louis

                                                XIV’s France & his Austrian allies

 

Ramilla                                   Ramilles, site of prior Marlborough victory

 

Cannae                                   site of Hannibal’s great victory against Romans

 

Pharsalia                                 where Julius Caesar defeated Pompey, a first stage to Caesar

                                                becoming sole Emperor of Rome