Quantity or Final Syllables.[1]
§ 446. Monosyllables.—Monosyllables are long.
Except (a) Enclitics as -quĕ, (b) words ending in b, d, and t, (c) făc and nĕc, sometimes hĬc; fĕl, mĕl, vĕl; ăn and ĭ ; fĕr, pĕr, tĕr, vĭr, cŏr; ĭs and quĭs (Nom. ), bĭs and cĭs; ŏs bone, ĕs thou art.
§ 447. Dissyllables and Polysyllables.
I. Vowel endings all are long, excepting y and e.
II. Consonantal all are short, save ās, ēs, ōs, and c.
Exceptions to I.—A is short in N. Voc. Sing., in Neut. PI., and ită, quiă, eiă.
I is short in nisĭ and quasĭ; common in mihī̆, tibī̆, sibī̆, ubī̆, ibī̆.
O is short in citŏ, duŏ, egŏ, modŏ, quomodŏ; sometimes in homō̆ and nemō̆, in Lat. Proper Names as Scipiŏ, and in sciŏ, nesciŏ, putŏ volŏ used parenthetically.
E is long in (a) 5th Decl. as diē, (b) Adverbs from Adjectives of the First Class except benĕ, malĕ, infernĕ, supernĕ; (c) Imperatives of 2nd Conj. except cavē̆.
Exceptions to II.—The Perfect forms iīt (and compounds), petiīt and compounds of pār are long.
AS is short in anăs.
ES is short in (a) penĕs and compounds of ĕs thou art; (b) No Sing., 3rd Decl., with Gen. in -ĕtis, -ĭtis, -ĭdis, except ariēs, abiēs, pariēs,
OS is short in exŏs, compŏs, impŏs.
EC is short in donĕc.
US is long in (a) Gen. S. and Ace. PI. 4th Decl., (b) Nom. 3rd Decl. if Gen. has a long penultimate as virt-ūs, G. -ūtis.
IS is long in (a) D. Abl. PI., ('b) Ace. PI. 3rd Decl., (c) Samnīs, Quirīs, and some Greek names as Salamīs, (d) 2 Sg. Pres. Ind. Act. 4th Conj. as audīs, (e) velīs, malīs, nolīs, and compounds of sīs; (f) it is common in the Fut. Perf, and Perf. Subj. as amaverī̆s.
Greek Words.—These often show exceptions :
To I. as -ĭ (Voc, sometimes D. 3rd Decl.), -ē (1st Decl.).
To II. as: -ēr (N. 3rd Decl.), -ēn, sometimes -ān (Ace. 1st Decl., Nom. 3rd Decl.), -ūs (G. Sing.), -ăs (Acc. Pl. 3rd Decl.), -ĕs (N. PI. 3rd Decl.), -ŏs (N. Sing, ist Decl., G. Sing. 3rd Decl.).
§ 448. Quantity in other Syllables.
I. Syllables containing a vowel or diphthong immediately followed by another vowel or h are short as via, trahis, priest.
Except (a) G. Sing, in -āī (1st Decl.), -ēī (5th Decl.); (b) Gen. of Pronouns, etc., in -īns; alīus, solīus, neutrīus always; -ī̆us in the rest as ipsī̆us, but usually alterĭus; (c) dīus, Dī̆ana, Gāius, ēheu. ō̆he; many Greek words as āer, Cōus; (d) ī in fīo except before ĕr as fĭeri.
- ↑ The student should observe that in §§ 447, 448, the marks of quantity are only placed on those syllables to which the rules of quantity refer.
