Dochmiac (, from δόχμιος 'across, aslant, oblique', or 'pertaining to a δοχμή or hand's-breath') is a

poetic meter In poetry, metre ( Commonwealth spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of ...

that is characteristically used in Greek tragedy, expressing extreme agitation or distress. They appear in every extant tragedy—N.C. Conomis counted a total of 1,985 in the tragedies of

Aeschylus Aeschylus (, ; ; /524 – /455 BC) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek tragedy, tragedian often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek tragedy is large ...

(528×),

Sophocles Sophocles ( 497/496 – winter 406/405 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. was an ancient Greek tragedian known as one of three from whom at least two plays have survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those ...

(291×), and

Euripides Euripides () was a Greek tragedy, tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to ...

(1166×)—, but there are also examples in satyric drama and

Aristophanes Aristophanes (; ; ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek Ancient Greek comedy, comic playwright from Classical Athens, Athens. He wrote in total forty plays, of which eleven survive virtually complete today. The majority of his surviving play ...

, where they are often paratragic in tone and impassioned.

Metrical scheme

The base metrical scheme is: ‿ — — ‿ —, although any of the long syllables may be resolved (i.e., replaced by two shorts) and either of the two shorts may be replaced by a long (''drag-in'' where the first is replaced, ''drag-out'' where the second is replaced, and ''double drag'' where both are replaced). Thus, in theory, 32 variants are possible, ranging from five longs — — — — — to eight shorts, ‿ ‿‿ ‿‿ ‿ ‿‿. The ones occurring most often are : ‿ — — ‿ —, : ‿ ‿‿ — ‿ —, and : — ‿‿ — ‿ —.

Examples

Here is an example from Aeschylus' ''

Seven against Thebes ''Seven Against Thebes'' (, ''Hepta epi Thēbas''; ) is the third play in an Oedipus-themed trilogy produced by Aeschylus in 467 BC. The trilogy is sometimes referred to as the ''Oedipodea''. It concerns the battle between an Argive army, led by ...

'', lines 697-700, where the

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...

in vain tries to withhold

Oedipus Oedipus (, ; "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby bringing disaster to his city and family. ...

' son

Eteocles In Greek mythology, Eteocles (; ) was a king of Ancient Thebes (Boeotia), Thebes, the son of Oedipus and either Jocasta or Euryganeia. Oedipus killed his father Laius and married his mother without knowing his relationship to either. When the ...

from a fatal battle with his brother

Polynices In Greek mythology, Polynices (also Polyneices) (; ) was the son of Oedipus and either Jocasta or Euryganeia and the older brother of Eteocles. When Oedipus was discovered to have killed his father and married his mother, Oedipus was expelled ...

. The first three lines here are pairs of — ‿‿ — ‿ — dochmiacs. Long syllables have been underlined. (The fourth line is a hagesichorean.) Note that dochmiacs and even whole lines can start and end in the middle of a word: : : : : : : : : : , – u u – u – , – u u – u – , : , – u u – u – , – u u – – – , : , – u u – u – , – u u – u – , : , u – – u – , u – – , , :: ''No, don't you be excited; you won't be called a coward,'' :: ''since you have prospered in life; but will not the black-shielded'' :: '' Erinys (Avenging Spirit) leave your house, when from your hands'' :: ''the gods will receive a sacrificial offering?'' An example of the simplest ''double drag'' form (— — — — —) is when the chorus in Aeschylus' '' Suppliant Maidens'', lines 892 and 901, twice sighs: : : : , – – – – – , :: ''O Father, Earth's son, Zeus!''

References

Types of verses Ancient Greek theatre {{poem-stub