VARIETIES OF RHYTHM 171
being exactly and completely parallel to the
latter half of the longer line, there is a sense
echo, which we may represent in symbols thus—
a. b. c .| d c' d'. But if we wish to reduce the
lines to 3 : 2, so as to obtain the characteristic
rhythmical echo, we must omit mm in the one
case and wyxh in the other : this leaves admir-
able distichs--
Broken is the staff of the wicked,
The rod of the rulers;
and
Is this who made earth tremble,
Who made kingdoms quake?
but for these omissions the only really strong
reason would be the theory, the validity of which
is in question, that 4 : 2 may never occur in a
poem mainly consisting of 3 : 2.
Even apparent examples of 4 : 2 in Lamenta-
tions i.-iv. are very few. Perhaps the only 1 actual
example is iv. 20-
MtvtyHwb dkln || hvhy Hywm | vnqx Hvr
The breath of our nostril, the anointed of Yahweh,
Is taken, in their pits.
But this is an actual example, for it could not be
satisfactorily reduced to 3 : 2 by makkephing one
1 It is very improbable that iv. 18 b was really another, as it appears
to be in the existing text--
nvcq xb-yk vnymy vxlm vncq brq
The first vncq is almost certainly incorrect, and perhaps, as has
been suggested, the two words usp nnp stand where there was originally
the one word vrcq. Budde cites also, as examples of 4 : 2 in Lam. i.-iv.,
ii. 13 a and iii. 56 ; but ii. 13 a can be read, as in MT, as 3 : 2, and in
iii. 56 the text is doubtful.