Dochmiac
A Greek tragic meter expressing extreme agitation or distress.
The dochmiac is a poetic meter from ancient Greek drama, named after the word *dochmios*, meaning "across" or "aslant," and linked to the *dochmē*, a unit of length equal to a hand's breadth. In Greek tragedy, this meter signals intense emotional turmoil or distress. Every surviving tragedy contains dochmiacs; N.C. Conomis identified 1,985 total across the three major playwrights—528 in Aeschylus, 291 in Sophocles, and 1,166 in Euripides. The meter also appears in satyr plays and in Aristophanes' comedies, where it often carries a paratragic, highly emotional tone.
The basic metrical pattern is a short followed by two longs, then a short and a long (‿ — — ‿ —). However, any long syllable can be resolved into two shorts, and either of the two shorts can be lengthened into a long—a process called "drag-in" for the first short, "drag-out" for the second, and "double drag" when both shorts become longs. This allows for 32 possible variations, ranging from five consecutive longs (— — — — —) to eight shorts (‿ ‿‿ ‿‿ ‿ ‿‿). The most common forms are the basic pattern, a version with the first long resolved (‿ ‿‿ — ‿ —), and one with the first short dragged (— ‿‿ — ‿ —).
A clear example comes from Aeschylus' *Seven against Thebes* (lines 697–700). The chorus tries to dissuade Eteocles from fighting his brother Polynices. The first three lines each consist of two dochmiacs in the form — ‿‿ — ‿ — (long syllables underlined). The fourth line is a hagesichorean.
ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ ʼποτρύνου· κακὸς οὐ κεκλή- σῃ βίον εὖ κυρήσας· μελάναιγις δʼ· οὐκ εἶσι δόμων Ἐρινύς, ὅταν ἐκ χερῶν θεοὶ θυσίαν δέχωνται;
| – 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?"
A simpler double-drag form (— — — — —) appears in Aeschylus' *Suppliant Maidens* (lines 892 and 901), where the chorus twice cries out:
ὦ πᾶ, Γᾶς παῖ, Ζεῦ. | – – – – – | "O Father, Earth's son, Zeus!"
- Field
- Poetic meter
- Known for
- Expressing extreme agitation or distress in Greek tragedy
- Occurrences in extant tragedies
- 1985
- Aeschylus occurrences
- 528
- Sophocles occurrences
- 291
- Euripides occurrences
- 1166
Lore & Background
The base metrical scheme of the dochmiac is ‿ — — ‿ —, though any of the long syllables may be resolved (replaced by two shorts) and either of the two shorts may be replaced by a long. This yields 32 theoretical variants, ranging from five longs (— — — — —) to eight shorts (‿ ‿‿ ‿‿ ‿ ‿‿). The most frequent forms are ‿ — — ‿ —, ‿ ‿‿ — ‿ —, and — ‿‿ — ‿ —.
An example from Aeschylus' Seven against Thebes (lines 697–700) shows pairs of — ‿‿ — ‿ — dochmiacs, where the chorus tries to withhold Eteocles from a fatal battle. The fourth line is a hagesichorean. Another example, the simplest double drag form (— — — — —), appears in Aeschylus' Suppliant Maidens (lines 892 and 901), where the chorus sighs 'ὦ πᾶ, Γᾶς παῖ, Ζεῦ.'
Reader's Guide
The dochmiac meter holds significance as a distinctive rhythmic tool in ancient Greek drama, primarily associated with moments of high emotional intensity. Its prevalence across all extant tragedies—nearly 2,000 occurrences—underscores its role in conveying agitation, distress, or passionate outbursts. The meter's flexibility, with 32 possible variants, allowed playwrights to adapt its rhythm to the emotional tone of a scene. In satyric drama and the comedies of Aristophanes, dochmiacs often appear in a paratragic context, mimicking tragic style for humorous or heightened effect. The metrical scheme's ability to start and end mid-word, as seen in the example from Seven against Thebes, demonstrates its integration into the natural flow of Greek verse. The dochmiac thus remains a key element for understanding the emotional and dramatic structure of Greek tragedy, reflecting the ancient poets' craft in matching meter to mood.
Did You Know?
- N.C. Conomis counted 1,985 dochmiacs in the tragedies of Aeschylus (528), Sophocles (291), and Euripides (1166).
- The base metrical scheme is ‿ — — ‿ —, with 32 theoretical variants possible.
- Dochmiacs appear in every extant Greek tragedy.
- An example of the double drag form (— — — — —) occurs in Aeschylus' Suppliant Maidens.
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