The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 10 by Sir Richard Francis Burton (highly recommended books .TXT) 📕

ii. These three elements, the Sabab, Watad and F�silah, combine further into feet Ark�an, pl. of Rukn, or Ajz�a, pl. of Juz, two words explained supra p. 236. The technical terms by which the feet are named are derivatives of the root fa’l, to do, which, as the student will remember, serves in Arabic Grammar to form the Auz�n or weights, in accordance with which words are derived from roots. It consists of the three letters F� (f), ‘Ayn (‘), L�m (l), and, like any other Arabic root, cannot strictly speaking be pronounced, for the introduction of any vowel-sound would make it cease to be a root and change it into an individual word. The above fa’l, for instance, where the initial F� is moved by Fathah (a), is the Infinitive or verbal noun, “to do,” “doing.” If the ‘Ayn also is moved by Fathah, we obtain fa’al, meaning in colloquial Arabic “he did” (the classical or literary form would be fa’ala). Pronouncing the first letter with Zammah (u), the second with Kasrah (i), i.e., fu’il, we say “it was done”

(classically fu’ila). Many more forms are derived by prefixing, inserting or subjoining certain additional letters called Hur�f al-Ziy�dah (letters of increase) to the original radicals: f�‘il, for instance, with an Alif of prolongation in the first syllable, means “doer”; maf’�l (=maf’uwl), where the quiescent F� is preceded by a fathated M�m (m), and the zammated ‘Ayn followed by a lengthening Waw, means “done”; Muf�‘alah, where, in addition to a prefixed and inserted letter, the feminine termination ah is subjoined after the L�m, means “to do a thing reciprocally.”

Since these and similar changes are with unvarying regularity applicable to all roots, the grammarians use the derivatives of Fa’l as model-forms for the corresponding derivations of any other root, whose letters are in this case called its F�, ‘Ayn and L�m. From a root, e.g., which has K�f (k) for its first letter or F�, T� (t) for its second letter or ‘Aye, and B� (b) for its third letter or L�m

fa’l would be katb =to write, writing; fa’al would be katab =he wrote; fu’il would be kutib =it was written; fa’il would be katib =writer, scribe; maf’�l would be makt�b=written, letter; muf�‘alah would be muk�tabah = to write reciprocally, correspondence.

The advantage of this system is evident. It enables the student, who has once grasped the original meaning of a root, to form scores of words himself, and in his readings, to understand hundreds, nay thousands, of words, without recourse to the Dictionary, as soon as he has learned to distinguish their radical letters from the letters of increase, and recognises in them a familiar root. We cannot wonder, therefore, that the inventor of Arabic Prosody readily availed himself of the same plan for his own ends. The Taf’�l, as it is here called, that is, the representation of the metrical feet by current derivatives of fa’l, has in this case, of course, nothing to do with the etymological meaning of those typical forms. But it proves none the less useful in another direction: in simply naming a particular foot it shows at the same time its prosodical measure and character, as will now be explained in detail.

We have seen supra p. 236 that the word Ak�m� consists of a short syllable followed by two long ones (U - -), and consequently forms a foot, which the classics would call Bacch�us. In Latin there is no connection between this name and the metrical value of the foot: we must learn both by heart. But if we are told that its Taf’�l in Arabic is Fa’�lun, we understand at once that it is composed of the Watad majm�’ fa’� (U -) and the Sabab khaf�f lun (-), and as the Watad contains three, the Sabab two letters, it forms a quinqueliteral foot or Juz kham�s�.

In combining into feet, the Watad has the precedence over the Sabab and the F�silah, and again the Watad majm�’ over the Watad mafr�k. Hence the Prosodists distinguish between Ajz� asl�yah or primary feet (from Asl, root), in which this precedence is observed, and �jz� far’�yah or secondary feet (from Far’=

branch), in which it is reversed. The former are four in number:-

-

1. Fa’�.lun, consisting,as we have just seen, of a Watad majm�’

followed by a Sabab khaf�f = the Latin Bacch�us (U - -).

2. Maf�.’�.lun, i.e. Watad majm�’ followed by two Sabab khaf�f = the Latin Epitritus primus (U - - -).

3. Muf�.‘alatun, i.e. Watad majm�’ followed by F�silah = the Latin Iambus followed by Anapaest (U - UU -).

4. F�‘i.l�.tun, i.e. Watad mafr�k followed by two Sabab khaf�f = the Latin Epitritus secundus (-U- -).

The number of the secondary feet increases to six, for as Nos. 2

and 4 contain two Sabab, they “branch out” into two derived feet each, according to both Sabab or only one changing place with regard to the Watad. They are:

5. F�.‘ilun, i.e. Sabab khaf�f followed by Watad majm�’= the Latin Creticus (-U-). The primary Fa’�.lun becomes by transposition Lun.fa’�. To bring this into conformity with a current derivative of fa’l, the initial Sabab must be made to contain the first letter of the root, and the Watad the two remaining ones in their proper order. F� is therefore substituted for lun, and ‘ilun for fa’�, forming together the above F�.‘ilun.

By similar substitutions, which it would be tedious to specify in each separate case, Maf�.’�.lun becomes: 6. Mus.taf.‘ilun, for ‘�.lun.maf�, i.e. two Sabab khaf�f, followed by Watad majm�’ = the Latin Epitritus tertius (- -U-), or:

7. F�.‘il�.tun, for Lun.maf�.’�, i.e. Watad majm�’ between two Sabab khaf�f = the Latin Epitritus secundus (-U- -).

8. Mutaf�.‘ilun (for ‘Alatun.muf�, the reversed Muf�.‘alatun), i.e. F�silah followed by Watad majm�’=the Latin Anapaest succeeded by Iambus (UU-U-). The last two secondary feet are transpositions of No. 4, F�‘i.l�.tun, namely: 9. Maf.’�.l�tu, for L�.tun.f�‘i, i.e. two Sabab khaf�f, followed by Watad mafr�k = the Latin Epitritus quartus (- - -U).

10. Mus.taf’i.lun, for Tun.f�‘i.l�, i.e. Watad mafr�k between two Sabab khaf�f=the Latin Epitritus tertius (- -U-).[FN#452]

The “branch”-foot F�.‘ilun (No. 5), like its “root” Fa’�.lun (No.

1), is quinqueliteral. All other feet, primary or secondary, consist necessarily of seven letters, as they contain a triliteral Watad (see supra i. 2) with either two biliteral Sabab khaf�f (i. 1) or a quadriliteral F�silah (i. 3). They are, therefore, called Sab�’� = seven lettered.

iii. The same principle of the Watad taking precedence over Sabab and F�silah, rules the arrangement of the Arabic metres, which are divided into five circles (Daw�ir, pl. of D�irah), so called for reasons presently to be explained. The first is named: A. D�irat al-Mukhtalif, circle of “the varied” metre, because it is composed of feet of various length, the five-lettered Fa’�lun (supra ii. 1) and the seven-lettered Maf�’�lun (ii. 2) with their secondaries F�‘ilun, Mustaf.‘ilun and F�.‘il�tun (ii.

5-7), and it comprises three Buh�r or metres (pi. of Bahr, sea), the Taw�l, Mad�d and Bas�t.

1. Al-Tawil, consisting of twice

Fa’�.lun Maf�.’�lun Fa’�.lun Maf�.’�lun, the classical scheme for which would be

U - - | U - - - | U - - | U - - - |

If we transfer the Watad Fa’� from the beginning of the line to the end, it would read:

Lun.maf�’� Lun.fa’� Lun.maf�’� Lun.fa’� which, after the substitutions indicated above (ii. 7 and 5), becomes: 2. Al-Mad�d, consisting of twice

F�.‘il�tun F�.‘ilun F�.‘il�tun F�.‘ilun.

which may be represented by the classical scheme - U - - | - U - | - U - - | - U - |

If again, returning to the Taw�l, we make the break after the Watad of the second foot we obtain the line: ‘�lun.fa’�. Lum.maf� ‘�lun.fa’u Lun.maf�, and as metrically ‘�lun.fa’� (two Sabab followed by Watad) and Lun.maf� (one Sabab followed by Watad) are=’�lun.maf� and Lun.fa’�

respectively, their Taf’il is effected by the same substitutions as in ii. 5 and 6, and they become:

3. Bas�t, consisting of twice

Mustaf.‘ilun F�.‘ilun Mustaf.‘ilun F�.‘ilun, in conformity with the classical scheme: - - U - | - U - | - - U - | - U - |

Thus one metre evolves from another by a kind of rotation, which suggested to the Prosodists an ingenious device of representing them by circles (hence the name D�irah), round the circumference of which on the outside the complete Taf’�l of the original metre is written, while each moved letter is faced by a small loop, each quiescent by a small vertical stroke[FN#453] inside the circle. Then, in the case of this present D�irat al-Mukhtalif for instance, the loop corresponding to the initial f of the first Fa’�lun is marked as the beginning of the Taw�l, that corresponding to its l (of the Sabab fun) as the beginning of the Madid, and that corresponding to the ‘Ayn of the next Maf�’�lun as the beginning of the Bas�t. The same process applies to all the following circles, but our limited space compels us simply to enumerate them, together with their Buh�r, without further reference to the mode of their evolution.

B. D�irat al-M�talif, circle of “the agreeing” metre, so called because all its feet agree in length, consisting of seven letters each. It contains:

1. Al-W�fir, composed of twice

Muf�.‘alatun Muf�.‘alatun Muf�.‘alatun (ii. 3) = U - U U - | U - U U - | U - U U - |

where the Iambus in each foot precedes the Anapaest, and its reversal:

2. Al-K�mil, consisting of twice

Mutaf�.‘ilun Mutaf�.‘ilun Mutaf�.‘ilun (ii. 8) = U U - U - | U U - U - | U U - U - |

where the Anapaest takes the first place in every foot.

C. D�irat al-Mujtalab, circle of “the brought on” metre, so called because its seven-lettered feet are brought on from the first circle.

1. Al-Hazaj, consisting of twice

Maf�.’�lun Maf�.’�lun Maf�.’�lun (ii. 2) = U - - - | U - - - | U - - - | U - - - |

2. Al-Rajaz, consisting of twice

Mustaf.‘ilun Mustaf.‘ilun Mustaf.‘ilun, and, in this full form, almost identical with the Iambic Trimeter of the Greek Drama:

- - U - | - - U - | - - U - |

3. Al-Ramal, consisting of twice

F�.‘il�tun F�.‘il�tun F�.‘il�tun, the trochaic counterpart of the preceding metre = - U - - | - U - - | - U - - |

D. D�irat al-Mushtabih, circle of “the intricate” metre, so called from its intricate nature, primary mingling with secondary feet, and one foot of the same verse containing a Watad majm�’, another a Watad mafr�k, i.e. the iambic rhythm alternating with the trochaic and vice versa. Its Buh�r are: 1. Al-Sar�’, twice

Mustaf.‘ilun Mustaf.‘ilun Maf’�.l�tu (ii. 6 and 9) = - - U - | - - U - | - - - U |

2. Al-Munsarih, twice

Mustaf.‘ilun Maf�.l�tu Mustaf.‘ilun (ii. 6. 9. 6) = - - U - | - - - U | - - U - |

3. Al-Khaf�f, twice

F�.’�l�tun Mustaf’i.lun F�.’�l�tun (ii. 7.10.7) = - U - - | - - U - | - U - - |

4. Al-Muz�ri’, twice

Maf�.’�lun F�’�.l�tun Maf�.’�lun (ii. 2.4.2) = U - - - | - U - - | U - - - |

5. Al-Muktazib, twice

Maf’�.l�tu Mustaf.‘ilun Maf’�.l�tu (ii. 9.6.9) = - - - U | - - U - |