The Style of Galatians 501 2. Rhythm With regard to rhythm, Cicero approvingly quotes Aristotle as prohibiting frequent use of iamb (short – long) and tribrach (short – short – short) and recommending primary use of the heroic foot, i.e., the dactyl (long – short – short) (15). Aristotle also especially approves of the paean (either long – short – short – short, or short – short – short – long), the former kind at the beginning of a sentence, and the latter at the end. Cicero comments that the latter kind of paean is almost the same as the cretic (long – short – long) (3.182-183). Sentences should end with either the trochee (long – short) or dactyl or either of them alternating with the second kind of paean or the cretic (3.193). Dionysius of Halicarnassus describes the twelve possible two- and three-syllable feet and evaluates each (On Literary Composition 17). The pyrrhic (short – short) is not impressive or solemn, while the spondee (long – long) is. The iamb is not ignoble, but the trochee is. The tribrach is a mean foot, but the molossus (long – long – long) is elevated. The amphibrach (short – long – short) is effeminate and ignoble. The anapest (short – short – long) and the dactyl are both very beautiful. The cretic is not ignoble. Both the bacchius (long – long – short) and hypobacchius (short – long – long) have dignity and grandeur. Quintilian’s discussion of rhythm (in Institutio Oratoria 9.4.45- 120) is less prescriptive. He too describes the twelve possible two- and three-syllable feet (79-82) and argues that each has its proper use in prose (83, 87-89). He says that one should be concerned about no more than the last three feet of a sentence, nor fewer than two (95), and illustrates the effect of using various feet to conclude a sentence (95- 111). He notes that Asian writers frequently end a sentence with two trochees (103). The most common foot at the end of the sentences in Galatians is the trochee, found forty times (16). This accords with the (15) Aristotle, Rhetoric 3.8. Aristotle speaks of the iamb and the trochee, and these are the words Cicero uses. However, Cicero understands trochee to mean what is commonly called tribrach and so misunderstands Aristotle, who does not use trochee in this sense. Aristotle’s heroic foot may include spondee and anapest, as well as dactyl. Cicero summarizes the views of Aristotle somewhat differently, and less accurately, in Orator 191-196. (16) At the ends of Gal 1,11.17; 2,3.10.17b.19b.20a; 3,3.10a.10b.16b. 20.21b.22.24.25.27.28a; 4,2.5.17.27.28; 5,1a.1b.3.7b.14.15.16.17a.17b.21.23a. 25.26; 6,3.11.12.13.