Greek Verse that Rhymes!

RHYME AND RHYTHM IN GREEK VERSE

Rhyme does get used sometimes in Greek Verse.

Here's a sample from a lost comedy The Cyclops by Antiphanes a quote preserved in Deipnosophistae vii. 295 cited to show off fish names. Do try reading the Greek out aloud.

Ἔστω δ̛ ἡμῖν κεστρεὺς τμητός,

νάρκη πνικτή, πέρκη σχιστή,

τευθὶς σακτή, συνόδων ὀπτός,

γλαύκου προτομή, γόγγρου κεφαλή,

βατράχου γαστήρ, θύννου λαγόνες,

βατίδος νῶτον, κέστρας ὀσφύς,

ψητταρικίσκος,μαινίς, καρίς,

τρίγλη, φυκίς.

Τῶν τοιούτων μηδὲν ἀπέστω.

...and let there be a sliced mullet, a stewed electric ray, a split perch,

a stuffed squid, a baked smooth tooth,

the first cut of a grey fish (kind of mullet) thh head of a conger ell,

the belly of a fishing frog, the flanks of a tunny,

back of a ray, loin of a spet fish,

a mite of a sole, a sprat, a shrimp,

a red mullet and a wrasse.

Let none of such kind of things be absent.