varies in quantity, _viz_. when its vowel is short
and is followed by a mute with l or r, i.e. by pl, cl, tl; pr, cr, tr,
etc.; as, agri, volucris.[8] Such syllables are called _common_. In prose
they were regularly short, but in verse they might be treated as long at
the option of the poet.

NOTE.--These distinctions of _long_ and _short_ are not arbitrary and
artificial, but are purely natural. Thus, a syllable containing a short
vowel followed by two consonants, as ng, is long, because such a syllable
requires _more time_ for its pronunciation; while a syllable containing a
short vowel followed by one consonant is short, because it takes _less
time_ to pronounce it. In case of the common syllables, the mute and the
liquid blend so easily as to produce a combination which takes no more time
than a single consonant. Yet by separating the two elements (as ag-ri) the
poets were able to use such syllables as long.

ACCENT.

6. 1. Words of two syllables are accented upon the first; as, tegit,
mo'rem.

2. Words of more than two syllables are accented upon the penult (next to
the last) if that is a long syllable, otherwise upon the antepenult (second
from the last); as, ama'vi, amantis, miserum.

3. When the enclitics -que, -ne, -ve, -ce, -met, -dum are appended to
words, if the syllable preceding the enclitic is long (either originally or
as a result of adding the enclitic) it is accented; as, misero'que,
hominisque. But if the syllable still remains short after the enclitic has
been added, it is not accented unless the word originally took the accent
on the antepenult. Thus, portaque; but miseraque.

4. Sometimes the final -e of -ne and -ce disappears, but without affecting
the accent; as, tanto'n, isti'c, illu'c.

5. In utra'que, _each_, and plera'que, _most_, -que is not properly an
enclitic; yet these words accent the penult, owing to the influence of
their other cases,--uterque, utrumque, plerumque.

VOWEL CHANGES.[9]

7.. 1. In Compounds,

a) e before a single consonant becomes i; as,--

colligo for con-lego.

b) a before a single consonant becomes i: as,--

adigo for ad-ago.

c) a before two consonants becomes e; as,--

expers for ex-pars.

d) ae becomes i; as,--

conquiro for con-quaero.

e) au becomes u, sometimes o; as,--

concludo for con-claudo;
explodo for ex-plaudo.

2. Contraction. Concurrent vowels were frequently contracte