Aeneid XII 818 Scansion

[cinefactus]

Here is another line I can't get to scan.

The only way I can see is if I make the o short in cedo and ignore the qu in equidem

Et nun|c cēdō equi|dem pug|nāsque ex|ōsa re|linquō.

 

[Bitmap]

The o in cedo is elided. (As is the e in pugnasque)

 

[cinefactus]

But even if you elide it, shouldn't the qu make the e in equidem long?

 

[Bitmap]

No, qu doesn't make vowels long. It counts as a single consonant (cf. words like sequi, loqui = u –).

ét nunc céd' equidém // pugnásqu' exósa relínquo.

 

[Bitmap]

You must have come across these lines in book 6 if you read the whole work (shortly before the well-known tu, Romane, memento part);

(6,847f.)
excudent alii spirantia mollius aera,
credo equidem, vivos ducent de marmore vultus

créd' equidém, vivós ducént de mármore vúltus

 

[cinefactus]

Thanks I confess I haven't been parsing every line. Just a sample along the way...