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antistrophe

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antistrophe


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Antistrophe  \An*tis"tro*phe\,  n.  [L.,  fr  Gr  ?,  fr  ?  to  turn 
  to  the  opposite  side  ?  against  +  ?  to  turn.  See  {Strophe}.] 
  1.  In  Greek  choruses  and  dances,  the  returning  of  the  chorus, 
  exactly  answering  to  a  previous  strophe  or  movement  from 
  right  to  left  Hence:  The  lines  of  this  part  of  the  choral 
  song. 
 
  It  was  customary,  on  some  occasions,  to  dance  round 
  the  altars  whilst  they  sang  the  sacred  hymns,  which 
  consisted  of  three  stanzas  or  parts  the  first  of 
  which  called  strophe,  was  sung  in  turning  from  east 
  to  west;  the  other  named  antistrophe,  in  returning 
  from  west  to  east;  then  they  stood  before  the  altar, 
  and  sang  the  epode,  which  was  the  last  part  of  the 
  song.  --Abp.  Potter. 
 
  2.  (Rhet.) 
  a  The  repetition  of  words  in  an  inverse  order  as  the 
  master  of  the  servant  and  the  servant  of  the  master. 
  b  The  retort  or  turning  of  an  adversary's  plea  against 
  him 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  antistrophe 
  n  :  the  section  of  a  choral  ode  answering  a  previous  strophe  in 
  classical  Greek  drama;  the  second  of  two  metrically 
  corresponding  sections  in  a  poem 




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