Vedic Metre in its Historical Development c4.16

c4.16

Benfey dealt with the question in a series of articles on the *Quantitätsverschiedenheiten*, which extend over the seven years 1874–1880 and were never completed. His studies in comparative language at once suggested to him an historical explanation, namely that the vowels in question were originally long, but in the course of time shortened. This explanation is at first quite tentative, but as his work proceeds is used with increasing confidence. He finds repeatedly that the long vowels are used in positions in which short vowels would be equally or more acceptable from the metrical standpoint: here of course the idea of ‘metrical license’ is out of the question. Still, from habit, Benfey continues to use the explanation ‘metrical’ wherever the long quantity suits the metre well, which is usually the case.