3. The preposition and adverb _post_ was pronounced with a long vowel
both by itself and in composition with verbs, but its adjectives
did not follow suit. Hence we say in English 'p[=o]stpone', but
'p[)o]sterior' and 'p[)o]sthumous'.

Monosyllables ending in a vowel were pronounced long, those ending
in a consonant short. Enclitics like _que_ were no real exception as
they formed part of the preceding word. There were, however, some real
exceptions.

1. Pronouns ending in _-os_, as _hos_, _quos_. These followed _eos_
and _illos_.

2. Words ending in _-es_, as _pes_, _res_.

3. Words ending in _r_, as _par_, _fer_, _vir_, _cor_, _fur_. These
had that form of long vowel which we use in 'part', 'fertile',
'virtue', 'cordate', 'furtive'.

In, disyllables the former vowel or diphthong, if followed by a single
consonant, or by a mute and _r_, or by _cl_ or _pl_, was pronounced
long, a usage which according to Mr. Henry Bradley dates in spoken
Latin from the fourth century. Examples are _apex_, _tenet_, _item_,
_focus_, _pupa_, _Psyche_, _C[ae]sar_, _f[oe]tus_. I believe that
at first the only exceptions were _tibi_, _sibi_, _ibi_, _quibus_,
_tribus_. In later days the imperfect and future of _sum_ became
exceptions. Here perhaps the short vowel arose from the hideous and
wholly erroneous habit, happily never universal though still in some
vogue, of reciting _er['a]m_, _er['a]s_, _er['a]t_. There are actually
schoolbooks which treat the verse _ictus_, the beat of the chanter's
foot, as a word stress and prescribe _terra trib['u]s scopul['i]s_. I
can say of these books only _Pereant ipsi, mutescant scriptores_, and
do not mind using a post-classical word in order to say it.

In disyllables the former vowel or diphthong, if followed immediately
by another vowel or diphthong, had the quality, and if emphatic also
the quality, of a long vowel. The distinction was not recognized, and
seems not to be generally acknowledged even now. We seem not to
have borrowed many words which will illustrate this. We have however
_fiat_, and _pius_ was pronounced exactly as we pronounce 'pious',
while for a diphthong we may quote Shelley,

Mid the mountains Euganean
I stood listening to the paean.

English derivatives will show the long quality of the vowels in _aer_,
_deus_, _coit_, _duo_. To these add _Graius_.

The rule of _apex_ applies also to words of more than two syllables
with long penultima, as _gravamen_, _arena_, _