Boustrophedon == back and forth, the way an ox plows a field (bous = ox): go to end of row, then turn about and make the next row in the opposite direction, then turn back again at end of next row, repeat ad libitum
Hebrew writing == more like a "raster pattern," the sweep signal on a TV screen: every row same direction, get to end and go back to beginning to start next row. But right-to-left instead of the more usual Western left-to-right.
Strophe/antistrophe == turn to right/turn to left. I had made up that it had something to do with the kind of sentiments voiced, but this is so much simpler and more elegant. A Classical antecedent of the later form "On the one hand blahblahblah, but on the other hand moreblahblahblah ...", perhaps?
And stanza == standing still while declaiming four lines. How inevitable! Why didn't I think of that a long time ago!
Maybe I should stop making up "plausible explanations." :-) (Oops, gave myself away, of course I meant "figuring things out for myself" !)
