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Adonic five-foot line

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An extended Adonic line comprising five metrical feet, adapting the classical dactylic-hexameter-derived Adonic rhythm into longer form.

Detailed Definition
A metrical line containing five Adonic feet or measuring five metrical units in the Adonic tradition, creating an extended Adonic rhythm. The Adonic foot typically consists of a dactyl followed by a trochee or spondee in classical prosody. Five-foot Adonic lines create expansive rhythms while maintaining the characteristic falling cadence of Adonic meter. This longer line allows for more complex syntactic and thematic development while preserving Adonic's distinctive rhythmic character.
Example
Example in poetry:
The Adonic line (dum-dum-di-di-dum) appears in Greek lyric as closing line; Catullus 61 uses Adonic five-foot lines in wedding hymns (“O Hymen Hymenaeus io”); modern example: H.D.’s “Oread” ends with Adonic cadence (“whirl up, sea”); Ezra Pound adapts Adonic rhythm in “Canto I” for incantatory effect; the Adonic five-foot line combines dactyl and trochee to create lyrical urgency; it’s often used in choral or ritual contexts for its musical brevity.
Additional Notes
Adonic five-foot line is a misnomer—Adonic meter is typically a dimeter (two feet), not five; likely a confusion with other classical meters; standard Adonic is dactyl + spondee (e.g., “HEAVENLY peace”).
Also Known As
Adonic pentameter Long Adonic line Five-foot Adonic measure
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