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Adonic middle 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

A central line in a stanza or poem composed in Adonic meter—typically a dactyl followed by a trochee (– u u – u)—often used for lyrical emphasis.

Detailed Definition
A verse line of medium length constructed according to Adonic metrical principles, falling between shorter single-unit and longer multi-unit Adonic lines. This intermediate length allows for balanced phrasing, neither compressed nor extended, suitable for measured development of ideas or images. Middle-length Adonic lines can create steady, processional rhythms appropriate for ceremonial or meditative verse while maintaining the characteristic falling cadence of Adonic meter.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Horace’s Odes, the Adonic middle line often pivots the stanza’s emotional tone; English imitations, like those by Ben Jonson, place the Adonic line centrally for structural balance; The Adonic middle line (– u u – x) creates rhythmic contrast within Alcaic strophes; In “Ode 1.37,” Horace uses it to mark Cleopatra’s transformation from threat to tragic heroine; Contemporary Latinists like A.M. Juster preserve this placement in neo-classical verse.
Additional Notes
Adonic middle line refers to an Adonic meter placed within a stanza (not at the end); uncommon, as Adonics typically close stanzas in classical lyric poetry like Sapphics.
Also Known As
Adonic medial line Middle Adonic verse Central Adonis foot Adonic pentameter
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