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Aeolic verse

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

Ancient Greek lyric meter characterized by glyconic and pherecratean patterns

Detailed Definition
Aeolic verse encompasses the lyrical, strophic poetry of ancient Aeolian Greeks like Sappho and Alcaeus, marked by personal themes, melodic meters (e.g., Sapphic, Alcaic), and flexible dactylic-trochaic rhythms; it emphasizes emotional immediacy and musicality over narrative or epic grandeur.
Example
Example in poetry:
Aeolic verse refers to poetry in the meters of ancient Aeolic dialects (Sappho, Alcaeus); e.g., the Sapphic stanza used by Horace and later poets: “Soon the mild year will make the rough winds cease…”
Additional Notes
Ancient Greek meters mixing dactyls, trochees in flexible patterns. Named for Aeolis region. Includes Sapphic, Alcaic meters. More varied than pure dactylic or iambic verse.
Also Known As
Aeolic meter Aeolian verse Glyconic Glyconic line Hellenic lyric Sapphic verse
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