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Asclepiad 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 classical Greek metrical line devised by Asclepiades and used by Horace

Detailed Definition
Asclepiad line is a metrical unit derived from the ancient Greek poet Asclepiades, characterized by a choriambic core (— ∪ ∪ —) often expanded with additional syllables; it produces a stately, undulating rhythm favored for meditative or elevated lyrical expression in classical and imitative traditions.
Example
Example in poetry:
The Asclepiad line (– u u – u u – u – x) appears in Horace’s Odes; It combines choriambic core with iambic expansion; Rare in English due to quantitative demands; Translators approximate it with stress patterns like “Golden lads and girls all must”; It creates a rolling, meditative cadence.
Additional Notes
Asclepiad line is the basic verse unit in Asclepiadean poetry, a classical quantitative meter characterized by a choriamb (-∪∪-) surrounded by spondees or trochees.
Also Known As
Asclepiad verse line Asclepiad measure Classical lyric line Asclepiadic tetrameter
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