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Catena

Structure
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 poetic sequence where each new stanza begins with the last line of the previous one

Detailed Definition
A Catena (“chain”) in poetry refers to a series of linked quotations or textual fragments from authoritative sources (e.g., biblical commentaries), arranged to form a continuous exegetical or meditative sequence; medieval poets sometimes wove catenae into verse to demonstrate erudition or spiritual synthesis, creating intertextual tapestries that bridge sacred and poetic discourse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Catena: A sequence of linked biblical verses forming a devotional poem; Catena in medieval liturgy often wove Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory into poetic chains; Modern catena: “Each word a link—Psalm to Rumi to Neruda” (original); Anne Carson’s “The Glass Essay” uses catena-like intertextual layering
Additional Notes
Catena (Latin for “chain”) is a series of linked quotations or verses, often scriptural; in poetry, it can refer to intertextual chains where each line echoes or responds to the previous.
Also Known As
Chain Linked series Connected sequence Sequential links
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