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Cretic pentameter

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 metrical line of five cretic feet (long-short-long syllables), creating a stately, rhythmic cadence used in elevated or dramatic verse.

Detailed Definition
Cretic pentameter is a line of verse comprising five cretic feet (– ˘ –), totaling fifteen syllables; this meter is uncommon in English but appears in classical contexts and occasionally in experimental or liturgical poetry where its stately, symmetrical rhythm evokes solemnity or ceremonial grandeur.
Example
Example in poetry:
Five cretic feet per line: extremely rare in English; mostly theoretical or in classical metrics; Example: attempted in Victorian experimental verse; More plausible in quantitative than accentual-syllabic systems
Additional Notes
Cretic pentameter holds five cretic feet per line. Rare and heavy meter. Compare with iambic pentameter (standard). Creates insistent, pounding rhythm—difficult to sustain naturally in English.
Also Known As
Five-foot cretic Amphimacer pentameter Five-measure cretic
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