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Dactylic hexameter

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

Classical epic meter consisting of six feet per line, typically dactyls (– ˘ ˘) with a spondee substitution in the fifth foot.

Detailed Definition
Dactylic hexameter is the meter of classical epic poetry (e.g., Homer, Virgil), composed of six feet per line, each typically a dactyl (– ᴗ ᴗ) or spondee (– –), creating a stately, flowing rhythm that balances forward momentum with rhythmic variation for narrative grandeur.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Homer’s “Iliad,” dactylic hexameter drives epic narrative (“Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles…”); In Virgil’s “Aeneid,” dactylic hexameter conveys Roman destiny; In Longfellow’s “Evangeline,” dactylic hexameter adapts classical form to Acadian exile; In Derek Walcott’s “Omeros,” dactylic hexameter reimagines Homeric meter for Caribbean fishermen; In Anne Carson’s “Autobiography of Red,” dactylic hexameter fragments explore queer myth.
Additional Notes
Dactylic hexameter comprises six dactylic feet (often with spondees). Classical epic meter—Homer, Virgil. Falling rhythm creates grandeur. In English, rare due to stress patterns. Study Longfellow's "Evangeline" for English example.
Also Known As
heroic hexameter epic meter Classical hexameter Hexameter Heroic meter Hexameter line Homeric meter
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