Home › Glossary › Letter D

double asclepiad

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 stanza combining two Asclepiadean lines—each typically structured as glyconic + choriamb—to create a complex, lyrical rhythmic unit.

Detailed Definition
A double asclepiad is a classical metrical line combining two asclepiad units—each typically composed of a choriamb followed by iambic elements—resulting in a complex, lyrical rhythm favored by Horace; in English adaptations, it creates a stately yet fluid cadence suitable for meditative or celebratory odes.
Example
Example in poetry:
Double asclepiad appears in Horace’s Odes I.1: “Maecenas atavis edite regibus”; In Catullus 30, the double asclepiad conveys urgency; A.E. Housman adapts it in “More Poems” for classical restraint; Modern poet A.M. Juster uses double asclepiad in satirical epigrams; Contemporary Latinist poet David Slavitt revives the form in English adaptations.
Additional Notes
double asclepiad: A specific, complex metrical line found in Greek and Latin poetry, composed of two Asclepiadean units; one of several ancient forms known for their intricate and regular structure.
Also Known As
Twin asclepiad paired asclepiad twofold asclepiad Asclepiadic dimeter
Skip to main content