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Galliamb

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 meter used in ancient Greek poetry, particularly associated with the Galli, priests of Cybele; it features a distinctive rhythm with a clashing or syncopated feel, suited to religious frenzy and ecstatic worship.

Detailed Definition
Galliamb is a wild, ecstatic meter associated with the priests of Cybele (Galli), combining dactylic and ionic elements in irregular, frenzied rhythms; Catullus’s Poem 63 is the sole surviving Latin example, using its chaotic cadence to mirror ritual madness and gender transgression.
Example
Example in poetry:
Galliamb: Catullus’s Poem 63 uses the frenzied, ecstatic galliamb meter—originally associated with Cybele’s priests—to convey the madness of Attis’s self-castration.
Additional Notes
Galliamb: A rare, ecstatic meter associated with the priests of Cybele (Galli), using dactylic and iambic elements; imitated by Catullus (Poem 63)—conveys frenzy or ritual possession.
Also Known As
Galliambic meter Attis verse Cybele meter Catullan measure
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