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Hemiepes

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 comprising a dactylic hemistich (half-line), often used in Aeolic verse for lyrical brevity and cadence.

Detailed Definition
Hemiepes is a metrical foot in classical poetry consisting of three long syllables followed by a short one (¯ ¯ ¯ ˘), often used as a variant within dactylic hexameter or other Aeolic meters; it creates rhythmic disruption and emphasis, typically appearing in choral or dramatic contexts for heightened effect.
Example
Example in poetry:
Hemiepes: In Greek elegiac couplets, the second line often halves the hexameter: “—⏑⏑—⏑⏑—”; Catullus 101’s closing “ave atque vale” fits hemiepes brevity; Housman’s “To an Athlete Dying Young” uses truncated lines for solemnity; The final dimeter in “Break, break, break” echoes hemiepes closure; Modern elegies using abrupt line breaks to mimic hemiepes finality; Fragmentary endings like “ashes, ashes” recall hemiepes economy
Additional Notes
Half a dactylic hexameter. Short metrical unit. Two-and-a-half dactylic feet. Related: hexameter, dactylic meter. Study: use in elegiac couplet's second line.
Also Known As
half-line dactylic hemistich
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