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Homeric meter

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

The dactylic hexameter meter used in Homeric epics like the Iliad and Odyssey, characterized by rhythmic grandeur and narrative drive.

Detailed Definition
Homeric meter is synonymous with dactylic hexameter—the foundational rhythm of Greek and Roman epic poetry—comprising six feet per line with a preference for dactyls (long-short-short) and a spondaic fifth foot; its rolling cadence conveys heroic scale and narrative momentum, influencing Western epic conventions for millennia.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dactylic hexameter as used in Homeric epics; The rhythmic pattern of long-short-short syllables in Greek quantitative meter; A meter combining dactyls and spondees to vary pace; The foundational meter of ancient Greek and Latin epic poetry.
Additional Notes
Homeric meter is dactylic hexameter as used in the “Iliad” and “Odyssey”; it’s stately and narrative—distinguish from later Latin adaptations by its oral-formulaic style.
Also Known As
Dactylic hexameter Epic rhythm Homeric cadence Trojan meter Classical hexameter Greek long meter
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