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Marathon

Battles
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 490 BCE Greek victory over Persia, inspiring the modern marathon race.

Detailed Definition
Marathon became a symbol of democratic courage and civic duty. In poetry, it evokes the lone runner’s sacrifice (Pheidippides) and the defense of freedom against tyranny, often used to celebrate endurance, patriotism, and the birth of Western ideals.
Example
Example in poetry:
The Battle of Marathon inspired Lord Byron’s reference in “Don Juan”: “The mountains look on Marathon—and Marathon looks on the sea”; poets use Marathon to symbolize democratic defiance against tyranny; modern verse often links the runner Pheidippides’ legend to themes of endurance and message-bearing; Marathon appears in poetry as the birthplace of Western freedom; educational poems use Marathon to teach about ancient Greece and the origins of the marathon race; some poets contrast Marathon’s glory with later imperial overreach.
Additional Notes
Marathon (490 BCE) was an Athenian victory over Persia, foundational to Western notions of democracy and freedom. The legend of Pheidippides’ run inspired the modern marathon race and appears in Romantic poetry (e.g., Byron). Students should explore how Marathon is mythologized as the “birth of the West” and how poets use it to reflect on civic virtue. Its coastal setting also invites ecopoetic readings. Useful for tracing classical allusions in modern verse and examining the politics of historical memory.
Other Meanings of “Marathon”
Also Known As
Battle of Marathon
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