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Short hexameter

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 shortened six-foot line used as a variant of classical hexameter

Detailed Definition
Short hexameter is a six-foot line that departs from classical dactylic hexameter by reducing syllable count or altering stress patterns, often to accommodate vernacular languages or modern sensibilities; it retains epic resonance while adapting to contemporary rhythmic needs.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Arma virumque cano” (I sing of arms and the man)—short hexameter opening of Virgil’s "Aeneid"; In translation, “Sing, goddess, of the anger” uses short hexameter approximation; Modern attempts like “Fate drives them onward” mimic short hexameter; Classical Latin epitaphs often use short hexameter lines
Additional Notes
Short hexameter: A metrical line of verse that is shorter than a standard six-foot line (hexameter), possibly due to missing feet, a truncated final foot, or a deviation from the expected meter.
Also Known As
clipped six-foot line reduced hexameter Adonic hexameter Deficient hexameter
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