Dactylic Hexameter:The Epic Meter

What is Meter• The rhythm of a piece of poetry

• In Latin meter is defined in terms of quantity i.e. the length of a vowel sound

• The Aeneid uses dactylic hexameter

Dactylic Hexameter Each line is divided into six measures or feet.

Each foot will be either a dactyl or a spondee.

Arma virumque cano, Toriae qui primus ab oris

Arma vi|rumque ca|no, Troi|ae qui | primus ab | oris

Measures Syllables are usually divided between a vowel and a

single consonant. Vi – rum not vir – um When a vowel is followed by two consonants in the

same word, the division falls between the two consonants

Ar – ma nor arm – a When p, g, d, k, t is followed by an l or r, treat as a

single consonant. Pa – tres not pat – res

Dactyl A dactyl comes from the Greek word

daktulos meaning finger. A dactyl is made up of a long vowel sound

followed by two short vowel sounds.

Spondee A spondee is a foot with two long vowel

sounds

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Tips The 6th foot in a line will always be a spondee

The 5th foot in a line will almost always be a dactyl

Reading AloudDo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orzrnEzKbaE&feature=related

Don’t Do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoD0vjQidrc&playnext=1&list=PL7A4E520B6DBD65C1&feature=results_main

Long SyllablesLong by nature

Diphthongs like ae, au, ei, eu, oeMarked with a macron _ _

Coeptus in villa

Long by position Followed by two or more consonants (even in a different word)Followed by a double consonant like x = ks or z = ds

ExceptionsH does not count as a consonant

When p, g, d, k, t is followed by an l or r, treat as a single consonant. I.e. this will not make a vowel long by position.

Elision Elision is the omission of syllableE.g. I’m instead of I am. When a word ending in a vowel or vowel + m is followed by a word beginning with a vowel or h + a vowel, the first vowel sound is omitted.

RememberI can be either a consonant or a vowel. When I occurs at the beginning of a word and is followed by a vowel, it functions as a consonant.

Iungo = jugo iam = jam Iuno = Juno

Qu, su, and gu functiuon as a single consonant.