Unit 4 Master Guide: The Aeneid Books 1–2 and Latin Hexameter

Dactylic Hexameter

The standard meter for Greek and Latin epics, consisting of six metric feet.

Meter

The rhythmic structure of a verse in poetry, defined by the arrangement of syllables.

Epic Poetry

A long narrative poem, often detailing heroic deeds and events significant to a culture.

Foot

A metric unit composed of syllables, used to construct lines of poetry.

Dactyl

A foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short syllables.

Spondee

A foot consisting of two long syllables.

Feet 1–4

These feet in a line of hexameter can be either dactyls or spondees.

Foot 5

Almost always a dactyl in a line of Dactylic Hexameter.

Spondaic Line

A line with a spondee in Foot 5, used for heavy, slow emphasis.

Foot 6

Always comprises two syllables, the first long and the second anceps.

Scansion

The act of marking the meter of a line of poetry.

Long Syllable

A syllable that is marked with a — in scansion.

Short Syllable

A syllable that is marked with a ∪ in scansion.

Long by Nature

A vowel that has a macron in the dictionary, indicating it is long.

Diphthong

A complex vowel sound that is always long in meter.

Long by Position

A short vowel that becomes long when followed by two consonants.

Elision

The omission of a vowel or syllable at the end of a word when followed by another word.

Core of a Syllable

A vowel or diphthong that serves as the central part of a syllable.

Two Consonants

When a short vowel is followed by this, it becomes long in meter.

'x' and 'z'

These letters count as double consonants in long by position rules.

'h' counting rules

In determining syllable length, 'h' is ignored.

Macron

A diacritical mark used to indicate a long vowel.

Aeneid

An epic poem by Vergil, written in Dactylic Hexameter.

Iliad

An ancient Greek epic poem traditionally attributed to Homer.

Odyssey

An ancient Greek epic poem also attributed to Homer, following the adventures of Odysseus.

Anceps

A syllable that can be either long or short, often treated as a spondee.

Metric Units

The individual subdivisions within a line of verse, known as feet.