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Meter: An Overview

Unlike most modern free-verse poetry, Latin poetry almost always followed the rules. Meant to be sung or recited, nearly every piece of surviving Latin poetry is written according to a characteristic metrical style. Though these rules of composition can appear restrictive, especially to us modern readers, they were, on the contrary, a powerful means for creative expression. Understanding the rules of Latin meter is, therefore, necessary to engage with the art most authentically. After learning just a few basic rules and getting a little bit of practice, you'll be more than prepared to read and recite Latin poetry!


What is Latin Meter?


"Meter," in this context, refers to a structured pattern of syllables within a line of Latin poetry. Heavily inspired by Greek meter, Latin's approach to syllables is quantitative rather than accentual. That means that rhythm is based on syllable length, not syllable stress (like it is in English poetry).


Every Latin word has as many syllables as it has vowels or diphthongs (when multiple vowels combine to form one sound -- think "ou" in mountain). Latin syllables can be classified into one of three categories:

  1. Long by nature: because it contains a naturally long vowel or diphthong

  2. Long by position: because it is followed by two or more consonants. A few notes:

    1. Letters x and z are considered double consonants (they count as two)

    2. Stops in Latin (p, b, d, g, c, t) followed by a liquid (l, r) are exempt from the above rule.

    3. Qu counts as one consonant

    4. H does not count as a consonant

    5. I can serve as either a consonant or a vowel depending on context

  3. Short: because it does not meet any of the above requirements to classify as long.


In Latin poetry, authors arrange these short and long syllables in recognizable patterns now known as meter.


How to Read Latin Meter: Scansion


In order to analyze the rhythm of a Latin poem, we use a technique known as scansion: the process of marking syllables as long (—) and short (˘) to reveal the poem's metrical pattern.


Before we dive in, here are a few key symbols:

  • ˘ : short syllable

  • —: long syllable

  • X : ancep

    • An ancep is used when, according to the poem's meter, a syllable can be marked as either long or short.

  • || : caesura

    • A caesura marks a pause within a line (usually according to natural breathing patterns)


Common Metrical Styles.

  1. Dactylic Hexameter

    1. Dactylic Hexameter, or, more colloquially referred to as "Epic Meter", is a commonly employed metrical pattern. In dactylic hexameter, each line is composed of six feet, which are either dactyls (— ˘ ˘) or spondees (— —).

    2. Every line must end with a dactyl and a spondee

      1. That being said, many Latin poets chose to intermittently finish their lines with a short syllable, not a long one. This is known as a trochee.

    3. Dactylic Hexameter is considered a grand style, suitable for mythology and epics. Consequently, this style is featured prominently in Virgil's Aeneid and Ovid's Metamorphoses

  2. Elegiac Couplet

    1. The elegiac couplet is another common Latin meter that follows a two-line structure. The first line is written in dactylic hexameter; the next, in dactylic pentameter.

      1. Dactylic pentameter is a five-foot structure split into two halves. Lines are composed of 2.5 feet, a caesura, and another 2.5 feet.

    2. This metrical pattern is a staple of Latin love poetry, featured prominently in the works of Catullus and Ovid's Amores.

  3. Hendecasyllabic Meter

    1. Hendecasyllabic meter is an 11-syllable structure. The order of syllables is: ˘ — ˘ ˘ — ˘ — ˘ — —

    2. This meter was Catullus's favorite, prominently featured in his shorter, emotional works, largely due to its conversational quality.

  4. Sapphic Stanza

    1. The pattern of Saphic Stanza stretches in 4-line sections:

      1. First 3 lines: — ˘ — — ˘ ˘ — ˘ — —

      2. 4th line: — ˘ ˘ — —

        1. This fourth line is referred to as the Adonic line.

    2. This structure was adapted from Sappho, the influential Greek poetess, and grew popular due to its lyrical, hymn-like quality, often being employed in meditative or celebratory poems.

    3. Indeed, Horace played with the Sapphic Stanza in his Odes

  5. Roman Comedic Meters

    1. Two meters are featured commonly in Roman Comedy: iambic trimeter and trochaic tetrameter

      1. Iambic trimeter: ˘ — ˘ — ˘ —

        1. This metrical pattern was used most often in dialogue or invectives.

      2. Trochaic trimeter: — ˘ — ˘ — ˘ — ˘

    2. These patterns were employed by Horace in Satires and Epodes


Some Tips and Tricks

  • For marking syllables long and short:

    • Syllables that tend to be short include:

      • "Que"

      • The first vowel in a series of two (excluding diphthongs)

      • The "i" in "ibus" (3rd & 4th declension dative and ablative plural)

      • "-e" ending (EXCLUDING mē, tē, sē)

      • Nominative singular 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th declension endings

      • Genitive singular 3rd declension ending "is"

    • Syllables that tend to be long include:

      • Dative and ablative plural "is" ending

      • verb endings "-ere" and "-erunt"

      • Ablative singular 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th declension endings

      • Genitive plural 1st, 2nd, and 5th declension

      • I, o, or u when they end a word

      • Nominative and accusative plural endings

  • Ellisions:

    • Ellisions are when two words meld one; the ending of one is substituted for the beginning of another

      • Ellisions occur when one word ends in a vowel or m and the next begins with a vowel or h

  • Common diphthongs

    • Common diphthongs include ae, au, oe, and eu

.

In conclusion...


Latin meter, due to its precision and often convoluted nature, absolutely appears daunting at first. Yet, the wonderful thing about a pattern is...it repeats! Therefore, after scanning a few lines and getting comfortable with different poets' styles, recognizing metrical patterns will become second nature. Remember, whenever you scan a line or recite a poem according to its meter, you're participating in an over two-thousand-year-long tradition in which poetry was built not just on words, but on structure, rhythm, and sound; that is nothing short of incredible.


Hopefully, this post has successfully introduced you to the basics of Latin meter. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of scansion rules or metrical styles but merely an overview of many of the most common Latin patterns. As always, please leave a comment below with any questions or concerns!


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