ADVANCED ENGLISH 3-4
Ms. LeCren, La Jolla High School Name:________________________________________
Period:____ Date:______________________________
The Iliad: Learning Dactylic Hexameter
Directions: Read the following information, then answer the questions.
A Greek epic line of poetry has six metrical feet: )
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Each foot is either a dactyl, or a spondee.
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Examples: |
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(the first mark is not usually used, but I put it there so you can clearly see the six feet)
anger of (dactylic foot)
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strong-greaved (spondaic foot)
The feet (dactylic and spondaic) can be combined in any order in the six-foot line, but each line almost always ends in a dactyl followed by a spondee.
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In order for the names of the characters of the gods to fit into the meter of the epic, it is important to know
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how the names are pronounced, and how they would be marked and identified metrically. Example: Odysseus
MARK THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS’ NAMES USING THE SYMBOLS FOR POETIC METER:
(You may want to look at page 333 in the textbook for pronunciation)
1.
Achilleus
4.
Peleus
7.
Apollo
2.
Agamemnon
5.
Paris
8.
Athene
3.
Helen
6.
Zeus
9.
Thetis
MARK THE FOLLOWING PHRASES WITH THE SYMBOLS FOR POETIC METER. EACH ONE IS
INTENDED TO BE A LINE OF DACTYLIC HEXAMETER, WITH SOME SPONDAIC FEET.
Example: Guileful Odysseus pondered the wisdom of fighting, then quick flight
10.
Thetis and Peleus, parents of brave and heroic Achilles
11.
Then when the guileful Odysseus shot bow mightily onward
12.
Fast ships they sent to destroy the marauders of Hektor’s great-walled Troy
13.
Strength of the strong-willed Achaians did overcome battle and dark fate
NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. CREATE TWO LINES IN ENGLISH THAT REFLECT THE GREEK
RHYTHMS OF DACTYLIC HEXAMETER.
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