Metrics:

Syllables:

· A Latin word has as many syllables as it has vowels and diphthongs.

so-ci-us, vo-cā-re, moe-ni-a

· A consonant followed by l or r except for (ll or rr) is usually pronounced with the l or r.

pa-trēs, pū-bli-cus

· In combinations of two or more consonants between vowels, the first consonant is pronounced with the preceeding syllable and the rest are pronounced with the following syllable.

her-ba, mōn-strō, ar-ma

· However, compound words are divided according to their components.

ab-est, trāns-eō

Quantity:

• A long syllable (!) is equivalent in time to two short syllables (¯¯). Their relation is parallel to * ~ + in musical notation.

• A syllable is considered long by nature when it contains a vowel or a diphthong. A syllable is considered long by position when it precedes more than one consonant or a double consonant (x or z~also consonantal i).

Dactylic Hexameter:

• Commonly used in Greek and Latin epic. cf. Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid.

• Six feet for every line made up of dactyls (!¯¯) and spondees (! !). Most lines end with ‘dactyl-spondee.’

shave and-a hair cut, boom di-dee boom boom

Elision:

· Whenever a word ends in a vowel, diphthong, or m and the following word begins with a vowel or h, the first vowel/diphthong (or m with its preceeding vowel) is elided.

· Elision is indicated by the sign (.) placed underneath between the elided syllable and the following word.

multum.ille.et (pronounced: mul-til-let)