Editing Dactylic hexameter (section)

==In Greek==

The hexameter was first used by early Greek poets of the oral tradition, and the most complete extant examples of their works are the ''[[Iliad]]'' and the ''[[Odyssey]]'', which influenced the authors of all later classical epics that survive today. Early epic poetry was also accompanied by music, and [[Pitch accent|pitch changes]] associated with the accented Greek must have highlighted the melody, though the exact mechanism is still a topic of discussion.<ref>Cf. Alan Shaw's 1997 essay [https://electronicbookreview.com/essay/some-questions-on-greek-poetry-and-music/ Some Questions on Greek Poetry and Music]. Electronic Book Review. 1 March 1997. Retrieved 19 May 2017. [https://web.archive.org/web/20220125074512/http://electronicbookreview.com/essay/some-questions-on-greek-poetry-and-music/ Archived page (January 25, 2022)]</ref>

The first line of Homer's ''[[Iliad]]'' provides an example:

:{{lang|grc|μῆνιν ἄειδε, θεά, Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος}}
:{{grc-transl|μῆνιν ἄειδε, θεά, Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος}}
:"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilles"

Dividing the line into metrical units or feet it can be scanned as follows:

:{{lang|grc|μῆ-νιν ἄ / ει-δε, θε / ά, Πη / λη-ϊ-ά / δεω Ἀ-χι / λῆ-ος}}
:{{grc-tr|μῆ-νιν ἄ / ει-δε, θε / ά, Πη / λη-ϊ-ά / δεω Ἀ-χι / λῆ-ος}} (-''deō'' is one syllable)
: — ∪ ∪ | — ∪ ∪ | — — | — ∪ ∪ | — ∪ ∪ | — —

This line also includes a masculine caesura after {{lang|grc|θεά}}, a break that separates the line into two parts. Homer employs a feminine caesura more commonly than later writers{{cn|date=March 2025}}. An example occurs in ''Iliad'' 1.5:

:{{lang|grc|οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι, Διὸς δ’ ἐτελείετο βουλή}}
:"... and every bird; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled"

:{{lang|grc|οἰ-ω / νοῖ-σί τε / πᾶ-σι, Δι / ὸς δ’ ἐ-τε / λεί-ε-το / βου-λή,}}
:{{grc-tr|οἰ-ω / νοῖ-σί τε / πᾶ-σι, Δι / ὸς δ’ ἐ-τε / λεί-ε-το / βου-λή,}}
: — — | — ∪ ∪ | — ∪, ∪ | — ∪ ∪ | — ∪ ∪ | — —

Homer's hexameters contain a higher proportion of dactyls than later hexameter poetry{{cn|date=March 2025}}. They are also characterised by a laxer following of verse principles than later epicists almost invariably adhered to{{cn|date=March 2025}}. For example, Homer allows spondaic fifth feet (albeit not often), whereas many later authors do not{{cn|date=March 2025}}.

Homer also altered the forms of words to allow them to fit the hexameter, typically by using a [[Ancient Greek dialects|dialectal]] form: ''ptolis'' is an epic form used instead of the Attic ''polis'' as necessary for the meter{{cn|date=March 2025}}. Proper names sometimes take forms to fit the meter, for example ''Pouludamas'' instead of the metrically unviable ''Poludamas''.

Some lines require a knowledge of the digamma for their scansion, e.g. ''Iliad'' 1.108:
:{{lang|grc|ἐσθλὸν δ’ οὐτέ τί πω εἶπας ἔπος οὔτ’ ἐτέλεσσας}}
:{{grc-tr|ἐσθλὸν δ’ οὐτέ τί πω εἶπας ἔπος οὔτ’ ἐτέλεσσας}}
:"you have not yet spoken a good word nor brought one to pass"

:{{lang|grc|ἐσ-θλὸν / δ’ οὐ-τέ τί / πω εἶ/πας ἔ-πος / οὔτ’ ἐ-τέ / λεσ-σας}}
:{{grc-tr|ἐσ-θλὸν / δ’ οὐ-τέ τί / πω εἶ/πας ἔ-πος / οὔτ’ ἐ-τέ / λεσ-σας}}
: — — | — ∪ ∪ | — — | — ∪ ∪ | — ∪ ∪ | — —

Here the word {{lang|grc|ἔπος}} (''epos'') was originally {{lang|grc|ϝέπος}} (''wepos'') in Ionian; the [[digamma]], later lost, lengthened the last syllable of the preceding {{lang|grc|εἶπας}} (''eipas'') and removed the apparent defect in the meter. A digamma also saved the hiatus in the third foot. This example demonstrates the [[oral tradition]] of the Homeric epics that flourished before they were written down sometime in the 7th century BC{{cn|reason=All this is true, but it is not obvious for those with little or no background in classical studies. A citation wouldn't hurt.|date=March 2025}}.

Most of the later rules of hexameter composition have their origins in the methods and practices of Homer{{cn|date=March 2025}}.