[2556.] The Dactylic Hexameter is the verse regularly employed in epic, didactic, and bucolic poetry, and is used by the Latin writers oftener than any other measure. It consists of six feet, the last of which is a spondee (but with the privilege of syllaba anceps; see [2534]). The fifth foot is usually a dactyl; but sometimes a spondee is employed, in which case the verse is called spondaic. In each of the other four feet either a dactyl or a spondee may be used. The scheme is therefore:
–́ ⏔ | –́ ⏔ | –́ ⏔ | –́ ⏔ | –́
| –́ –
[2557.] A caesura which comes immediately after the thesis of a foot is called masculine; one which falls in the middle of the arsis (i.e. after the first short of a dactyl) is termed feminine. The Roman writers show a strong preference for masculine principal caesuras, and in general their treatment of the caesura is more strict than that of the Greek poets.
[2558.] The principal caesura in the Latin hexameter is most frequently the penthemimeral ([2544]): as in:
Arma virumque canō ‖ Troiae quī prīmus ab ōrīs (V. 1, 1).
Next in order of frequency stands the hephthemimeral, which is usually accompanied by a secondary trithemimeral, and in many cases also by a feminine caesura in the third foot: as in the verse,
Īnsīgnem ‖ pietāte ‖ virum ‖ tot adīre labōrēs (V. 1, 10).
If the secondary trithemimeral caesura is lacking, the penthemimeral is usually accompanied by a feminine caesura in the second foot. Sometimes, though more rarely, the principal break in the line is the feminine caesura in the third foot (often called the “caesura after the third trochee”), as in the verse