Iambic trimeter

The Iambic trimeter, in classical Greek and Latin poetry, is a meter of poetry consisting of three iambic metra (each of two feet) per line. In English poetry, it refers to a meter with three iambic feet.

In ancient Greek poetry and Latin poetry, an iambic trimeter is a quantitative meter, in which a line consists of three iambic metra. Each metron consists of the pattern | x – u – |, where "–" represents a long syllable, "u" a short one, and "x" an anceps (either long or short). Resolution was common, especially in the first two metra of the line, so that any long or anceps syllable except the last could be replaced by two short syllables (see for example Euripides#Chronology), making a total of 13 or more syllables. It is the most common meter used for the spoken parts (as opposed to the sung parts) of Ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, and satyr plays. It is also common in iambus or 'blame poetry', although it is not the only meter for that genre.^[1]

In Latin, the iambic trimeter was adapted for the spoken parts of Roman plays, especially Roman comedy. The form used in Roman comedy is usually known as the iambic senarius. The iambic trimeter was also used in the Epodes of Horace, the fables of Phaedrus, the proverbs of Publilius Syrus, and the tragedies of Seneca the Younger.

In the accentual-syllabic verse of English, German, and other languages, however, the iambic trimeter is a meter consisting of three iambs (disyllabic units with stress on the second syllable) per line, making a line of six syllables.