Literature and the Arts

What is the history of the dactylic hexameter?

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The origin of the dactylic hexameter is not known, but it appears first, and in its purest form, in Homer. Classical epic poets thereafter, including Vergil, used this meter, and it was extended to didactic and satirical literature, as in the works of Lucretius and Martial.

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Similar questions: Where does the dactylic hexameter first appear? What is the purest form of the dactylic hexameter? Which poets use dactylic hexameter? [ Hide these questions ]

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