---
title: "Scansion — AP Latin Definition & Exam Guide"
description: "Scansion is marking the long and short syllables in a line of Latin verse. On AP Latin, you scan Vergil's dactylic hexameter, accounting for elision."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-latin/key-terms/scansion"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Latin"
unit: "Unit 6"
---

# Scansion — AP Latin Definition & Exam Guide

## Definition

Scansion is the process of marking the metrical pattern of a line of Latin poetry, dividing it into feet and labeling syllables as long or short. On the AP Latin exam, scansion means scanning Vergil's dactylic hexameter, the six-foot meter of all epic poetry.

## What It Is

Scansion is what you do when you take a line of Latin verse and mark up its rhythm. You divide the line into metrical [feet](/ap-latin/unit-5 "fv-autolink") and label each syllable as long or short. Think of it as writing out the sheet music for a line of poetry. The words are the lyrics, and scansion shows you the beat underneath them.

For [AP Latin](/ap-latin "fv-autolink"), the [meter](/ap-latin/key-terms/meter "fv-autolink") you scan is dactylic hexameter, because the CED's essential knowledge for Topic 6.14 states that all epic poetry is composed in it. A hexameter line has six feet, and each foot is either a dactyl (one long syllable followed by two shorts) or a spondee (two longs). Scanning a line means figuring out which is which, marking syllable lengths, and accounting for things like elision, where a final vowel drops out before a word starting with a vowel. Done well, scansion also reveals craft. A run of quick dactyls can speed up a chase scene, while heavy spondees can slow a moment of grief or dread in the *Aeneid*.

## Why It Matters

Scansion lives in [Unit 6](/ap-latin/unit-6 "fv-autolink") (Suggested Practice in Latin Poetry), specifically Topic 6.14 on epic elements in Vergil's *[Aeneid](/ap-latin/key-terms/aeneid "fv-autolink")*. It directly supports learning objective AP Latin 6.14.A, which asks you to describe features of meter in Latin poetry. The essential knowledge behind that objective is short and absolute. All epic poetry is composed in dactylic hexameter, so every line of Vergil on your syllabus can be scanned with the same toolkit.

This matters beyond one topic because scansion is a tested skill, not just background knowledge. Released short-answer questions from 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 all used scansion, asking you to mark the meter of a printed line from the syllabus. It is one of the most predictable, learnable points on the whole exam. If you can scan reliably, you have essentially banked those points before you walk in.

## Connections

### [Dactylic Hexameter (Unit 6)](/ap-latin/key-terms/dactylic-hexameter)

Hexameter is the pattern; scansion is the act of finding it. Every scansion question on the [AP Latin exam](/ap-latin/ap-latin-exam "fv-autolink") is really a dactylic hexameter question, since the CED's essential knowledge says all epic poetry uses this meter.

### [Dactyl (Unit 6)](/ap-latin/key-terms/dactyl)

The [dactyl](/ap-latin/key-terms/dactyl "fv-autolink") (long-short-short) is one of the two building blocks you mark when you scan, alongside the spondee (long-long). Scanning a hexameter line mostly comes down to deciding which feet are dactyls and which are spondees.

### [Elision (Unit 6)](/ap-latin/key-terms/elision)

[Elision](/ap-latin/key-terms/elision "fv-autolink") is the number one trap in scansion. When a word ends in a vowel (or vowel + m) and the next word starts with a vowel or h, the final syllable disappears from the count. Miss an elision and your whole scan goes off the rails.

### [Anceps (Unit 6)](/ap-latin/key-terms/anceps)

The last syllable of a hexameter line is anceps, meaning it can count as long or short either way. That is why the sixth foot is the easy one. You never have to agonize over the final syllable.

## On the AP Exam

Scansion shows up on the free-response section as its own short-answer question. Released exams from 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 all included a scansion question, typically printing a line of dactylic hexameter from the syllabus and asking you to mark the long and short syllables and divide the feet. The task is mechanical and predictable, which makes it very gradable practice.

To earn the points, you have to do three things consistently. First, find elisions before you mark anything, because an elided syllable changes the syllable count. Second, work from what is certain. The first syllable of every foot is long, and the fifth foot is almost always a dactyl. Third, divide the line cleanly into six feet, where each foot is a dactyl or a spondee. Beyond the dedicated question, metrical awareness supports learning objective AP Latin 6.14.A, so you may also describe meter as an epic feature when analyzing how Vergil builds dramatic effect.

## Scansion vs Meter

Meter is the rhythmic pattern itself (for Vergil, dactylic hexameter). Scansion is the analysis you perform to reveal that pattern, marking syllables long or short and dividing the line into feet. In short, meter is the rule and scansion is the work. The exam tests scansion as a hands-on skill, not just a definition.

## Key Takeaways

- Scansion means marking the long and short syllables of a Latin line and dividing it into metrical feet.
- All epic poetry, including Vergil's Aeneid, is composed in dactylic hexameter, a six-foot line built from dactyls (long-short-short) and spondees (long-long).
- The AP Latin exam has tested scansion directly on short-answer questions, including the released exams from 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.
- Always check for elision first, because a dropped syllable changes the count for the entire line.
- The fifth foot of a hexameter line is almost always a dactyl, and the final syllable is anceps, so start your scan from the end of the line where the pattern is most predictable.
- Scansion also supports analysis, since fast dactylic lines and slow spondaic lines can mirror the action or emotion of a scene.

## FAQs

### What is scansion in AP Latin?

Scansion is the process of marking the metrical pattern of a line of Latin poetry, labeling each syllable long or short and dividing the line into feet. On AP Latin, you scan lines of dactylic hexameter from Vergil's Aeneid.

### Is scansion actually on the AP Latin exam?

Yes. Scansion has appeared as its own short-answer question on released exams, including 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021, where you mark the meter of a printed line of dactylic hexameter from the syllabus.

### What's the difference between scansion and meter?

Meter is the rhythmic pattern of the verse, which for all epic poetry is dactylic hexameter. Scansion is the skill of analyzing a specific line to show that pattern, marking longs, shorts, and foot divisions.

### How many feet are in a line of dactylic hexameter?

Six. Each foot is either a dactyl (one long syllable plus two shorts) or a spondee (two longs), the fifth foot is almost always a dactyl, and the final syllable is anceps, meaning it counts either way.

### Why does elision matter when I scan a line?

Elision removes a syllable when a word ending in a vowel or vowel + m meets a word starting with a vowel or h. If you miss one, your syllable count is wrong and every foot after that point will scan incorrectly.

## Related Study Guides

- [6.14 Vergil Additional Aeneid: Epic Elements Study Guide](/ap-latin/unit-6/vergil-additional-aeneid-epic-elements-study-guide/study-guide/8f95422e2bb34313)

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