Syntactical Devices

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AP Latin › Syntactical Devices

Questions 1 - 10
1

Si quis, iudices, forte nunc adsit ignarus legum, iudiciorum, consuetudinis nostrae, miretur profecto, quae sit tanta atrocitas huiusce causae, quod diebus festis ludisque publicis, omnibus forensibus negotiis intermissis unum hoc iudicium exerceatur, nec dubitet, quin tanti facinoris reus arguatur, ut eo neglecto civitas stare non possit; idem cum audiat esse legem, quae de seditiosis consceleratisque civibus, qui armati senatum obsederint, magistratibus vim attulerint, rem publicam oppugnarint, cotidie quaeri iubeat: legem non improbet, crimen quod versetur in iudicio, requirat; cum audiat nullum facinus, nullam audaciam, nullam vim in iudicium vocari, sed adulescentem illustri ingenio, industria, gratia accusari ab eius filio, quem ipse in iudicium et vocet et vocarit, oppugnari autem opibus meretriciis: \[Atratini\] illius pietatem non reprehendat, muliebrem libidinem comprimendam putet, vos laboriosos existimet, quibus otiosis ne in communi quidem otio liceat esse.

The underlined phrase is an example of __________.

anaphora

chiasmus

hyperbole

apostrophe

Explanation

The phrase "nullum facinus, nullam audaciam, nullam vim"is an example of anaphora. Here, the author repeats the same wording/phrasing in order to show emphasis of his point. This specific type of anaphora, where the phrasing is repeated three times, is also called tricolon crescens.

(Passage adapted from Cicero's Pro Caelio, Section 1 (56 BCE))

2

Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, 5
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, 10
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.

What literary device is being used in lines 7-10?

Anaphora

Alliteration

Polysyndeton

Tricolon crescens

Explanation

In lines 7-10, the author repeats the same phrase again and again, almost verbatum, in order to emphasize the multitude of kisses he wishes to give his lover. This is an example of anaphora_._ It cannot be alliteration, because there is not a string of words that begin with the same letter right next to one another for emphasis. It cannot be polysyndeton because there is no excess of conjunctions, and it cannot be tricolon crescens because there is not a singular element repeated three times in succession to show that emphasis.

Passage adapted from "Catullus 5," ln.1-13

3

Haec dum Dardanio Aeneae miranda videntur,
dum stupet, obtutuque haeret defixus in uno,
regina ad templum, forma pulcherrima Dido,
incessit magna iuvenum stipante caterva.

Which literary device is present in lines 1-2 of the passage?

Anaphora

Alliteration

Hyperbole

Litotes

Explanation

In lines 1-2 of the passage, the same concept is repeated over and over. The phrases "miranda videntur," "stupet," "obtutuque," "haeret,"and "defixus in uno"are all slightly different ways of saying to stare or to gaze.This is an example of anaphora_._

(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 1.494-497)

4

Haec dum Dardanio Aeneae miranda videntur,
dum stupet, obtutuque haeret defixus in uno,
regina ad templum, forma pulcherrima Dido,
incessit magna iuvenum stipante caterva.

Which literary device is present in lines 1-2 of the passage?

Anaphora

Alliteration

Hyperbole

Litotes

Explanation

In lines 1-2 of the passage, the same concept is repeated over and over. The phrases "miranda videntur," "stupet," "obtutuque," "haeret,"and "defixus in uno"are all slightly different ways of saying to stare or to gaze.This is an example of anaphora_._

(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 1.494-497)

5

Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, 5
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, 10
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.

What literary device is being used in lines 7-10?

Anaphora

Alliteration

Polysyndeton

Tricolon crescens

Explanation

In lines 7-10, the author repeats the same phrase again and again, almost verbatum, in order to emphasize the multitude of kisses he wishes to give his lover. This is an example of anaphora_._ It cannot be alliteration, because there is not a string of words that begin with the same letter right next to one another for emphasis. It cannot be polysyndeton because there is no excess of conjunctions, and it cannot be tricolon crescens because there is not a singular element repeated three times in succession to show that emphasis.

Passage adapted from "Catullus 5," ln.1-13

6

Si quis, iudices, forte nunc adsit ignarus legum, iudiciorum, consuetudinis nostrae, miretur profecto, quae sit tanta atrocitas huiusce causae, quod diebus festis ludisque publicis, omnibus forensibus negotiis intermissis unum hoc iudicium exerceatur, nec dubitet, quin tanti facinoris reus arguatur, ut eo neglecto civitas stare non possit; idem cum audiat esse legem, quae de seditiosis consceleratisque civibus, qui armati senatum obsederint, magistratibus vim attulerint, rem publicam oppugnarint, cotidie quaeri iubeat: legem non improbet, crimen quod versetur in iudicio, requirat; cum audiat nullum facinus, nullam audaciam, nullam vim in iudicium vocari, sed adulescentem illustri ingenio, industria, gratia accusari ab eius filio, quem ipse in iudicium et vocet et vocarit, oppugnari autem opibus meretriciis: \[Atratini\] illius pietatem non reprehendat, muliebrem libidinem comprimendam putet, vos laboriosos existimet, quibus otiosis ne in communi quidem otio liceat esse.

The underlined phrase is an example of __________.

anaphora

chiasmus

hyperbole

apostrophe

Explanation

The phrase "nullum facinus, nullam audaciam, nullam vim"is an example of anaphora. Here, the author repeats the same wording/phrasing in order to show emphasis of his point. This specific type of anaphora, where the phrasing is repeated three times, is also called tricolon crescens.

(Passage adapted from Cicero's Pro Caelio, Section 1 (56 BCE))

7

inter quas Phoenissa recens a vulnere Dido
errabat silva in magna; quam Troius heros
ut primum iuxta stetit agnovitque per umbras
obscuram, qualem primo qui surgere mense
aut videt aut vidisse putat per nubila lunam, 5
demisit lacrimas dulcique adfatus amore est:
'infelix Dido, verus mihi nuntius ergo
venerat exstinctam ferroque extrema secutam?
funeris heu tibi causa fui? per sidera iuro,
per superos et si qua fides tellure sub ima est, 10
inuitus, regina, tuo de litore cessi.

In line 8, there is an example of which of the following?

Chiasmus

Synchesis

Litotes

Simile

Explanation

In line 8, the phrase "exstinctam ferroque extrema secutam"is an example of chiasmus. In these words, the A-B-B-A pattern (in this case, accusative-ablative-ablative-accusative) that is characteristic of a chiasmus is present.

(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 6.450-460)

8

inter quas Phoenissa recens a vulnere Dido
errabat silva in magna; quam Troius heros
ut primum iuxta stetit agnovitque per umbras
obscuram, qualem primo qui surgere mense
aut videt aut vidisse putat per nubila lunam, 5
demisit lacrimas dulcique adfatus amore est:
'infelix Dido, verus mihi nuntius ergo
venerat exstinctam ferroque extrema secutam?
funeris heu tibi causa fui? per sidera iuro,
per superos et si qua fides tellure sub ima est, 10
inuitus, regina, tuo de litore cessi.

In line 8, there is an example of which of the following?

Chiasmus

Synchesis

Litotes

Simile

Explanation

In line 8, the phrase "exstinctam ferroque extrema secutam"is an example of chiasmus. In these words, the A-B-B-A pattern (in this case, accusative-ablative-ablative-accusative) that is characteristic of a chiasmus is present.

(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 6.450-460)

9

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me
paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,
si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cenam, non sine candida puella
et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5
haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli
plenus sacculus est aranearum.
sed contra accipies meros amores
seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10
nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae
donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,
quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,
totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

What literary device is present in line 5?

Polysyndeton

Simile

Metonymy

Tmesis

Explanation

In line 5, the author uses the conjunction "et"many times in order to indicate just how many things must be at the party/feast. This is an example of polysyndeton_._ There is no association of phrases using like or as (simile), no use of a part of something to describe the whole \[metonymy (e.g. "nice set of wheels" = "nice car"), and no separation of a word into two or more parts (tmesis).

(Passage adapted from "Catullus 13," ln.1-14)

10

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me
paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,
si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cenam, non sine candida puella
et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5
haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli
plenus sacculus est aranearum.
sed contra accipies meros amores
seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10
nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae
donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,
quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,
totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

What literary device is present in line 5?

Polysyndeton

Simile

Metonymy

Tmesis

Explanation

In line 5, the author uses the conjunction "et"many times in order to indicate just how many things must be at the party/feast. This is an example of polysyndeton_._ There is no association of phrases using like or as (simile), no use of a part of something to describe the whole \[metonymy (e.g. "nice set of wheels" = "nice car"), and no separation of a word into two or more parts (tmesis).

(Passage adapted from "Catullus 13," ln.1-14)

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