AP Latin: Caesar
Rhetorical Devices and Figures of Speech for Quiz #2
Grammatical Figures
Name Description
Asyndeton The omission of a conjunction
where a connective might have
been used; the effect is terse and
clipped.
Brachylogy A condensed form of expression
Ellipsis The omission of words essential to
the meaning.
Hendiadys The use of two nouns with a
connective where a noun with a
modigying genitive or adjective
might have been expected.
Parenthesis The insertion of an independent
sentence or phrase that interrupts
the construction with a separate
thought, often one that helps
explain the main construction.
Polysyndeton The use of more conjunctions than
the sense requires; the effect
tends to emphasize whatever is
joined in this way.
Prolepsis Anticipation, or the use of a noun
as object in a clause preceding the
one in which it naturally belongs
as subject.
Synesis Construction according to the
sense without regard to the
grammatical form.
Example
Loca, portus, aditus cognovisset, “…should
have become acquainted with the natural
features, the harbors, the approaches.”
Consimilis capris figura, “shape like goats.”
(rather than figura consimilia figurae
caprarum).
Duae filiae instead of duae filiae fuerunt,
“there were two daughters.”
Fidem et ius iurandum, “a pledge of good
faith bound by an oath” (lit. a good faith
and an oath).
Quam maximum potest militum numerum
imperat (erat…legio una), pontem…iubet
rescindi, “he levied as many soldiers as
possible (there was only one legion,
alltogether, in further Gaul) , and gave
orders that the bridge be cut down (BG
1.7)”
Ceutronos et Graeioceli et Caturiges, “the
Ceutrones, the Graeioceli, and the
Caturiges.“
Rem frumentariam, ut supportari posset,
timere, “that they feared that the supply
of grain could not be brought in (lit. they
feared the supply of grain that it…)
Civitati persuasit, ut…exierent, “he
persuaded the people of his state to go
out” (lit. her persuaded his state that they
should go out).
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Rhetorical Figures
Name Description
Anaphora The repetition of the same word at the
beginning of successive phrases or
clauses.
Antithesis The juxtaposition of contrasted
expression in like order.
Chiasmus An arrangement of contrasted words in
inverse order (follows a pattern of
ABBA) or inverted parallelism.
Climax An arrangement of words, phrases, or
clauses with gradual increase of
interest or vigor of expression to the
end.
Euphemism The use of a mild expression in order to
avoid a word of bad omen or
occurrence.
Hyperbaton The arrangement of words in unusual
order, as the separation of words that
belong together, such as the insertion
of one or more words between the
pars of an ablative absolute.
Litotes The affirmation of an idea through the
negation of its opposite.
Personification The representation of something
inanimate or abstract as endowed with
life and action.
Example
Non aetate confectis, non mulieribus,
non infantibus pepercerunt, “they
spaed not the aged, not the women,
not the children. “
Non sese Galia, sed Gallis sibi, bellum
intulisse, “He did not make war on
the Gauls, but the Gauls on him.”
Fama nobiles potentesque bello, “in
reputation notable and powerful in
war.”
Conferre, comportari, adesse, “that it
was being collected, was on the way,
was at hand.”
Si quid accidat Romanis, “if anything
should happen to the Romans” (if any
disaster should befall the Romans).
Simulata Caesarem amicitia, “that
Caesar under the pretense of
friendship.”
Neque tam imperitum esse rerum ut
non sciret, “and he was not so
unversed in affairs as not to know”
(he was so worldly wise that he very
well knew).
Conspicatae naves triremes duae
navem D. Bruti. “Two triremes,
having caught sight of the ship of
Decimus Brutus.
General Device Review
alliteration repetition of sound at the beginning of words
anacolouthon the grammatical sequence of the sentence changes
Anadiplosis The repetition of the last word of one line or clause to begin the next
anastrophe inversion of usual word order
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antithesis opposition or contrast of words or ideas
aposiopesis the abrupt and deliberate pause in a sentence.
assonance the recurrence of similar sounds
enallage shifting from one form to another (e.g. plural for singular)
epithet descriptive term or nickname
Golden line Poetry: Adjective a, adjective b, VERB, noun A, noun B
hyperbole exaggeration
hysteron - proteron the reversal of the natural order of things
irony stating an apparent fact with the intention of expressing the opposite; a
form of light sarcasm
metaphor a direct comparison
metonymy the substitution of one word for another which it suggests; in Latin
metonymy often uses proper names
onomatopoeia word whose sound suggests its meaning
oxymoron; paradox apparently contradictory words combined into a single expression
synchysis interlocked word order: ABAB
syncope loss of letters by contraction
synecdoche part for the whole
tmesis separation of parts of a compound word
transferred epithet an epithet that is appended to some act or quality of a person or thing
zeugma a condensed expression in which one word is made to stand for two or
more ideas
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