But these devices are so common that they can scarcely lay claim to
involve the art essential to figures. On the
other hand it is quite obviously figure, when two
different constructions are combined as in the following case:
(I bid my comrades straight to seize their arms And
war be waged against a savage race.) For although the portion of the
sentence following Aen. iii. 234; participio = gerundive ( gerendum ). bellum ends with a participle,
both clauses of the sentence are correctly governed by edico. Another form of connexion, which does not necessarily
involve omission, is called Syrus 486
(Ribbeck).
To this figure is opposed distinction, which they
call Rutil. i.
4. When you call yourself wise instead of astute,
brave instead of rash, economical instead of mean.
But this
is entirely dependent on definition, and therefore I have my doubts
whether it can be called a figure. Its opposite occurs when we pass at a
bound from one thing to something different, as though from like to
like; for example:
with what follows. A.P. 25.
There is a third class of figures which attracts
the ear of the audience and excites their attention by some resemblance,
equality or contrast of words. To this class belongs paronomasia, which we call adnominatio.
This may be effected in different ways. It may depend on the resemblance
of one word to another which has preceded, although the words are in
different cases. Take the following passage from Domitius Afer's defence
of Cloatilla: Mulier omnium rerum imiperita, in
omnnibus rebus infelix.
A woman unskilled in everything and in
everything unhappy.
Or the same word may be repeated with greater meaning, as quando homo, hostis homno.
since he is a man, the man is an enemy,
i. e. the utterance of some misanthrope. Or a
question-mark may be placed after homo and
the meaning will be since he is a man, can he be an
enemy?
emphasis and reiteration.
The opposite of parononasia occurs when one word
is proved to be false by repetition; for instance, This law did
not seem to be a law to private individuals.
In Pis.
xiii. 20.
where the same word is used in two different meanings. When Proculeius
reproached his son with waiting for his death, and the son replied that
he was not waiting for it, the former retorted, Well
then, I ask you to wait for it. Sometimes such difference in
meaning is obtained not by using the same word, but one like it, as for
example by saying that a man whom you think dignus
supplicatione (worthy of supplication) is supplicio adficiendus.
supplicium
was used as equivalent to suppliratio, and
this use survives in Livy and Sallust. But in Augustan and
post-Augustan language the normal meaning of supplicium was punishment,
and the natural
translation would be worthy of punishment.
There are also other ways in which the same words may be used in
different senses or altered by the lengthening or shortening of
Amari iucundum est, si curetur ne quid insit
amari,ad Herenn. iv. 14: It is pleasant to
be loved, but we must take care that there is no bitterness in
that love.
Avium dulcedo
ad avium ducit;
Birds' sweet song leads us into pathless
places.
Furia, why should I not call you a
fury?
Cornificius calls this traductio,