Literary Device Identification - AP Latin

Card 0 of 20

Question

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?

Answer

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)

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Question

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?

Answer

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

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Question

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 __________.

Answer

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))

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Question

Cui dono lepidum novum libellum
arida modo pumice expolitum?
Corneli, tibi: namque tu solebas
meas esse aliquid putare nugas.
Iam tum, cum ausus es unus Italorum 5
omne aevum tribus explicare cartis . . .
Doctis, Iuppiter, et laboriosis!
Quare habe tibi quidquid hoc libelli—
qualecumque, quod, o patrona virgo,
plus uno maneat perenne saeclo! 10

"O patrona virgo" (line 9) is an example of which of the following?

Answer

"O patrona virgo"is an example of apostrophe_—_addressing a person who is not present.

(Passage adapted from "Catullus 1," ln.1-10)

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Question

Disertissime Romuli nepotum,
quot sunt quotque fuere, Marce Tulli,
quotque post aliis erunt in annis,
gratias tibi maximas Catullus
agit pessimus omnium poeta, 5
tanto pessimus omnium poeta,
quanto tu optimus omnium patronus.

"Marce Tulli" (line 2) is an example of which of the following?

Answer

"Marce Tulli" is vocative because it is referring to someone (Cicero) directly. Cicero, however is not present; this is an example of apostrophe_._

(Passage adapted from "Catullus 49," ln.1-7)

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Question

Aeneas miratus enim motusque tumultu
'dic,' ait, 'o virgo, quid vult concursus ad amnem?
quidve petunt animae? vel quo discrimine ripas
hae linquunt, illae remis vada livida verrunt?'
olli sic breviter fata est longaeva sacerdos: 5
'Anchisa generate, deum certissima proles,
Cocyti stagna alta vides Stygiamque paludem,
di cuius iurare timent et fallere numen.
haec omnis, quam cernis, inops inhumataque turba est . . .

"O virgo" (line 2) is an example of which of the following?

Answer

With the words "o virgo,"the speaker it speaking to someone who is not present. This is an example of apostrophe.

(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 6.317-325)

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Question

Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris
Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit
litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto
vi superum saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram;
multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem, 5
inferretque deos Latio, genus unde Latinum,
Albanique patres, atque altae moenia Romae.

Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso,
quidve dolens, regina deum tot volvere casus
insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores 10
impulerit. Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

The word "Musa" (line 8) is an example of which of the following?

Answer

In like 11, Vergil invokes the Muses; however, the Muses are not actually present. Calling upon/speaking to individuals that are not present is called apostrophe_._

(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 1.1-12)

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Question

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?

Answer

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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Question

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 present in the underlined selection?

Answer

In the phrase "rumoresque senum severiorum omnes,"we see that the cases of the words are in the order accusative plural, genitive plura, genitive plural, accusative plural. This A-B-B-A structure is typical of chiasmus_._

Passage adapted from "Catullus 5" by Catullus.

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Question

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?

Answer

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)

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Question

Arma gravi numero violentaque bella parabam
edere, materia conveniente modis.
par erat inferior versus—risisse Cupido
dicitur atque unum surripuisse pedem.
'Quis tibi, saeve puer, dedit hoc in carmina iuris?
Pieridum vates, non tua turba sumus.
quid, si praeripiat flavae Venus arma Minervae,
ventilet accensas flava Minerva faces?
quis probet in silvis Cererem regnare iugosis,
lege pharetratae Virginis arva coli?
crinibus insignem quis acuta cuspide Phoebum
instruat, Aoniam Marte movente lyram?
sunt tibi magna, puer, nimiumque potentia regna;
cur opus adfectas, ambitiose, novum?
an, quod ubique, tuum est? tua sunt Heliconia tempe?

The underlined portion is an example of __________.

Answer

The underlined portion ("arma . . . violentaque") is an example of chiasmus. It has the ABBA structure of a chiamus (accusative pl - dative sing - dative sing - accusative pl). Note that sychesis has a ABAB structure, enjambment is the continuation of a sentence/phrase onto another line, and tmesis is the separation of a compound word into two parts.

The correct choice is "chiasmus."

(Passage adapted from Amores by Ovid, I.1–15)

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Question

vix etiam Phoebo iam lyra tuta sua est?
cum bene surrexit versu nova pagina primo,
attenuat nervos proximus ille meos;
nec mihi materia est numeris levioribus apta,
aut puer aut longas compta puella comas.' 5
Questus eram, pharetra cum protinus ille soluta
legit in exitium spicula facta meum,
lunavitque genu sinuosum fortiter arcum,
'quod' que 'canas, vates, accipe' dixit 'opus!'
Me miserum! certas habuit puer ille sagittas. 10
uror, et in vacuo pectore regnat Amor.
Sex mihi surgat opus numeris, in quinque residat:
ferrea cum vestris bella valete modis!
cingere litorea flaventia tempora myrto,
Musa, per undenos emodulanda pedes! 15

The underlined portion contains an example of __________________.

Answer

The words versu...primo are an example of chiasmus. These words are arranged in an ABBA order (ablative sing - nominative sing - nominative sing - ablative sing). Alliteration is a repitition of a sound in the beginning of a word, metonymy is using one word as a substitute for another, and onomatopeia is the use of a word that represents a sound.

Passage adapted from Amores by Ovid, I. 1-15

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Question

vix etiam Phoebo iam lyra tuta sua est?
cum bene surrexit versu nova pagina primo,
attenuat nervos proximus ille meos;
nec mihi materia est numeris levioribus apta,
aut puer aut longas compta puella comas.' 5
Questus eram, pharetra cum protinus ille soluta
legit in exitium spicula facta meum,
lunavitque genu sinuosum fortiter arcum,
'quod' que 'canas, vates, accipe' dixit 'opus!'
Me miserum! certas habuit puer ille sagittas. 10
uror, et in vacuo pectore regnat Amor.
Sex mihi surgat opus numeris, in quinque residat:
ferrea cum vestris bella valete modis!
cingere litorea flaventia tempora myrto,
Musa, per undenos emodulanda pedes! 15

The underlined portion contains an example of ___________________.

Answer

The words longas...comas is an example of chiasmus_._ It is arranged in an ABBA structure (accusative pl - nominative sing - nominative sing - accusative pl). "Apostrophe" is when the speaker speaks to someone who is not present, "hyperbole" is an overstatement of something for emphasis (exaggeration), and a "simile" is a comparison using like or as (ut).

Passage adapted from Amores by Ovid, I. 16-30

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Question

vix etiam Phoebo iam lyra tuta sua est?
cum bene surrexit versu nova pagina primo,
attenuat nervos proximus ille meos;
nec mihi materia est numeris levioribus apta,
aut puer aut longas compta puella comas.' 5
Questus eram, pharetra cum protinus ille soluta
legit in exitium spicula facta meum,
lunavitque genu sinuosum fortiter arcum,
'quod' que 'canas, vates, accipe' dixit 'opus!'
Me miserum! certas habuit puer ille sagittas. 10
uror, et in vacuo pectore regnat Amor.
Sex mihi surgat opus numeris, in quinque residat:
ferrea cum vestris bella valete modis!
cingere litorea flaventia tempora myrto,
Musa, per undenos emodulanda pedes! 15

The pharetra cum in line 6 is an example of ___________________.

Answer

The words pharetra cum present the reader with an inversion of the normal word order (usually, the preposition should appear before its object in Latin). This is called hyperbaton. "Litotes" is when a negative is used to express a strong positive, a "metaphor" is a comparison without the word like/as (ut), and "tmesis" is the separation of a compound word into two parts.

Passage adapted from Amores by Ovid, I. 16-30

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Question

Ni te plus oculis meis amarem,
iucundissime Calve, munere isto
odissem te odio Vatiniano:
nam quid feci ego quidve sum locutus,
cur me tot male perderes poetis? 5
isti di mala multa dent clienti,
qui tantum tibi misit impiorum.
quod si, ut suspicor, hoc novum ac repertum
munus dat tibi Sulla litterator,
non est mi male, sed bene ac beate, 10
quod non dispereunt tui labores.
di magni, horribilem et sacrum libellum!
quem tu scilicet ad tuum Catullum
misti, continuo ut die periret,
Saturnalibus, optimo dierum! 15
non non hoc tibi, false, sic abibit.
nam si luxerit ad librariorum
curram scrinia, Caesios, Aquinos,
Suffenum, omnia colligam venena.
ac te his suppliciis remunerabor. 20
vos hinc interea valete abite
illuc, unde malum pedem attulistis,
saecli incommoda, pessimi poetae.

What literary device is present in line 5?

Answer

Line 5 translates as Why do you ruin me badly with so many poets? Since poets are not normally a thing that causes physical harm or otherwise, we can assume that the author is intensifying the language in order to emphasize just how much he hates the poems. This is an example of hyperbole_._

(Passage adapted from "Catullus 14," ln.1-23)

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Question

Hinc via Tartarei quae fert Acherontis ad undas.
turbidus hic caeno vastaque voragine gurges
aestuat atque omnem Cocyto eructat harenam.
Portitor has horrendus aquas et flumina servat
terribili squalore Charon, cui plurima mento 5
canities inculta iacet, stant lumina flamma,
sordidus ex umeris nodo dependet amictus.
Ipse ratem conto subigit velisque ministrat
et ferruginea subvectat corpora cumba,
iam senior, sed cruda deo viridisque senectus. 10
Huc omnis turba ad ripas effusa ruebat,
matres atque viri defunctaque corpora vita
magnanimum heroum, pueri innuptaeque puellae,
impositique rogis iuvenes ante ora parentum . . .

The use of "ora"in line 14 is an example of __________.

Answer

The word "ora"is being used to refer to the faces of the parents in this sentence. This substitution of an attribute or part of something to refer to the whole is called "metonymy."

(Passage adapted from the Aeneid by Vergil, 6.295-308)

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Question

saepe pater dixit: 'generum mihi, filia, debes,'
saepe pater dixit: 'debes mihi, nata, nepotes';
illa velut crimen taedas exosa iugales
pulchra verecundo suffuderat ora rubore
inque patris blandis haerens cervice lacertis 5
'da mihi perpetua, genitor carissime,' dixit
'virginitate frui! dedit hoc pater ante Dianae.'
ille quidem obsequitur, sed te decor iste quod optas
esse vetat, votoque tuo tua forma repugnat:
Phoebus amat visaeque cupit conubia Daphnes, 10
quodque cupit, sperat, suaque illum oracula fallunt,
utque leves stipulae demptis adolentur aristis,
ut facibus saepes ardent, quas forte viator
vel nimis admovit vel iam sub luce reliquit,
sic deus in flammas abiit, sic pectore toto 15
uritur et sterilem sperando nutrit amorem.

The use of "ora" (line 4) is an example of __________.

Answer

"Ora," literally translated as mouth, is being used here to refer to the entire face of the girl in this passage. This use of a part of something in order to refer to the whole is an example of metonymy_._

(Adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, 1.481-496)

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Question

Tertia post illam successit aenea proles,
saevior ingeniis et ad horrida promptior arma,
non scelerata tamen; de duro est ultima ferro.
protinus inrupit venae peioris in aevum
omne nefas: fugere pudor verumque fidesque; 5
in quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolusque
insidiaeque et vis et amor sceleratus habendi.
vela dabant ventis nec adhuc bene noverat illos
navita, quaeque prius steterant in montibus altis,
fluctibus ignotis insultavere carinae, 10
communemque prius ceu lumina solis et auras
cautus humum longo signavit limite mensor.
nec tantum segetes alimentaque debita dives
poscebatur humus, sed itum est in viscera terrae,
quasque recondiderat Stygiisque admoverat umbris, 15
effodiuntur opes, inritamenta malorum.

The word "vela" in line 8 is an example of __________.

Answer

The word "vela" literally means "hides," but translates here as sails. This is because the sails of a ship would be made from hides. This is a common example of metonymy, in which you use a part of something (in this case, the material which the object is made from) to refer to the whole object.

(Passage adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1.125-141)

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Question

(1) Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur. (2) Hi omnes lingua, institutis, legibus inter se differunt. Gallos ab Aquitanis Garumna flumen, a Belgis Matrona et Sequana dividit. (3) Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae, propterea quod a cultu atque humanitate provinciae longissime absunt, minimeque ad eos mercatores saepe commeant atque ea quae ad effeminandos animos pertinent important, (4) proximique sunt Germanis, qui trans Rhenum incolunt, quibuscum continenter bellum gerunt. Qua de causa Helvetii quoque reliquos Gallos virtute praecedunt, quod fere cotidianis proeliis cum Germanis contendunt, cum aut suis finibus eos prohibent aut ipsi in eorum finibus bellum gerunt. (5) Eorum una pars, quam Gallos obtinere dictum est, initium capit a flumine Rhodano, continetur Garumna flumine, Oceano, finibus Belgarum, attingit etiam ab Sequanis et Helvetiis flumen Rhenum, vergit ad septentriones. (6) Belgae ab extremis Galliae finibus oriuntur, pertinent ad inferiorem partem fluminis Rheni, spectant in septentrionem et orientem solem. (7) Aquitania a Garumna flumine ad Pyrenaeos montes et eam partem Oceani quae est ad Hispaniam pertinet; spectat inter occasum solis et septentriones.

The word fere in part 4 is an example of _______________.

Answer

The word fere is being used instead of the word sword. This is an example of "metonymy" - when a word is substituted for another in a text. "Enjambment" occurs when a sentence is continued beyond a line without pause (in poetry). "Personification" is giving human traits to non-human things. "Litotes" is using a negative word to express something positive (e.g "He was not unmuscular." Meaning, he was very muscular). The correct choice is " metonymy."

Passage adapted from De Bello Gallico by Caesar, I. 1-7

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Question

Arma gravi numero violentaque bella parabam
edere, materia conveniente modis.
par erat inferior versus—risisse Cupido
dicitur atque unum surripuisse pedem.
'Quis tibi, saeve puer, dedit hoc in carmina iuris?
Pieridum vates, non tua turba sumus.
quid, si praeripiat flavae Venus arma Minervae,
ventilet accensas flava Minerva faces?
quis probet in silvis Cererem regnare iugosis,
lege pharetratae Virginis arva coli?
crinibus insignem quis acuta cuspide Phoebum
instruat, Aoniam Marte movente lyram?
sunt tibi magna, puer, nimiumque potentia regna;
cur opus adfectas, ambitiose, novum?
an, quod ubique, tuum est? tua sunt Heliconia tempe?

The underlined word "Cererem" in line 9 is an example of __________.

Answer

The word "Cererem" is an example of metonymy. "Ceres" is commonly used to refer to/in place of the word for grain or food. Note: personification is giving human characteristics to non-human things, hyperbaton is the inversion of the usual word order, and anaphora is the repetition of a word for emphasis.

(Passage adapted from Amores by Ovid, I.1–15)

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