AP Latin : Anaphora
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Latin
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Syntactical Devices
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?
Tricolon crescens
Anaphora
Polysyndeton
Alliteration
Anaphora
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
Example Question #1 : Syntactical Devices
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?
Litotes
Anaphora
Hyperbole
Alliteration
Anaphora
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)
Example Question #3 : Anaphora
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 __________.
chiasmus
anaphora
hyperbole
apostrophe
anaphora
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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