Repetition of the same initial consonant in nearby words.
Marcus mē momorditSpīritum Sanctumsāl saxa secat
Repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses, for emphasis.
nōn feram, nōn sinam, nōn patiartū pater, tū rēctor, tū duxō fortūna, ō mors, ō tempora
Inversion of usual word order — e.g. a preposition placed after the word it governs.
tē propter vīvōmēcum venīsquā dē causā
Breaking off in the middle of a sentence, leaving thought unfinished.
quem ego … sed nōn possum pergeresī tacērem …ō tempora — !
Direct address to a person, deity, or thing not actually present.
Ō maiōrēsŌ VerōnaŌ patria
Omission of conjunctions between coordinate words or clauses for speed and force.
videt, sentit, scitvēnī, vīdī, vīcīabiit, excessit, ēvāsit
An "a-b-b-a" arrangement of words mirroring grammatical or thematic structure.
magnās urbēs, oppida parvaratiō dūcit, sequitur cōnsiliumsōl oritur, occidit lūna
Omission of a word easily understood from context (often forms of esse).
dīxit mē inventum [esse]omnia praeclāra rāra [sunt]quid multa [dīcam]?
Two nouns joined by "and" expressing a single complex idea.
lūctus et labor (= grievous toil)vī et armīs (= armed force)pateris lībāmus et aurō
Deliberate exaggeration for rhetorical effect.
Catilīna est mōns vitiōrummīlle, immēnsuslacrimārum flūmina
Reversing the natural or logical order — placing first what should come last.
moriāmur et in media arma ruāmusvalet atque vīvitsepultus est et cecidit
Affirmation by negation of the contrary — understatement that intensifies.
haud stultus erat Cicerōnōn ignōtusnōn sine glōriā
Implicit comparison: one thing described as if it were another.
Horātius est lūx litterārum Latīnārumvīta est somniumflūmen verbōrum
Substitution of one term for another it suggests (e.g. Neptūnus for "the sea").
Neptūnus mē terretBacchus (= wine)Mārs (= war)
Use of sounds whose pronunciation suggests their meaning.
murmurant multītinnītus tubaesusurrus ventī
Pairing of apparently contradictory terms.
parvum mōnstrumconcordia discorscum tacent, clāmant
Attribution of human traits, emotions, or actions to non-human things.
ipsa saxa dolentrīdent prātasuspīrat tellūs
Use of more words than necessary — superfluous expression for emphasis.
oculīs mē videtauribus audiōvīvus et spīrāns
Use of many conjunctions in close succession, slowing and emphasising the catalogue.
et videt et sentit et scitaut Caesar aut nihilatque … atque … atque
Anticipation: use of a word or attribute earlier than it would logically appear.
submersās obruit puppēsmoritūrus vēnitvictum reddidit
Explicit comparison using sīcut, velut, quasi, similis, tamquam.
volat sīcut avissimilis sum foliōvelut umbra fugit
Use of a part to express the whole (or vice-versa).
prōra in portum nāvigāvittēctum (= home)mūcrō (= sword)
Splitting a compound word with one or more intervening words.
saxō cere comminuit brumquae mē cumque vocantseptem subiectā trīōnī
A series of three parallel elements increasing in length or weight.
nōn ferar, nōn patiar, nōn tolerābōvēnī, vīdī, vīcīaudē, spērā, perfice
A single word governing two others in different senses simultaneously.
Aenēās tulit dolōrem et patrem Trōiāabstulit spem et vītamgessit bellum et pācem
