Ovid Lines 31-58 Notes Flashcards
Give a line that is chiastically arranged and portrays chiasmus
Line 31
What is chiastic arrangement?
ABAB
What does the chiastic word arrangement in line 31 show?
Reinforces the idea that there will inevitably be a loss of chastity in the theatre
What idea do the words ‘casti’ and ‘pudoris’ contain?
Purity
What is pleonasm?
Two words that contain the same idea of purity
What is the effect of the pleonasm in line 32?
Forcing his point that it is the best of morals that are destroyed here
What does Ovid do to the legend of the Sabine women at the theatre?
Makes it a primitive theatrical performance and treated with humour that is heightened by a slight touch of pathos
What is the legend of the Sabine women at the theatre?
When Rome was a brand new city, ruled bu its first king Romulus, it was short of women. Romulus invited the neoghbouring Sabine tribe to a programme of games he was organising for the harvest festival. When the guests were comfortable seated, the Romans abducted 600 Sabine daughters at sword point
Why does Ovid reference the legend of the Sabine women?
To prove that if Romulus could use the theatre for picking off women( in a forceful way), then Ovid thinks that contemporary Romans should have success here too ( using more refined methods of course)
What is apostrophe?
The device of addressing a character in a story
Why is apostrophe more forceful on line 33? What is the effect of that?
For coming at the beginning of the story
Turns our attention dramatically to the new subject
What is the effect of describing the theatre as rough and rustic?
To give an air of antiquity
Give an example of when Ovid portrays the theatre as rough and rustic. What is the effect?
Not even the applause is as sophisticated as modern applause
Helps the comparison with the current air of luxury surrounding Rome
Where is the location of Ovid’s ancient theatre?
Palantine Hill
What was at Palantine Hill?
Imperial Palace
Several temples
What word on line 38 is very unpoetic? What is the effect?
‘Simpliciter’
Mimics the primitiveness of theatre seats
What was a traditional custom in a theatre?
Women sat at the back away from the men
Where does Ovid use the historic present?
Lines 41 onwards
What is historic present?
When the present tense is used to narrate historic events
What is the effect of the historic present?
Create feeling of immediacy in the audience’s minds
How does the theatre relate to Romulus’ signal?
The signal is for drama of a very kind
What is chiasmus?
The repetition of ideas and the reversal of order
On line 48, where should ‘que’ be? Where actually is it? Why?
At the beginning
Near the end
Add drama to the description or to allow other words to be placed in more emphatic places e.g. Virginibus
What is the theme on lines 49-50? What grammar?
Hunting
Similes
What is the emphasis on on lines 49-50? Why?
Focuses on the helpless prey fleeing the predator
In Roman times, doves were seen associated with cowardice
What grammar is in lines 53-6? What is the pace like?
Historic presents
Rapid
How are the girls’ contasting reactions highlighted in lines 53-6?
Antithesis
Anaphora of ‘haec’, ‘pars’ and ‘altera’ and ‘haec… Illa’
Use of different pairs to add to this idea
Chiastic phrases
Where is the chiastic arrangement? What is is? Why?
Lines 53-6
No chiasmus, chiasmus, chiasmus, no chiasmus
To make the passage stand out
What does ‘sine mente’ literally mean? What does this show?
Mindless
They were so overcome with fear as to be distraught and incapable of thought
What is apposition?
Relationship between expressions usually those that have the same function and supplement each other
Give two words that are in apposition. What is the effect?
Praeda- reward
Puella- girls
Praeda is used to qualify or add detail to the description of the girls
The words ‘praeda’ and ‘puellae’ are placed next to each other. Why?
Create a rhetorical effect
Give an unusual word on line 57. What does it normally describe? What is the effect?
Genialis
Weddings
Has poignancy (strong and keenly distressing) here
What is paradox? Where is this seen? What does it describe?
Juxtaposes two ideas that contradict each other even if they are true
Line 58
Fear makes the girls more beautiful
