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2.15: 3.656–65

  • Page ID
    82255
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    iamdudum flebam: lacrimas manus inpia nostras
    ridet et inpellit properantibus aequora remis.
    per tibi nunc ipsum (nec enim praesentior illo
    est deus) adiuro, tam me tibi vera referre
    quam veri maiora fide: stetit aequore puppis                              660
    haud aliter quam si siccum navale teneret.
    illi admirantes remorum in verbere perstant
    velaque deducunt geminaque ope currere temptant:
    inpediunt hederae remos nexuque recurvo
    serpunt et gravidis distinguunt vela corymbis.                             665

    Study Questions

    • Explain the tense of flebam.
    • What kind of construction is properantibus … remis (657)?
    • What word does the preposition per (658) govern?
    • What kind of ablative is illo (658)?
    • What is the subject accusative, what the infinitive of the indirect statement introduced by adiuro (659)?
    • What are the two accusative objects of referre (659)?
    • What kind of ablative is fide (660)?
    • Explain the mood of teneret (661).
    • On what noun does the genitive remorum (662) depend?
    • What is the subject of inpediunt (664), serpunt (665) and distinguunt (665)?

    Stylistic Appreciation

    • Analyze the rhetorical design of lines 662–65, with special attention to stylistic symmetries.
    • Scan line 662 and explore possible links between metre and sense.

    Discussion Points

    What are the rhetorical strategies Acoetes employs to render the incredible truthful? Compare them to those found in other texts (such as the Bible) that are invested in portraying divine interventions in human life that defy empirical plausibility as historical facts.

    iamdudum long since, a long time ago
    fleo, -ere, flevi, fletum to weep, cry, shed tears; bewail, lament
    propero, -are, -avi, -atum to hasten, quicken; make haste
    adiuro, -are, -avi, -atum to swear to, confirm by oath
    verum, -i, n. what is true or real; the truth, reality, fact
    fides, -ei, f. faith, confidence, credence, belief
    trustworthiness, faithfulness, credibility
    siccus, -a, -um dry
    navale, -is, n. dock, dockyard
    verber, -eris, n. lash, whip, scourge, rod; stroke, blow
    persto, -are, -stiti to stand firm, continue; persist
    deduco, -ere, -xi, -ctum to lead, fetch, bring down
    geminus, -a, -um born at the same time, twin-born
    paired, double, both, two
    impedio, -ire, -ivi, -itum to entangle, ensnare, shackle, hamper
    to hold fast, detain, obstruct
    hedera, -ae, f ivy
    recurvus, -a, -um bent back on itself, bent round
    serpo, -ere, -si to crawl [cf. serpens, -ntis: snake]
    gravidus, -a, -um pregnant; laden, filled, full
    distinguo, -guere, -xi, -ctum to divide off, mark out; embellish, adorn
    corymbus, -i, m. a cluster of ivy-berries

    2.15: 3.656–65 is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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