Glossary

A grammatical construction consisting of a noun or pronoun and a participle (or adjective/noun) in the ablative case, grammatically independent from the rest of the sentence, providing background or circumstantial information.

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in words that are close together, creating a musical or emphatic effect.

The repetition of the last word of one clause or sentence at the beginning of the next, creating a sense of flow or emphasis.

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines, used for emphasis or rhetorical effect.

The inversion of the usual or natural word order, often for emphasis or metrical effect in poetry.

A rhetorical device that presents a striking contrast or opposition of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction.

The substitution of a proper name for a common noun or vice versa, or the use of an epithet or title in place of a proper name.

The omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses where they would normally be expected, creating a sense of speed or intensity.

A rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures, in an ABBA pattern.

Phrases that compare two or more things, often using comparative adjectives or adverbs, or constructions with 'quam' (than).

Phrases or clauses that express hypothetical situations or conditions, typically introduced by 'si' (if) or 'nisi' (unless).

The dative case used in passive periphrastic constructions to indicate the person by whom an action must be performed.

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning and end of the same clause or sentence.

A descriptive adjective or phrase expressing a quality or characteristic of the person or thing mentioned, often a recurring feature in epic poetry.

The repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession for emphasis.

A noun case primarily used to show possession, relationship, or to describe a quality, often translated with 'of' or an apostrophe 's'.

A phrase containing a gerund (a verbal noun) that functions as a noun, typically in the genitive, dative, accusative, or ablative cases.

A phrase containing a gerundive (a verbal adjective) that expresses purpose or necessity, often translated as 'for the purpose of' or 'needing to be done.'

Exaggeration used for emphasis or effect, not meant to be taken literally.

A verb mood used to express direct commands or requests.

Pronouns that refer to unspecified people or things, such as 'someone,' 'something,' 'anyone,' or 'anything.'

The reporting of someone's speech or thought indirectly, typically introduced by a verb of saying or thinking and often using an infinitive clause in Latin.

A phrase consisting of an infinitive verb and any objects, complements, or modifiers, often functioning as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

A translation that focuses on conveying the meaning, tone, and nuance of the original text, even if it requires departing from a strict word-for-word rendering.

A translation that aims for word-for-word accuracy, preserving the original grammatical structures and vocabulary as closely as possible.

An understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negation of its opposite, often for ironic or emphatic effect.

A figure of speech that makes an implied comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as,' stating one thing is another.

The process of turning a verb or adjective into a noun, often to express an action or quality as a concept.

A rare construction in Latin where a clause in the nominative case, often at the beginning of a sentence, is grammatically independent but provides context for the main clause.

A group of words containing a participle and any modifiers or complements, functioning as an adjective to describe a noun or pronoun.

A past tense indicating a completed action in the past, often translated with 'has/have' or a simple past tense.

Pronouns that refer to specific people or things, indicating the speaker (first person), the person spoken to (second person), or the person/thing spoken about (third person).

Attributing human qualities, emotions, or actions to inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas.

A past perfect tense indicating an action that was completed before another past action.

The use of multiple conjunctions in close succession, often for emphasis or to create a sense of overwhelming quantity.

Subordinate clauses introduced by a relative pronoun (like *qui, quae, quod*) that provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause.

A question asked for effect or to make a point, rather than to elicit an actual answer.

A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things using words like 'sicut' (just as), 'qualis' (such as), or 'velut' (as if).

A verb mood used to express wishes, possibilities, commands, conditions, or actions that are not factual or certain, often found in subordinate clauses.