New Method of Learning Latin

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BOOK

1. jp-r.

VII.

OF

FIGURATIVE SYNTAX. What

is

Syntax, of their use, and be all reduced to four.

meant by Figures that they

may

in

have already divided syntax into two parts, simple and was figurative; and we took notice that the figurative that which receded from the customary and natural rules, to follow

WE

particular turns of expression authorised by the learned, which is what we understand here by the word FIGURE. So necessary is the knowledge of these .figures, that without it,

some

or to is almost impossible to understand the antient authors, write pure and elegant Latin. shall reduce them all to four, after the example of the learned Sanctius, who says that all the rest are chimeras. Manit

We

strosi partus grammaticorum. In Miner, sua, lib. 4. For by this word figure is meant, either a defect and

some

omission of : ELLIPSIS of called a is and this, sentence; part generally a is called this and and redundant, something superfluous

Or PLEONASM Or a disproportion and :

construction

is

words, and this

disagreement in the parts,

when the

framed rather according to the sense than the we shall call SYLLEPSIS. Though some modern

grammarians give

it

the

name of SYNTHESIS :

Or an

inversion of the regular and natural order of words in a sentence, and this we call HYPERBATON. To these figures some likewise join that of HELLENISM, or GREEK PHRASE, which is when we use such expressions in Latin; in imitation of the as cannot be defended by the rules of

Greeks,

Latin syntax.'

And

as for ANTIPTOSIS, or ENALLAGE, we shall -prove at the end that it is as unnecessary as the rest which we have omrtand that the whole may be reduced to these four figures.

latter

ted,

NEW METHOD.

168

Book VII.

t

CHAPTER

Of the jirst jigure first

and THE

figure

is

I.

called ELLIPSIS.

called ELLIPSIS, that

is,

defect or omission^

For sometimes we ought to understand what is not at all mentioned in a sentence: and sometimes we understand a noun or a verb that has been already expressed, whether we take it in the same or in a different sense this is this is of

two

sorts.

;

what we

Now

call

the

Zeugma.

first

sort of ellipsis

in antier\t authors,

is

huilt particularly on what we find their thpughts more at large,

who expressing

and with the greatest simplicity, have thereby shewn us the natural government, and what we are to suppose in the more figurative and concise manner of writing, which was afterwards adopted. The most general rules that we ought to consider here, and

Which have been

partly hinted at already in the preceding reand in the jnarks, Syntax, may be reduced to nine or ten heads, and these should be looked upon as fundamental maxims, in order to take the thread of the discourse, and to understand an author

thoroughly.

I.

GENERAL MAXIM.

noun and

a verb,

Every sentence is composed of 9 and therefore where the verb is not expressed, it

inust be understood.

Hence what the grammarians call apposition, as Anna soror ; Urbs Athence, is properly an ellipsis of'he substantive verb, for

Anna

ens, or

Urbs qua pienses

(because this participle or qua dicitur Athencs

est,

qua

obsolete) qucs est soror t

is :

est Jirmis&ima civitas, lib. 2.

just as Csesar says,

B. C.

Hence

it is

Carmothat the.

French hardly ever make an apposition by substantives only, because this language has an aversion to the figure ellipsis. But either they put one of the nouns in tfce genitive, La mile de Rome, the city of Rome ; or they add a verb, La ville qui est appelee Rome, the city which is called Jtome ; or they add an adjective to one of the two substantives, Rome ville celebre, Rome ajamous city ; Anne ma For whiclj sceur, my sister Anne ; and not Rome ville ; speur Anne. reason they do not translate, Or a pro nobis peccatoribus, Priezpour nous pecheurs, prayfor us sinners ; but, priez pour nous pauvres pecheurs, prayfor us poor sinners, pr priez pour nous qui sommes pecheurs, prayjor us luho are sinners. And in like manner the rest.

Now the apposition is not only formed of one word, but likewise of many, Donarem tripodas, prcemia Jortium, Hor. that is, qu} sunt prtsmiajbrtium. Vicina coegi ut quamyis avido parerent arva Colono : gratum opus agricolis, Virg. But

it is

customary to refer to apposition, words that have more

of the nature of an adjective Nemo homo, &c.

t

;

as

homy

servus ;

Victor exercitus ;

There

OF THE

ELLIPSIS.

169

occasions on which the verb is understood, especially the substantive verb, Sed vos qui tandem, sup. estis? And some other verb likewise, as in Pompeianum cogito, Cic.

There are

sup.

ire.

also a great

many

Dii meliora, sup. faciant.

When one speaks proverbia-lly, Fortuna fortes, Cic. sup. adjuvat, By a rhetorical figure, QMS ego, Virg. sup. castigarem ; and on many other occasions which may be learnt by use, or may be seen in the

2d

II. II.

list

hereto annexed.

The Nominative understood before the Verb.

GENERAL MAXIM.

Every verb hath

its

nominative

of expressed or understood ; but there are commonly three ways nominative. the suppressing 1. In the first and second person, Amavi te t quo die cognovi, Cic. Quidfads ? sup. tu ; &c. sup. ego. 2. In verbs relating to the generality of mankind, Aiunt , ferunt, predicant, sup. homines. For 3. In verbs that are called impersonal. Vivitur, sup. vita. since we say, Vivere vitam, it follows that we may also say Vivitur vita, because the accusative of the verb active may always be rendered by the nominative of the passive. In like manner when we say, peccatur, we are to understand peccatum, and Cicero has expressed it, Quo in genere multa peccantur. Vigilatur, sup. noxt as Ovid has

it,

Nodes

vigi/antur amorce. as Virgil hath expressed

Festinatur, properatur,

Festinatefugaw ; and orfuga the rest in the same manner. The reason of this is because these verbs are called impersonal through a mistake, as we have already shewn, p. 122. and following, and that they may have their nominative and persons like the rest. Hereto we may refer those verbs which Sanctius calleth Verla nahirce, that express a natural effect, as Pluit, tonat, fulgurat, ningit, lucescit, where we understand, Deus, cesium, or natura ; or the noun itself whence the verb is derived, as pluvia, nix, lux, &c. since we find that the vulgar languages oftentimes put this nominative, at least with an adjective, as in French, it a p/u une grosse And in Latin other nouns are pluie, it has rained a heavy shower Tantum plidt ilice glunais, Virg. joined, as saxa pluunt, Stat. The infinitive oftentimes supplieth the place of the nominative, and ought to be understood as such in discourse, because it is considered as a verbal noun, according to what hath been already said, p. 113.

sup. res,

;

it,

.-

III.

The Accusative understood after

the Verb.

GENERAL MAXIM.

III. active hath its accuEvery verb ative expressed or understood. But it is oftentimes omitted, and especially before the relative qui, qua, quod, as Facilius reperias, (sup. homines ) qui Romamprqficiscantur, quclm ego qui Atftenas, Cic. See likewise what hath been said on the 14th rule, and in the re-

marks on the Verbs, chap.

1.

But

NEW METHOD.

170

Book VII.

But

it is also observable that the infinitive, as a noun verbal, be frequently understood for the case of its own verb, as we may have made appear in different places. Thus when I say currit, we are to understand cursum, or TO currere, which is the same thing. Pergit, we must understand pergere, and the rest in the same manner ; which would seem odd at first, if we did not find that the antients expressed themselves in this manner, Pergis pergere, Plaut. Pergam ire domum, Ter. And thus it is the Greeks say ep tpdvoct, dixit dicere, and the like.

IV. 'When the Infinitive is

IV.

is

alone, the verb that

governs

it

understood.

GENERAL MAXIM.

Whenever

the infinitive

is

by

it-

self in a sentence, we must understand a verb by which it is governed, as ccepit, solebat, or some other. Ego illud sedido negare Jactum, Ter. sup. ccepi. Facile omnes perferre ac pati, Id. sup. so~

lebat ; which is more usual with poets and historians, though we sometimes meet with it in Cicero, Galba autem multas similitudines qfferre, multaque pro cequitate dicere : where we ought always to understand a verb, without pretending that the infinitive is there instead of the preter-imperfect, by a figure that has no sort of

foundation.

Sometimes a

Divitiacus participle is understood, as in Ca3sar. obsecrare ne complexus ccepit, quid gravius infratrem statueret; scire se ilia esse vera, nee quemquam ex eo plus quam se doloris capere, for dicens se scire, &c.

V. When an Adjective is

understood.

is alone,

Of the

some substantive or other

word Negotium.

GENERAL MAXIM.

V. Every adjective supposeth its substantive expressed or understood. Thus, because juvenis, servus, &c. are adjectives, they suppose homo ; because bubula, suiUa y &c.

.

are also adjectives, they suppose caro. There are a great many of this sort, of which we shall presently give a list. But when the adjective is in the neuter gender, the word NEGOTIUM is generally understood for its substantive, which word by the antients was taken for RES, the same as the TO* IIPArMA of the Greeks, or the VERBUM of the Hebrews. Cicero himself has used it in this sense, when he says of C. Antony who did not pay him : Teucris ilia, lentum negotium. Ad Attic. It is an affair that goes on but very slowly. And in another place ; Ad tanti belli opinionem, quod ego negotium, &c. And in this sense Ulpian has used it, when he says, that there are more things than words in nature, Ut plura sint negotia quam vocabula. even frequently find that Cicero takes Res and Negotium^ for the same thing. Ejus NEGOTIUM sic velim suscipias, ut si esset RES mea. Which is proper to be observed in order to understand the force of several expressions, and of many elegant particles, which this author makes use of, as Rerum autem omnium nee aptius

We

est

OF THE

ELLIPSIS.

171

diligi ; nee alienius quam timeri ; see that aptius and alienius, being of the neuter for their substantive, which refers gender, do suppose negotium however to the word res, mentioned by him before, as to its syterm. Again, Sed ego hoc utor argumento quam-ob-

est

quidquam ad opes tuendas, quam

Offic. 1.

Where we

nonymous rem me ex animo, vereque diligi arbitrer. For quamobrem, which is taken for an adverb, is composed of three words. And res here refers to argumentum, which he mentioned before, as if it were 06 account. quod argume ntum, or ob quod negotium on which he where in his oration So says, Fecerunt ut against Verres, istum accusarem, d quo mea lungissime ratio, voluntasque abhorrebat; ,

a quo negotio accusationis, according to Asconius. And we must unsays, Utinam hoc sit modo defunctum, derstand negotium, according to Donatus. And therefore when we say, Triste lupus stabulis ; Varium 8$ mutabilc semperJemina, we ought to understand this same negotium, that

is,

whence Terence

without looking for another turn by the feminine, in order to say with the grammarians, that it is Res tristis, Res mutabilis : as if Wegotium could not perform the-same office as Res. In like manner the names of arts and sciences are generally in the neuter in Cicero, because this substantive is understood. MMsicorum perstudiosus, Cic. Nisi in physicis plumbei sumus, Cic. Phy* sica ilia ipsa 8$ mathematica qua posuisti, Cic. sup. negotia. It ought likewise to be understood, when the relative is in the neuter gender, as Non est quod gratias agas ; that is, non est negotium, or nuttum est negotium propter quod gratias agas, or agere de~ leas.

And

Classe virisque potens, per in like

manner, Lunam

qua

Ovid. fera bellaferuntur,that

4" Stellas,

qua tujunddsti ;

is,

qucs

negotia.

Hereby we

see that the grammarians had no great reason to a Syllepsis, or to say that the neuter gender was more noble than the other two, and therefore included them both. For herein they have committed two considerable mistakes : The first is their not understanding what is properly meant by the neuter, which is only a negative gender, and consequently cannot be more noble than the other two, nor include them both. The second is their mistaking the cause of this construction in the neuter^ which is no other than the ellipsis of the word negotia ; for which reason they imagined it could be used only in regard to inanimate things, whereas we meet with instances of it in others, as hath been shewn in the Syntax, rule 5. p. 11. and as we are further able to demonstrate by authorities, as when Tacitus says, Parentes, liberos,Jratres, vilia habere; that is, vilia negotia, to slight them. And Lucretius : Ductores Danaum delecti prima virorum. And this figure of NEGOTIA understood, is so familiar in the Latin tongue, that Cicero makes use of it on many occasions, call this

where he might have done otherwise, as when he lubris fy pestilens contraria (for contrani) that

is,

says,

Annus

sa-

sunt contraria ne~ gotta.

NEW METHOD.

173

Book VII.

And in his book on Old Age Scepe enim meorum cequalium^ qua C. Salinator qucE Sp. Albinus,

gatia, aft contrary things.

;

interfuiquerelis deplorare solebant ; he could not say, querelis qua;, without understanding negotia ; since it is plain, that quce refers to those complaints, as it appears likewise by Gaza's Greek translation : -cjoXt

Xax;? ytig roi tys^tsTv^ot OAYPMOI2 OY2 t'tdrQao-i xa,ro(}vgeTE, Vinum 8$ Jirumentum edentes, where it is evident that something must be understood, since St. Paul did not mean that we should drink what we eat, nor Homer that we should eat the wine we drink. But we must likewise take notice, says Linacer, that it is sometimes almost impossible to determine which verb ought to be una

cibis,

derstood in order to complete the sense, as in Quintilian, Si fur em nocturnum occidere licet, quid lativnem?

XI.

Of other

more remarkable Particles that are understood.

We

are oftentimes obliged to understand magis or potius; as Tacita semper est bona mulier, quam loquens, that is, magis bona. Oratiofuit precibus quam jurgio similis, Liv. that is, magis simttis Thus the Greeks frequently understand /*x*ov. And thence it is that we find in the Psalmist, Bonum est confidere in Domino, quam And in Terence, Si quisquam est qui placere confidere in homine. cupiat bonis, quam plurimis, that is, bonis potius quam plurimis. With simul we are often to understand ac or atque t as in Virgil, Eel. 4.

At simul

$ facia parentis qu. to fall from. fall into.

determine.

De alialiquo, Cic. to transact. Pr&elio cum aliquo, id. negotio, id. to decide a dispute by the sword.

Cum quo

Pro se, id. Pro libertate, Sen. compound for its liberty.

to

Decidere jugera singula ternis meto tax them at three mince. Decisa negotia, Hor. finished, put an end to. DECLINAIIE loco, a loco, or de loco, Se extra viam, Plaut. Ctc. to turn from. dimnis, Cic.

Ictum, Liv.

mina

&

avoid the blow.

to

aliquo, Liv.

to

remove

Jiis

Agmen No-

camp.

verba, Quint, to decline

you. Deficio a. te ad hunc, Suet. you t-j so to him.

Mulier abundat audac'a

&

se

hostibus,

Cats*

Mentem

Cic.

mind on a

to

surrender himself. Aliquem in pistrinum, Ter+io condemn him to hard labour.

Ad scribendum

se dedere, Cic.

ply himself entirely.

to

ap-

Deditk opera,

id.

Imperium him, or to lay down to him. terminis, id. to limit. Magriitudinem alicujus rei, id. to define, or mention precisely.

Certus cular

&

definitns locus, id. a parti-

and determined

DEFLECT'ERE

the stale.

Deferre aliquem, him.

id. to

infa-m against

DEFENDERE aliquem contra iniquos, id. Aliquem ab injuria, id. Injuriam alicujus, id. to avenge the wrong done to him. Injuriam alicui, Plaut. to take care that no harm is done him.

Defendere & obsistese injuria!, Cic. Defendere ac propulsa.rejujuriam ; id.

itinere,

Amnes

id.

in

alium cursum deflectere,

turn or divert their bed.

DEGENEKAEE a

gravitate paterna, id.

to

degenerate. A familia superbissimet, Liv. to degenerate, to be unlike. In feritatem, Plin.

Hoc animos degenerat/ Colum.

Cic.

from

Ex

&

tentiam,

DEFERRE stadium suum et laborem ad aliquem, id. to offer one's service to him. Opes ad aliquod negotium denefieii loco, id. In benefiperson in order to oblige him. ciis delatus, id. one that has a pension

place.

iter, Lu'can.

Piin. Cic. to turn out of one's road. deflectere senDecliuare propoVito

vates, weakens.

Deferre aliquid in betn present a thing to a

in aliquo, id. to fix one's

thing.

on purpose.

ferre alicui, id.

consilio et

;

Defigere furta alicnjus in oculis populi, id. to expose them. DEFINIRE aliquid alicui, id. to shevt

In di-

arbitrium hostium, Plaut.

leave

Deficiorque prudens artis, ab arte mea, Ovid. DEFICERE oculos in rem aliquam,

id. to

DEDERE

I

ratione deficitur, Cic.

and con-

jugate.

tionem

to fail

ener-

DELINQUERE

aliquid 5C in aliqu re, In aliquam, Ovid, to fail, to do

wrong.

DEPELLERE

loco. CTS.

De

lo,co, Cic.

to drite a'cay.

Suspicionem a se, id. to remove. DEPERIRE aliquem, or aliquem a more, Plant. A more alicujus, Liv. to be passionately in love with.

Naves deperierunt, Cas. are lost. DEPLORAUE vitam, Cic. to deplore t

or

bewail.

De

suis miseriis, id. to lament.

DEPONERE

in

gremio,

Plin.

Cic.

In Ovid. S:ib ramis Virg. In silvas, Cees. to put terram, Colum. in, uponf or under something. Stratis,

Deponere

NEW METHOD.

208

Cic.

Dcponere aeJificationem, *si;te the

Dimicant

to lay

of a sick per-

id. to despair

Cic.

stake. in alicujus fide, Cic.

DEPRECARI aliquid ab altero, Cic. a^k him for a thing. Aliquem pro re

Alicui ne vapulet, Plaut. to aliqua. id. intercede for him.

Calamitatem abs

se, Cic. to avert

and

DEROGARE fidem alicujus, id. Sibi derogare,

to

id.

de

or

alicui,

fide

from

derogate

DESINERE artem,

quit a pro-

to

id.

fession.

DESISTERE a sententia, or de sententia, id. to cease, to desist.

DESPERARE salutem,

saluti, or

de sa-

Ab

lute, id. to despair of.

aliquo, id. to have no further expectation from him. De se, Plaut. Cic. to aban~ Sibi, C