Ellipsis MarshLatin.wordpress.com
Ellipsis is the omission of a word or of several words in a sentence
When the omitted word or words may be found in some other part of the sentence the ellipsis is termed lax or loose. The ellipsis is termed strict when the omitted word does not occur in any part of the sentence. In this example:
Sic canibus catulos similes sic matribus hscdos
Noram sic parvis componere magna solebam
The following words have been omitted, and are examples of ellipsis:
esse after catulos suis before matribus ego before noram negotia after magna ego before solebavi
If all the words which are omitted by the strict and lax ellipsis in the preceding lines were supplied they would be written thus
Sic ego noram catulos esse similes canibus sic suis matribus heedos esse similes
Ego noram sic parvis negotiis componere magna negotia ego solebam
Every word that may be omitted in English by the figure ellipsis without injuring the sense may most commonly be omitted also in Latin subject. Look at this example:
Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto
Atque huic responsum paucis ita reddidit heros
The nouns homo verbum and res or negotium are omitted as are
rari for rari homines paucis for paucis verbis
A pronoun that is not peculiarly emphatic is generally omitted when it is the nominative to a verb and sometimes when it is the case following a verb especially before the relative qui the pronouns possessive also are often omitted as
Vel tu quod superest infesto fulmine morti
Si mereor demitte tuaque hie obrue dextra
At simul heroum laudes et facta parentis
Jam legere et quae sit poteris cognoscere virtus
The verb sum is frequently omitted as
Fama malum quo non aliud velocius ullum
Mobilitate viget viresque acquirit eundo
Conjunctions are sometimes omitted as
Ferte citi flammas date vela impellite remos
The omission of conjunctions is termed asyndeton and the repetition of them when the sense does not require it polysyndeton. These figures are often introduced into a sentence solely for the sake of giving to the style a greater variety yet they have sometimes a striking and expressive effect. Asyndeton has been used to represent more forcibly the rapidity of an action or the eagerness of a speaker. Polysyndeton, by retarding the course of a sentence and thus presenting every part of it more distinctly to the mind, has sometimes been rendered expressive of dignity slowness and solemnity
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