Ovid love sex poem Flashcards
(17 cards)
1
Q
adposui medio membra levanda toro (2)
A
- ‘to rest my limbs upon a bed I lay’
- Alliteration: Repitition of the ‘m’ sound in medio membra. The soft ‘m’ sounds convey relaxation and the soothing environment of a midday rest.
2
Q
pars adaperta fuit, pars altera clausa fenestrae (3)
A
- ‘one shutter closed, the other open stood’
- Chiasmus: Forms an ABBA pattern with ‘pars adaperta…pars altera clause.’ This mirrored structure emphasises the balance between light and shadow, creating an intimate setting.
3
Q
quale fere silvae lumen habere solent (4)
A
- ‘which gave such light as lies within wood’
- Simile: Comparing the room’s light to that of a forrest. Evokes a dappled, gentle light, enhancing the sensual and serene atmosphere.
4
Q
qualia sublucent fugiente crepuscula Phoebo (5)
A
- ‘like twilight shade at setting of the sun’
- Allusion: Reference to Phoebus, another name for Apollo, the sun god. Adds a mytholigcal layer, enriching the imagery and connecting the scene to broader themes of beauty and transition.
5
Q
aut ubi nox abiit, nec tamen orta dies (6)
A
- ‘Or when night’s gone and yet day not begun’
- Juxtaposition: Placing ‘nox’ and ‘dies’ side by side highlights the transitional time, enhancing the dreamlike and intimate mood.
6
Q
illa verencundis luc est praebenda puellis (7)
A
- ‘such light for bashful girls one should provide’
- Transferred Epithet: ‘verecundis’ (shy) describes the girls but could also describe the light. Suggests that the light itself is modest, reinforcing the delicate and private setting.
7
Q
qua timidus latebras speret habere pudor (8)
A
- ‘In which their shyness may have hope to hide’
- Personification: ‘Pudor’ (shyness) is given the human ability to hope. Emphasising the intimate atmosphere where even modesty seeks refuge, enhancing the poem’s sensuality.
8
Q
ecce, corinna venit, tunic velata recincta (9)
A
- ‘in came Corinna in a lose gown’
- Enjambment: The sentence continues into the next line, mirroring the sudden and flowing entrance of Corinna, adding to the poem’s dynamism.
9
Q
candida dividua colla tegente coma (10)
A
- ‘her white neck hid with tresses hanging down’
- Alliteration: Repitition of the sound ‘c.’ The soft ‘s’ enhances the sensual depiction of Corinna’s appearance.
10
Q
deripui tunicam; nec multum rara nocebat (11)
A
- ‘I snatched her gown; being thin the harm was small’
- Assonance: Repitition of the ‘r’ sound emphasises the swift and eager action of removing the tunic, highligting the intensity of the movement.
11
Q
pugnabat tunica sed tamen illa tegi (12)
A
- ‘yet strove she to be covered there withal’
- Juxtaposition: The contrast between ‘pugnabat’ (struggled) and tegi (to be covered). Emphasising the sensual tension of the scene.
12
Q
cumque ita pugnaret, tumquam quae vincere nollet (13)
A
- ‘and striving thus as one wished to fail’
- Simile: Compares her resistance to a mock battle, suggesting playful reluctance.
13
Q
victa est non aegre proditione sua (14)
A
- ‘was simply beaten by her self-betrayal’
- Irony: Her own betrayal suggests that her resistance was intentionally ineffective.
14
Q
ut stetit ante oculos posito velamine nostros (15)
A
- ‘stark naked as she stood before mine’
- Enjambment: The sentence continues from the previous line. The flow mirrors the unveiling, creating a seamless transition, and enhances the intimacy of the moment.
15
Q
in toto numquam corpore menda fuit (16)
A
- ‘no blemish on her body could I spy’
- Hyperbole: Exaggeration of perfection, asserting her beauty is flawless. Conveys the speaker’s admiration and the idealisation of Corinna.
16
Q
quas humeros, quales vidi tetigique lacertos! (17)
A
- ‘what arms and shoulders did I touch and see’
- Tricolon: A series of three elements of seeing, touching, and describing. Emphasises the sensory experience, drawing the reader to the visual appreciation of Corinna’s form.
17
Q
forma papillarum quam fuit apta premi! (18)
A
- ‘how apt her bosom to be pressed by me’
- Alliteration: Repitition of the ‘p’ sound mimics the gentle pressure describes. Enhances the sensuality and rhythm of the line.
