The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

62 I.xxxvii.14–xxxvii.21 Isidore of Seville
As many as the birds that flock together, when the frigid
year chases them to sea.
Indeed, itisnotthewhole of year that is frigid, but only
part of the year, that is, winter. In the opposite way, the
whole is designated by the part, as (Vergil, Aen. 2.256):
When the royal helm had raised the torches,
when it is not merely the helm, but the ship, and not the
ship, but those in the ship, and not all of those in the
ship, but a single one who brings forth the torches.
14. Onomatopoeia (onomatopoeia) isawordfashioned
to imitate the sound of jumbled noise as the stridor
(“creaking”) of hinges, the hinnitus (“whinnying”)
of horses, the mugitus (“lowing”) of cows, the balatus
(“bleating”) of sheep. 15. Periphrasis (periphrasis) isa
circumlocution (circumloquium), when a single topic is
expressed with many words, as (Vergil, Aen. 1.387):
He plucks the vital airs.
Asingle meaning is expressed by this combination of
words, that is, “he lives.” This trope is twofold, for either
it splendidly brings forth the truth, or it avoids foulness
by indirection. It splendidly brings forth the truth in
(Vergil, Aen. 4.584 and 9.459):
Andnow, early Aurora was scattering new light on the
earth, leaving the saffron bed of Tithonus.
He means, “now it grew light,” or, “it was daybreak.”
It avoids foulness by indirection, as in (cf. Vergil, Aen.
8.405):
Andhesought what was pleasing, relaxed in his wife’s
embrace.
By this indirection he avoids obscenity, and decently
expresses the act of sexual intercourse.
16.Hyperbaton(hyperbaton)isatransposition(transcensio),
when a wordorsentenceischangedinitsorder.
There are five types of this: anastrophe, hysteronproteron,
parenthesis, tmesis, and synthesis. Anastrophe is
areversedorderofwordsaslitora circum (“the shores
around”; Vergil, Aen. 3.75), instead of circum litora. 17.
Hysteron proteron (hysteron proteron)isasentencewith
the order changed, as (Vergil, Aen. 3.662):
Then he touched the deep waves, and came to the water.
For hecame to the water first, and thus touched the
waves. 18. Parenthesis (parenthesis) occurs when we
interrupt our sentence, so that the sentence remains
entire when this interruption is removed from the middle,
as (Vergil Aen. 1.643):
Aeneas – for his paternal love could not permit his mind
to rest – quickly sends Achates to the ships.
[For this is the order: “Aeneas quickly sends Achates.”]
And that which intervenes is the parenthesis. 19.Tmesis
(tmesis)isadivisionofone word by the interposition of
other words, as (cf. Vergil, Aen. 1.412):
Multum nebulae circum dea fudit amictum
(The goddess surrounded (them) with a thick mantle of
mist),
instead of circumfudit. 20. Synthesis (synthesis) occurs
when words from every part of the thought are jumbled
up, as in this (cf. Vergil, Aen. 2.348):
Iuvenes, fortissima frustra
pectora, si vobis audendi extrema cupido est
certa sequi, quae sit rebus fortuna videtis.
Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis
dii, quibus inperium hoc steterat; succurritis urbi
incensae; moriamur et in media arma ruamus.
(Young men, in vain your stout hearts; if your desire for
daring the final battle is fixed on following me, you see
what the outcome of the matter will be. They have all left
the abandoned shrines and altars, the gods on whom
this empire was established; you are helping a burning
city; let us die and rush into the midst of the fray).
For the order is like this: “Young men with stout hearts,
in vain you would be helping a burning city, because
the gods have left. So if you firmly wish to follow me
as I attempt a final battle, let us rush into the midst of
the fray and die.” 21.Hyperbole (hyperbole)isaloftiness
that exceeds credibility, beyond what can be believed, as
(Vergil, Aen. 3.423):
She strikes the stars with a wave,
and (Vergil, Aen. 1.107):
It lays open the sea bottom between the waves.
In this way something is magnified beyond belief; yet it
does not stray from the path of expressing truth, even
though the words go beyond what is referred to, so that
the intention may seem to be of one speaking, not of one
deceiving. By this trope something may not only be magnified,
but also diminished. Magnified as in ‘faster than