“Tenui rima”
Symbolises the breakdown of the two families, which for good or bad, is pursed by the naive love of Pyramus and Thisbe.
“Id vitium”
Ironic word choice which emphasises the lack of interaction between the two families.
“Voces fecistic iter”
Sibiliance of “s” emphasises the whispers between P+TH , with the “s” making a whispered sound to highlight how they use the wall to communicate.
“murmure minimo”
Alliteration of “m” and “n” helps illustrate the whispering between Pyramus and Thisbe at this point, suggests the softness in their speech.
“Hinc Thisbe, Pyramus illinc”
Chiasmus - the chiasmic arrangement of words with “hinc” and “illinc” showing that they are on opposite sides of the wall.
“Invide..obstas”
Personification of the wall - shows how the wall was initially a means of communication but is now a barrier keeping them away from each other.
“Quantrum erat”
Further personification of the wall - they now claim that it wouldn’t be a lot for the wall to let them be together.
“Ned sumus…aures”
Contrasts “quantum erat” with P+TH now thanking the wall for giving them a way of talking to each other.
“Diversa nequiquam sede”
The word “nequiquam” separates the adjective and the noun just as P+TH are separated by the wall.
“Solque siccaverat pruniosas herbas”
“And the sun had dried the frosty grass”- personification of the sun to highlight the transition of night to day.
“murmure parvo multa questi”
“complaining of their many misfortunes in quiet murmurs”- alliteration of “m” emphasises the sound of the lovers whispering to each other through the wall, complaining about not being able to seeing each other but continues their conversations.
“Fallere custodes”
“To cheat their guards” - a common theme especially in Roman lobe elegy.
The Parts of Their Plan to See Each Other
- “fallere custodes” - to cheat their guards (Thisbe)
- “Cumque domi exierint” - when they left their homes
- “Urbis quoque tecta relinquant” - they would also leave behind the buildings of the city.
- “conveniant ad busta Nini” - they would meet at the tomb of Ninus
- “Lateantque sub umbra arboris” - and lie hidden in the shade of a tree
“Niveis pomis”
“Snow White fruit” - shows the purity of the fruit on the tree
“Pacta placent”
“They were delighted with their Plan” - alliteration of “p” is a Laconic alliterative phrase, Laconci meaning use of few words, which emphasises their excitement of having an opportunity to finally meet each other.
“Tarde discerdere visa”
“Which seemed slow to disappear” - shows how time is passing slowly for P+TH, highlights how eager they are to see each other.
“Callida”
“Cunning” - has a double meaning of “cunning” and being clever, as she has been “cunning” in deceiving her family but also smart at the same time for being able to get this far in the plan. Also Thisbe having a face covering was a common way of women outside of the house at that time.
“Pervenit ad tumulum”
“Reached the tomb” - shows Thisbe’s eagerness to to see her lover by reaching the time first, “pervenit” at the start of the line emphasises this more.
“Ecce”
“Look” - (word choice) having “ecce” at the end of a line creates a sense of surprise and drama with the introduction of the lioness.
“Spumantis oblita rictus”
“With her jaws splattered with the gore” - shows the lioness in a violent way. Just as the wall was a barrier from the lovers initially now the lioness has become the new barrier separating the lovers.
“ demisit in illa ferrum”
“He thrust the sword into his chest” - SIMILE - Pyramus has impaled himself with his sword and is laying on the ground with his blood spurting out of his body. The simile emphasises the amount of blood Pyramus is losing, with blood “cruor emicat alte” meaning “shooting up into the air”, which creates a dramatic effect, comparing it to a broken water pipe spirting water out of its cracks.
“Scinditur…striente”
“Is torn out and shoot out and a long stream of water through a narrow hissing crack” - Sibilance emphasises the flowing water sound created by his blood escaping his body and spreading out over a wide area which adds to the dramatic imagery of this scene.
“emicat..eiaculatur…rumpit…ictibus…madefecta”
“Shot up…shoots out…bursts…spurts…drenched” - All these verbs are examples of HISTORIC PRESENT verbs that emphasis the immediacy of Pyramus’ action to kill himself, all different words used to describe the blood/water coming from Pyramus/water pipe.
“Arborei…adspergine…atram”
“The fruits on the tree, splattered by the gore, were given a dark appearance” - alliteration of “a” emphasises the change in colour of the fruit from a “snow-white” before to a “dark appearance” now, highlighting Pyramus’ effect on nature.
