15. Study Questions Copy
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1. What effect does the repetition of the word nemo give in the following passage:
cum illo iam nemo rationem, nemo rem ullam contrahebat: nemo illum ex tam multis cognatis et affinibus tutorem umquam liberis suis scripsit: nemo illum aditu, nemo congressione, nemo sermone, nemo convivio dignum iudicabat.
2. What word does he use in the rest of this passage to offer a contrast:
omnes aspernabantur, omnes abhorrebant, omnes, ut aliquam immanem ac perniciosam bestiam pestemque fugiebant. Why does he want to make this contrast?
3. In this passage, how does Cicero emphasise Oppianicus’ wickedness?
4. What two choices did Cluentius have, given the situation?
Answers
The repetition of ‘no one’ emphasises how Oppianicus’ behaviour and character had left him isolated from all levels of social interaction.
He changes to using omnes to show how united other people were in their feelings of revulsion towards him.
He uses the adverb tam ‘so much’ as anaphora, and then puts three adjectives as a tricolon crescens, culminating in the word ‘guilty’.
To pursue justice or to die an undignified death.
