The Student Room Group

Germanicus And Piso

Does anybody know what Cicero's technique of 'variatio' is and what effect it creates?
Reply 1
Didn't Tacitus write Germanics and Piso?
So confused now :L
Reply 2
yh i mean Tacitus sorry. Do you know what it is and what effect it creates?
Reply 3
I've heard of it but I'm not sure, presumably it just adds emphasis and interest to the phrase, draws attention to it (don't know just using the stock explanations here)
I'd also like to know exactly what variatio is, an example of it, and its effect :s
Reply 4
in fact I'm just reading some notes and I think I now get what it is
In G+P, lines 5-6
it's how the reader expects a pattern to be created but the writer deliberately varies it to add emphasis
such as how Tactitus uses 'in' twice, but for the third time, when he could have used in again, he uses 'per'

the other example I've found in these notes is how two abstract nouns - desidiam and licentiam - are followed by the personal object 'milites'

It says here that the reader 'expect that all three prepositions will be the same'

I think it makes sense to me, I'm reading some notes a friend shared.

hth :smile:
Reply 5
so how would you say it is effective in a sentence?
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by raj007007007
so how would you say it is effective in a sentence?


well, I suppose we as readers (apparently :L) are meant to expect another similar word - for example 'in' for a third time' but the sue of per instead, although it means the same, just spices it up a little.
So I'd imagine it's effective in drawing our interest and emphasising perhaps how Tacitus feels about Piso's actions
:smile:
Reply 7
Thanks :biggrin:
Reply 8
Original post by raj007007007
Thanks :biggrin:


no problem, that's actually helped me to be bothered to try and make sense of these notes, so thank you! :biggrin: :L
Reply 9
Could someone post up notes of G and P? Or even some questions. what do you think the overarching question will be on?
Reply 10
got some notes on G+P I received as an email attachment, not sure how to put them up though?
Reply 11
copy and paste them in a private message? and btw do you know what a chiasmus is lol?
Reply 12
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1681526

that's about verb order ^^

I think a chiasmus is where AB,BA i formed, of verbs and adverbs, but I'm not too sure sorry
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 13
does anyone know where there are any practice papers for the stylistic questions because i wasnt given any and i dont really have a clue what they are about :/ thanx :smile:

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