Pyramus and Thisbe: Wall

At the beginning of the story the two lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe cannot see each other because there is a wall built between their two houses. Ovid shares with the readers that Semiramis placed baked brick walls around the city. The two lovers talk to the wall in line 73, "Invide, paries, quid amantibus obstas" Which translates into "Jealous was, why do you oppose lovers? Right now the two lovers are taking out their frustration on the wall that the wall is in the way of them kissing. But the lovers are not ungrateful for the wall. If there wasn't a crack in the wall to start with they would never of know what was on the other side of the wall. This is personification when the wall is being talked too. The story goes on saying how their parents forbid they two lovers to get married. I really think that the wall is the lovers parents forbidding the lover to kiss.

Figures of Speech in Pyramus and Thisbe

Figure of Speech
Three examples of figure of speech in line 55-77 of Pyramus and Thisbe

1.Chiasmus

• the arrangement of words or phrases in an oppositional ABBA order, often to emphasize some contrast or to create a word picture.

In line 64 "magis (A) tegitur (B), tectus (B) magis (A). This translated as, the more covered, the fire burns more. The more is A and the covered and fire burns is B.

2.Rhetorical Question

• To ask a question but isn't meant to be answers. This is to get your mind thinking.

In line 68 "quid non sentit amor?" Asking "What does love not notice?" Ovid asked this to his audience, like a side question, and then continues to tell his story. The audience can't answer this but it will spark ideas and thoughts in their mind's about what is going on through this part of the story. This is asked to connect the audience or reader to the story about these two lovers.

3.Personification

• giving human traits to nonliving objects

In line 77 "transitus aures" Meaning "friendly ear" Ears cannot be friendly. So I think this is personification because friendly is a human trait. Yes ears are living objects, but I think the definition is more addressing a living object as a whole human or a whole animal not a part of it.

Catullus 75

We have now seen Catullus's relationship with Lesbia go full circle. We started off seeing Catullus in love with Lesbia from a far and Lesbia talking bad about Catullus with her husband. Next we saw Catullus and Lesbia relationship blossom into a relationship or so what Catullus thought. Now we are see Catullus and Lesbia's relationship end due to Lesbia cheating on Catullus with someone else. In Catullus 75 you can see how hurt Catullus is. He said "I am not able to respect you even if you would become the best possible person I still don't respect you nor would I be able to stop loving you even if you were to do all." You can see how serious Catullus is in this poem. Also how much he was in love with Lesbia and how hurt he is. This poem had no Catullus sarcasm, only his hurt and passionate love he once had for Lesbia. Catullus says how Lesbia destroyed his mind. I think you could even say she was messing with his head. Maybe it was all a game, like the movie, How To Loose A Guy In Ten Days. I think once your a cheater you are always a cheater. Lesbia cheats on her husband with Catullus and now she cheats with someone else. This poem is just like 72. This is the poem when we find out Lesbia is cheating and how Catullus is handling it.

Catullus 8

Once the sun glittered at sun-set.
I fell head over heels when we met.
I wont chase her anymore.
I'll live happy and sore
Tonight my eyes wont be wet.