Virgil’s the Aeneid style notes

Antiqua (ancient)

Word choice showing Carthage’s power and wisdom as it was so old even to the Romans

Fuit (was)

Perfect tense showing that Carthage has already been destroyed (which the contemporary Roman audience would have already known), creating irony as the ancient, important city has already been destroyed

Longe (far)

Emphatic placement - the adjective is placed at the end of the sentence which is unusual, emphasising how distant and isolated Carthage is from Rome

Dives opum studiisque asperrima (rich in resources and very fierce in activities)

Chiasmus - A=adjectives, B=nouns, used to draw attention to the qualities of Carthage

Quam […] unam (which […] alone)

Enclosing word order, drawing attention to the fact that Juno loves Carthage most by framing the line

Terris […] omnibus (land […] all other)

Enclosing word order within another using a Chiasmus pattern, emphasising that Juno prefers Carthage above all other lands

Samo (Samos)

Emphatic placement at the end of the sentence, showing that Juno has forgotten about her homeland because it is less important than Carthage

Hic (this)

Tricolon to emphasise Juno’s hopes for Carthage and giving reasons why she likes the city

Arma, […] fuit; (weapons, […] was;)

Asyndeton speeding up the pace, adding to the sense that Juno loves Carthage by making it seem like a neverending list as it is unclear when the list will end

Que (and)

Polysyndeton contrasting with the earlier asyndeton to emphasise the number of Juno’s hopes for Carthage

Si qua fata sinant (if the fates would allow it)

Irony from Virgil as, to the contemporary audience and at the time of writing, Rome has already been founded and destroyed Carthage, which is entertaining for the audience

Tenditque fovetque (aimed and cherished)

Word choice of soft and gentle words to highlight Juno’s high hopes and irony as Rome has already fulfilled Juno’s hopes for Carthage and destroyed the city and become the most powerful city - it is propaganda for Rome, praising its achievements

Progeniem (Offspring)

Emphatic placement at the start of the sentence to highlight the offspring’s importance as the founders of Rome

Tyrias […] arces (Tyrian citadels)

Enclosing word order, separated to emphasise the effects of the destroying of Carthage as physically having separated the citadels

Late regem (ruling far and wide), belloque superbum (and arrogant in war), excidio Libyae (destroy Libya)

Tripling to praise Rome, despite Virgil not mentioning the name Rome, the Roman audience would know it. It is propaganda for Rome to highlight and encourage patriotism

Parcas (fates)

Variation by using two different names for the fates to add linguistic variety and keep the poem interesting, it also emphasises that Rome is fated to exist, so will do so