Latin Prose: Clodia

When you had married from a noble family into a very famous household, why then were you so intimiate with Caelius? For he was neither a relative nor friend of your husband. What then was it but some recklessness and lust? Indeed the accusers allege lusts, parties, concerts, love affairs, adultery, Baiae and pleasure boats. They declare that they had said nothing against your will. These accusations, which you madly wanted to be brought into the forum and the law court, you must either disprove or acknowledge that nothing should be believed in either your accusations or your evidence. 

You caught sight of a young neightbour, his beauty and his height. His expression and eyes swept you off your feet. You wanted to see him more often. You were always in the same gardens. You a noble woman wanted him the son of a miserly and stingy father. You can't. He kicks back, spits you out, and does not think that your gifts are worth it. Take yourself off somewhere else. You bought gardens near the Tiber, in the very place where all young men come to bathe. You make pick up proposals from here every day. So why are you so troublesome to this young man who rejects you?

R.A.L.E.H.  D.A.S.R.E.V.D.

Good Lawyer Skills:

1. Relentlessly attacking opponent.
-repetition on 'you'
-target

2. 'amores adultia', 'videre voluisti'
-alliteration
-highlights specific words/phrases

3. Rhetorical questions
-'quid igitur..libido?'

4.'you', 'in', 'neque'

5. 'spits you out' - choice of diction is derogitory 

6. 'lusts..pleasure boats'
-extended lists

7.'eo loquo'-assonance

8.'His face...height..'-balance phrases

9.'you cant' varied sentence length, bluntly humiliating Clodia

10. double negatives= strong positive
-'non numquam'

11.'molesta es?-
-emphatic positioning, rhetoric leaving impression that she is wavering in her attempts to seduce

 12.'emisti'- suggersts promiscuity

13,'vis'- present tense suggests she still continues to like him.

Fill in the gaps:

When you had ______ into a very _______, why then was ______ so intimate with you? For he was neither ___________ nor ___________ of your _________. What then was it but some __________ and _____? Indeed the accusers allege lusts, love _____, _____, Baiae, ____, concerts and _______ boats. They declare that they said nothing ________. These accusations, which you _____ wanted to be brought into the ________ and the __________, you must either ________ or ________ that nothing is to be believed in either your ________ or your __________. 

You caught sight of a __________. His ______ and _______ his expression and eyes swept _________. You wanted to see him _______________. You were always in the same ______. You, a _______, want him, the son of a miserly and ___________, to be tied down by your _________. You can't. He _______, spits you out and does not think that your gifts are worth it. Take yourself off ____________. You bought gardens near the ______. The very place where all the young men come to ________. You may pick up _____ from here every day. So why are you so ___________ to this ______ man who _______ you?