Chiasmus - AP Latin

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Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, 5
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, 10
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.

What literary device is present in the underlined selection?

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Answer

In the phrase "rumoresque senum severiorum omnes,"we see that the cases of the words are in the order accusative plural, genitive plura, genitive plural, accusative plural. This A-B-B-A structure is typical of chiasmus_._

Passage adapted from "Catullus 5" by Catullus.

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