Greek Essay Rubric

Inventio (____/50%)

1. Definitio
a. Species
b. Genus

2. Comparatio

a. Similitudo
b. Differentia
c. Gradus (Plus et Minus)

3. Relatio

a. Causa
b. Antecedens
c. Contraria
d. Contradictiones

4. Circumstantia
a. Possibilia
i. Contrariorum Par: If one member of a pair of contraries is possible, so too is the other.
ii. Difficilior: If the harder thing is possible, so too is the easier
iii. Similium Par: If a similar thing is possible, so too is the thing to which it is similar
iv. Principium et Fines: If the beginning is possible, so too is the end and vice-versa
v. Partes et Tota Res: If the parts of a thing a possible, so is the whole and vice-versa
vi. Sine arte etiam cum arte: If something can be done without art, then it can be so done
with art

b. Past and Future Fact

Dispositio: Partes Orationis (___/30%)

1. Prooemium

a. Has fines perficit

i. BAD: Renders one benevolent, attentive, and docile
ii. Totam rem illustrat: Shows the whole subject to be treated

2. Narratio

a. Has fines perficit

i. Reddit te credibilem: A probable and simple account of the events makes one more
reliable
ii. Producit imaginem in auditorum mentibus: Use of tropes and figures creates an image in
the minds of the hearers, thereby rendering them spectators
 3. Partitio

4. Confirmatio/Refutatio

5. Peroratio

a. Has fines perficit

i. Rem recapitulit: It rearticulates the whole thesis in its parts

ii. Auget rationes tuas et diminuit inimicī rationes: It augments the force of one’s reasons
and diminishes those of one’s opponent(s).
iii. Passiones producit: It produces the relevant passions

Stylus (____/20%)

Schemata

1. Parallismus: Repeats two schemes/figures, e.g. The Lord gives and the Lord takes.
2. Antithesis: Inverts to schemes/figures. A sympathetic antipathy and an apathetic sympathy.
3. Anastrophe: An inversion of regular word-order, e.g. of the powers judicial.
4. Parenthesis: An aside, e.g. I have walked several miles—mostly in the rain—but I am here now.
5. Appositio: Using one word or phrase to explicate another of equal grammatical quantity, e.g. Paul, an
apostle of God, sends greetings.
6. Ellipsis: Omission of a word or phrase that is nonetheless understood, e.g. I saw him, and he me.
7. Asyndeton: Removal of unneccesary conjunctions, e.g. I saw a fish, horse, goat, leopard, and mule.
8. Polysyndeton: Adding unneccesary conjunctions, e.g. I saw a fish, a horse, a goat, a leopard, and a mule.
9. Alliteratio: Using words of the same first vowel or consonant. I fish flys fastitiously forward from the
forest.
10. Assonantia: Using words with the same vowel sounds, e.g. A great snake breaks the snowflake.
11. Anaphora: Returning to the first part of sentence. The Lord sits. The Lord watches. The Lord waits.
12. Epistrophe: Returning to the last part of sentence. I think on my bond. I will have my bond. I must consider
my bond.
13. Epanalepsis: Using the beginning and the end in parallel. The lord sits in watch, in watch sits the Lord.
14. Anadiplosis: Using the last part of a clause in the first part of a subsequent one. Anger begets strife, strife
begets blood.
15. Climax: An increasing of importance. The boy, the man, the kind, the Lord.
16. Antimetabole: ABBA Word Structure. The best is this man, this man is the best.
17. Chiasmus: ABBA Phrase Structure. The Lord of the waters sits in Judgement. In Mercy dwells the King of
Praise.
18. Polyptoton: Using words derived from the same stem. Imperator imperat imperatīs imperiō.

Tropī

1. Similitudo: Simile with Like or As

2. Metaphora: Comparison without like or as
3. Synechdoche: Using a part for the whole
4. Antanaclasis: A pun that repeats the word twice.
5. Paronomasia: A pun via homophones.
6. Syllepsis: A non-repeating pun.
7. Anthimeria: Using a word as a different part of speech. I’ll unhair thy head.
8. Periphrasis: Similar to appositive
9. Prosopopoeia: Endowing an inanimate thing with personal qualities
10. Hyperbole: Exageration
11. Litotes: Double negative. Not untrained.
12. Erotema: A hypothetical or rhetorical question. The answer is already known.
13. Ironia: Saying the opposite of the intended meaning.
14. Onomatopoeia: Using words that sound like their meaning.
15. Oxymora/Paradoxa: Combination or Juxtaposition of opposing things, e.g. jumbo shrimp