How does Cicero build up Pompey's achievement and abilities during the pirate campaign?

First, Cicero uses a climactic tricolon to build up Pompey’s achievements and abilities during the pirate campaign, ‘inde cum se in Italiam recepisset, duabus Hispaniis et Gallia Transalpina praesidiis ac navibus confirmata, missis item in oram Illyrici maris et in Achaiam omnemque Graeciam navibus, Italiae duo maria maximis classibus firmissimisque praesidiis adornavit’. By using a list, Cicero makes it appear as if Pompey’s abilities are endless and by making it climactic it makes his abilities seem more dramatic and important. Cicero also repeats the word ‘Italy’, ‘se in Italiam…navibus Italiae’. This repetition increases patriotism within the listeners and reminds them that Pompey did all these things for Italy. This increased patriotism will emphasise Pompey’s achievements.Next, when describing the fleets and garrisons, Cicero uses superlatives, ‘maximis’ and ‘firmissimis’. These superlatives emphasise the scale of the mission and of what Pompey has achieved. This is also combined with sibilance with the words ‘classibus’ and ‘praesidiis’, this draws attention to these four words and therefore to the abilities of Pompey.Finally, there is contrast between the words ‘omnes’ and ‘unius huius’, meaning ‘all the pirates’ and ‘this one man’. This contrast draws attention to these two words and suggests that despite Pompey being alone, he was able to take down all of the pirates. This emphasises Pompey’s abilities in the pirate campaign.

Answered by Ben O. Latin tutor

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