Alliteration as a rhythmic element of cohesion, reinforcement, resemantization and selection in Prudentius' Psychomachia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyse the use of alliteration in Prudentius' Psychomachia; specifically, four functions of the device, taking into consideration how little research has been done regarding the work and author studied. These four functions have been called i) cohesive: alliteration serves to unite hemistichs or successive lines; ii) reinforcement: it underlines the semantic and syntactic links between of the initially homophonic terms; iii) resemantization: it confers a new meaning on one of the words affected by the figure; iv) selective: it justifies the presence of a certain word or construction in place of another of analogous value. We will enrich our study with verses taken from Virgil's Aeneid and the Prudentian Hymns.