Today's Quintilian: 8.6.27

Sorry I've missed the last few days. We don't have internet set up yet at our new apartment and things have been a little hectic. Apologies aside...back to Quintilian!

XXVII. Illud quoque et poetis et oratoribus frequens, quo id quod efficit ex eo quod efficitur ostendimus. Nam et carminum auctores "pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas", et pallentesque habitant morbi tristisque senectus", et orator "praecipitem iram", "hilarem adulescentiam", "segne otium" dicet.

27. That kind of metonymy, too, by which we signify the cause from the effect is very common both among poets and orators. Thus the poets have,

Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas,

Pale death, with equal foot, knocks at the gate
Of poor man's cottage, etc.
and,

Pallentesque habitant morbi, tristisque senectus,

And pale diseases dwell, and sad old age;
and an orator will speak of "rash anger," "cheerful youth," and "slothful inactivity."