Metonimia.
Metonimia, called of the Latines Transnominatio, and of some
Hypallage, it is a forme of speech, wherby the Orator putteth one
thing for another, which by nature are nigh knit together. This
change of name is used foure wayes. 1. The cause for the
effect. 2. The effect for the cause. 3. The subject for he
Adjunct. 4. The Adjunct for the subject.
Under the name of the cause are contained the efficient, the inventer,
the commander, the instrument.
1 The efficient: “The sword without,
pestilence and famine within.”
Ezec.7. By pestilence and famine is signified
death the effect of those causes. Another: “I have called for a
drought upon the earth.”
Agge.1. By drought is
understood hunger and famine caused by drought.
2. The inventer for the thing invented: as Mars for warre, Ceres for
fruit, Bacchus for wine, Vulcane for fire, Mercurie for eloquence, ye
author for his work thus, He learned his argumented of Aristotle, &
his eloquence of Tullie, he esseemed much of Livius, and tooke great
delight in Plato; signifying by these Authors their
workes. An example of the holy Scripture:
“They have Moses and the Prophets”
Luc.16.:
that is, their bookes and volumes.
3 The commander or governour for those which are under his
governement: Hannibal was slaine by Scipio. Here Hannibal is put for
his army which he led against the Romans, and Scipio for the Romans
who obtained the victorie.
4 The instruments for their effects. Examples: “The scepter
shall not depart from Juda.”
Gen.49. Another: The
unlikely have worne the crowne. Here scepter and crowne being
instruments of royal dignitie do signifie a kingdom. “He beareth not
ye sword for nought.”
Rom.13. Also: There shall
no sword go through your land. In the former example is understood
by sword, the authoritie of a Magistrate, in the later warre and
conquest.
An example of Job: “Let me be weighed in an even ballance.”
Job.31. Here ballance, and instrument of equitie, is
put for equity it self.
In like maner we use to put the chaine for bondage, the key for
office, the rod for correction, and the crosse for persecution.
Secondly, the effect is put for the cause: by this we say, Death is
pale, feare sad, anger hastie, wine bold. Here is signified, that
death maketh pale, and feare maketh sad, and likewise of the rest. An
example of holy scripture: I am the resurrection, Christ meaneth that
he is the cause of the resurrection. Another: “There are
two nations in thy wombe.”
Gen.25. Almightie
God speaking this to Rebecca, signifieth by two nations, the authors
or fathers of two nations, that is, Esau the father or author of the
Idumeans, and Jacob the father or author of the Israelites or Jewes.
Another: “Death is in the pot O man of
God,”
2.Reg.4. that is, a deadly thing, or a
thing which is the cause of death.
Another example of Job: Be not thou too extreme upon my sin. Here Job
by sinne signifieth him selfe, the efficient of his sinne.
By this place also, an instrument in respect of his regent may stand
as an effect, and signifie his agent. An example: “As thy
sword hath made many women childlesse, so shall thy mother be deprived
of thee.”
1.Sam.15. Here Samuel putteth the
sword for Agag the regent or agent of the sword.
Thirdly, the subject put for the Adjunct, the subject is that which
containeth, the Adjunct is that which is contained, and this
containing is sayd of diverse things diversly.
1 The possessor for the thing possessed. An example: “Juda
shall be inhabited for evermore.”
Amos.1.
Here Juda the sonne of Jacob is put for the land of Jewrie which was
promised to his posteritie, and by them possessed. Another: I pray
thee depart not from thy servant. Here Abraham understandeth his tent
under the naming of him selfe. By this place cities, lands, houses
and ships are often called by the names of their owners.
2 Time put for the things done in time. An example: I have considered
the dayes of old, and the yeares that are past. By dayes and yeares,
the Prophet signifieth the peace and prosperity which sometime he
enjoyed. By this place it is said, that the dayes thought is the
nights dreame, that the mornings view correcteth the evenings worke.
In these two examples the day and the night, the morning and evening
do signifie the actions and accidents in them. Hence it is, that
times being put for the accidents in them, are either commended or
dispraised, as when we say, O blessed time, O happy age, or as the
Poet saith, My happie dayes be past, my joyfull yeares be gone. In
dispraise thus, O wicked world, O malicious age.
3 Place put for the things it containeth. An example: “I
call heaven and earth to record.”
Deu.30.
Here Moses by heaven and earth
understandeth the creatures of heaven and earth, which he caleth to
witnesse with him.
Another, Italie can not be overcome by warre, nor Greece by
learning, meaning the people in those
countreys.
They invade the citie opprest with sleepe. By the city is meant
the Troyans being in their dead sleepe
and midnight.
An example of the holy Scripture, O Jerulalem, Jerusalem, thou which
killest the Prophets. By Jerusalem Christ signifieth the Rulers and
the people of that citie.
Another: “He made him ruler of his
house,”
Gen.39.4. that is, of all his
servants treasures, and goods within his house.
4 The container for the thing contained: Is not the cup of
blessing, which we blesse the communion
of the blood of Christ? In this example ye Apostle putteth the cup
for the contents of the cup. Another: “There shall be one
fold, and one shepherd,”
Joh.70. that is, one
company or flocke.
Sometime the Metonimia of place signifieth the actions in lace. An
example: “For thy temples sake which is at Jerusalem, kings
shall bring presents to thee.”
Psal.68 Here
by the Temple is understood the holy exercises and divine worship used
in the Temple.
In the same sense men use to say, The hall is done, meaning the
actions in the Courts of judgement.
4 The Adjunct for the subject. An example: Righteousnesse hath looked
downe from heaven, meaning God in whom righteousnesse resteth.
Another: “There is no truth, no mercie, no knowledge of God in this
land.”
Ose.4.1. By these Adjuncts the prophet signifieth that there are none,
or at least very fewe, in whome these vertues may be found.
Another: Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifteen yeares.
Here the flood being an Adjunk, signifieth time the subject.
The use of this figure.
The use of this figure is very great and very pleasant, it
yieldeth great varietie of speech, and
serveth aptly to brevity, it
is of
large and ample capactitie to containe matters of great signification,
and of many figures there
are none more pleasant or
more significant then this.
The Caution.
As there are many particular places of this figure: so there may be
many faults committed, & therefore especial regard ought to be had
that they may be avoyded.
The
most generall fault of all, is, when the Metonimie is not taken from
the common use, and knowne custome of the word. As for example, if
you should put Neptune for the skill of riding, who is reported to be
the inventer of that art, you should make the Metonimie faultie,
your speech obscure, if not absurd.
Therfore every inventer
3.Everie inventor, or cause,
may not be put for their effects, & c. |
may not be put for the
thing invented, nor every cause for the effect, nor every subject for
the Adjunct, but such as are in knowne use, and may aptly be put for
the things which they signifie.
