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3013. Antithesis (ἀντίθεσις opposition) is the contrast of ideas expressed by words which are the opposite of, or are closely contrasted with, each other. Cp. “Wit is negative, analytical, destructive; Humor is creative:” Whipple.

δι᾽ ὧν ἐκ χρηστῶν φαῦλα τὰ πρά_γματα τῆς πόλεως γέγονε, διὰ τούτων ἐλπίζετε τῶν αὐτῶν πρά_ξεων ἐκ φαύλων αὐτὰ χρηστὰ γενήσεσθαι; do you expect that the affairs of state will become prosperous instead of bad by the same measures by which they have become bad instead of prosperous? D. 2.26.

a. Antithesis is sometimes extended to a parallelism in sense effected (1) by the use of two words of opposite meaning in the expression of one idea, (2) by the opposition of ideas which are not specifically contrasted in words.

American Book Company, 1920.

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