| Lucan's Style (2412 words) |
 | In Lucan's case, at least, this aspect cannot be said to stem merely from the profound rhetorical influence of the period: since the universe he describes is marked by rupture and fragmentation, the kinds of narrative discontinuities he employs are appropriate to the subject matter. |
| Thus, Lucan tends to reject the prevailing trend in epic towards an elevated vocabulary, generally preferring to limit himself to a more prosaic terminology in order to remove "epic distance." He is less concerned to embellish his material than present it in a dry, sardonic light. |
| Lucan's extensive use of sententiae is, no doubt, a direct result of his own rhetorical training, but reflects as well the pervasive influence of rhetoric and declamation on the literature of the period. |
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