Whether you know it or not, you have been exposed to the device known as sententia your entire life."A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". "You do not need a title to be a leader". "One good turn deserves another". "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". Etc. etc. A good definition would be a brief witty statement, that contains a particular piece of wisdom which is used to sum up the previous arguments or statements. For that goal, it can be very effective. Because so many sayings and witticisms have been passed down in our society, it lets you use one of them and be fairly certain that your audience will know the saying, or at least understand what it means. That said, the sententia must not be too obscure, or you risk not getting your point across, and alienating your audience. Another caveat of using this device is over use, or relying too heavily on it. This must be taken into account with every device, but you must be particular with this one. If you have too little information before the saying then it is just making the argument for you. The same with overuse. If what you are writing is filled with references, then people are going to get distracted and it will destroy whatever you are trying to say. The best time to use it is when you already have a strong argument, and you know or can find a saying that sums it up nicely. If you can do this right, then sententia can be a powerful tool for completing, tying together, and enhancing your argument. "A quotation in a speech, article or book is like a rifle in the hands of an infantryman. It speaks with authority."
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