Which three lines in the poem are examples of alliteration? Song: To Celia by Ben Jonson Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I’ll not look for wine. The thirst that from the soul doth rise Doth ask a drink divine; But might I of Jove’s nectar sup, I would not change for thine. I sent thee late a rosy wreath, Not so much honouring thee As giving it a hope, that there It could not withered be. But thou thereon didst only breathe, And sent’st it back to me; Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Answers
The words ‘kiss’ and ‘cup’ in the line “Or leave a kiss but in the cup,”
The words ‘drink’ and ‘divine’ in the line “Doth ask a drink divine;”
The words ‘rosy’ and ‘wreath’ in the line “I sent thee late a rosy wreath,”
The words ‘thou’ and ‘thereon’ in the line “But thou thereon didst only breathe,”
and
The words ‘smell’ and ‘swear’ in the line “Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,” are the examples of alliteration in the poem.
An Alliteration is a literary device in which words with the same consonant sound or syllable occur. It gives a poem a different and a unique rhythm.
Alliteration is a literary device which is used by the writer to emphasize something that he/she wants to express. To spot an alliteration, it begins with the same consonant sound.
Alliteration in the above excerpts are:
‘Kiss’ and ‘cup’ in the line “Or leave a kiss but in the cup,”
‘Drink’ and ‘divine’ in the line “Doth ask a drink divine;”
‘Rosy’ and ‘wreath’ in the line “I sent thee late a rosy wreath,”