Balance & Opposition
Isocolon
Using successive phrases or clauses with matching grammatical forms and approximately equal lengths. Their similar rhythm emphasizes the parallel between the ideas.
"Veni, vidi, vici." — Julius Caesar
Don't confuse it with Parallelism. All isocolon is parallelism, but parallelism only requires matching structure, not matching *length and rhythm*.
Examples
We mend the sails; we patch the hull.
Each clause has four words and the same subject–verb–object structure.
The rain washed the windows; the wind shook the shutters.
Both clauses have five words with the same grammatical arrangement.
Often used alongside this device
Explore devices that often appear in the same passages as isocolon.
Asyndeton 9 Anaphora 9 Antithesis 7 Paradox 5 Polyptoton 5 Parataxis 5 Passive Voice 4 Litotes 4
The rest of the family
Antithesis Parallelism Chiasmus Antimetabole Juxtaposition Oxymoron Paradox