The image above is a word cloud created specifically for this passage, it has been modified from its original form by adding in the following words: Thiasus, ludi, spectacula (Thiasus, games, spectacles). The word clouds below represent those created using only the selected passage from the Metamorphoses. For the purposes of this exercise, the most frequently used Latin words such as 'et' and 'cum' have been excluded (selected by the Wordle creation tool) in order to generate a cloud which places more emphasis on the nouns, verbs, and adjectives used. Those words seen in larger font represent those words more frequently used in the Latin text and those in smaller font correspond with lesser used words. A general analysis comparing all of the selected spectacles passages from the Metamorphoses is conducted in the 'Word Cloud Analysis' section of this webpage. At this point, please consider the questions posed below.
Does the shape selected for each word cloud affect your understanding of the text or your analysis of the word usage? If so, how?
What words are used most frequently in this passage?
Are these the words you expected to find?
What words are used most frequently in this passage?
Are these the words you expected to find?
Does perspective and/or color change have any effect on your understanding of the text?
Does the use of color affect your understanding of word usage? Is there a difference?
Do different words stand out in this black and white version compared to the color clouds above?
Do different words stand out in this black and white version compared to the color clouds above?
Finally, what do these clouds reveal about Roman spectacle? How does this compare to the clouds generated by the other passages?
The Games of Thiasus most common word:
partim - (adverb) partly, in part
In this instance there appears to be a more even distribution of other words including those pertaining specifically to spectacles, this may be due to the shorter length of the selected passage.
What words pertaining to spectacle(s) can be distinguished in this word cloud? What does their distribution tell us?
Does this have any effect on our conception of the passage?
The Games of Thiasus most common word:
partim - (adverb) partly, in part
In this instance there appears to be a more even distribution of other words including those pertaining specifically to spectacles, this may be due to the shorter length of the selected passage.
What words pertaining to spectacle(s) can be distinguished in this word cloud? What does their distribution tell us?
Does this have any effect on our conception of the passage?