Although I don’t quite understand the concept of "figures" as an element of the sublime, I’ve decided to plow ahead and grasp the meaning through the examples given. This appears to relate to the manner in which passion is expressed:
Just as those who are really moved by anger, or fear, or indignation, or jealousy, or any other emotion (…) at times turn aside, and when they have taken on thing as their subject often leap at times to another, foisting in the midst some irrelevant matter, and then again wheel round to their original theme, and driven by their vehemence, as by a veering wind, now this way now that with rapid changes, transform their expressions, their thoughts, the order suggested by a natural sequence, into numberless variations of every kind; so also among the best writers it is by means of hyberbaton that imitation approaches the effects of nature. For art is perfect when it seems to be nature, and nature hits the mark when she contains art hidden within her. (Chapter XXII, Part 1)
Longinus then goes on to analyze the placement of phrases within a speech by Dionysius:
‘Our fortunes lie on a razor’s edge, men of Ionia; for freedom or for bondage, and that the bondage of runaway slaves. Now, therefore, if you choose to submit to hardships, you will have toil for the moment, but you will be able to overcome our foes.’
Suggesting that proper order would seem to be:
‘Men of Ionia, now is the time for you to meet hardships; for our fortunes lie on a razor’s edge.’
Longinus is pointing out that the immediate danger "our fortunes lie on a razor’s edge" being placed at the forefront of the speech makes it all the more urgent and "of the moment" as is giving the reason for the action before the mention of what needs to be done.
There are two things that I’ve learned from this section: That placement does impact statement and reception to that statement by calling up interest and excitement of the reader/hearer. Secondly, I love the opening reference to passion following the ways of nature. Aside from my tendency to start in the middle and pull in from without whatever is vaguely related as it hits me, to the constant amusement of my spouse, it was once pointed out to me that nature seems to appear in some form in all of my writings. A recent story of mine actually has vegies metaphorically representing human nature. I realize in reading Cormac McCarthy that part of his draw for me is his intensity with the earth that dwarfs the people who walk it.
And then too, I get a lot of my answers to the questions in life straight from the early morning sky.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology