There are, though, subtle syllepses. ‘Make love not war’ is a syllepsis, just one that’s barely noticeable. It gives the phrase its spice, but you wouldn’t be able to pick out the flavour without a good long chew. The same goes in a sense for ‘Tea and Sympathy’ or the two boys in Tom Sawyer who ‘covered themselves in dust and glory’. These tiny syllepses hide all over the place. The reader likes the line, remembers the line, but doesn’t know why.
