aligning braces in a text (not maths)

Question

This is what I have done

\documentclass[11pt]{book}
\usepackage[polutonikogreek,english]{babel}
\newcommand*{\tg}[1]{\textgreek{#1}}
\usepackage{ledmac}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{myheadings}
\textheight = 180.5 mm
\textwidth = 108.5 mm
\pagenumbering{arabic}

\usepackage{multind} 
\makeindex{nominum}
\makeindex{rerum}

.....

\begin{displaymath}
\mathrm{\rhet{Gradation}{\textbf{Medley's?} compare Vincentius Beluacensis, \textit{De morali principis institutione} cap 9 linea 46} \ thus\index{rerum}{period!of four members!with gradation}}\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\textrm{\textit{Industria Virtutem parit:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Virtus Laudem excibat:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Laus adfert honorem:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Honoris socia est, et comes AEmulatio}}\\
\end{array} \right.
\end{displaymath}

\begin{displaymath}
\mathrm{\rhet{Commutation}{\textit{Rhet. Her}. 4.28.39} \ thus\index{rerum}{period!of four members!with commutation}}\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\textrm{\textit{Quae de illo dicuntur; }\textasciicircum{}\textit{dici non}\textasciicircum{}\textit{}}\\
\textrm{\textit{ dici non possunt:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{quae dici possunt:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{non dicuntur:}}\\
\end{array} \right.
\end{displaymath}

\begin{displaymath}
\mathrm{\rhet{Distribution}{\textit{Rhet. Her}. 4.35.47} \ thus\index{rerum}{period!of four members!with distribution}}\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\textrm{\textit{consilio ciuitatem inuare:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Senatus officium est:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Magistratus officium est:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{opera \& diligentia, consequi senatus Voluntatem}}\\
\end{array} \right.
\end{displaymath}

\begin{displaymath}
\mathrm{\rhet{Diuision}{\textit{Rhet. Her}. 4.40.52} \ thus\index{rerum}{period!of four members!with division}}\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\textrm{\textit{Si probus es:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{non meruisti:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{sin improbus:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{non commoVeris:}}\\
\end{array} \right.
\end{displaymath}

\begin{displaymath}
\mathrm{\rhet{Similitude}{\textit{Rhet. Her}. 4.48.61} \ thus\index{rerum}{period!of four members!with similitude}}\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\textrm{\textit{Vt hirundines estiuuo tempore, presto sunt}}\\
\textrm{\textit{frigore pulsae recedunt:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Ita falsi amici amici: sereno Vitae tempore, presto sunt}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Simulatque hyemem fortunae dederint Auolant omnes}}\\
\end{array} \right.
\end{displaymath}

\begin{displaymath}
\mathrm{\rhet{Exposition}{\textit{Rhet. Her}. 4.43.55, `studiose suscipiat et libenter subeat?'} \ thus\index{rerum}{period!of four members!with exposition}}\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\textrm{\textit{Qui est tam tenui cogitatione praeditus:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{cuius animus, tantis angustiis invidiae continentur:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Qui non hunc hominem, studiosissime Laudet,}}\\
\textrm{\textit{et sapientissimum iudicet:}}\\
\textrm{\textit{Qui pro salute patriae, pro incolumitate ciuitatis}}\\
\textrm{\textit{pro Repub: fortunis, quamuis magnum atque}}\\
\textrm{\textit{atrox periculum, studiose subeat?}}\\
\end{array} \right.
\end{displaymath}

but the curly braces are NOT aligned, which is VERY annoying.

Welcome to TeX.SX! Please, add the definition of \rhet, without which it's difficult to get the example compiled as you get. — egreg, Apr 29 '12 at 15:16

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 08 '17 at 16:37

Another solution could be the package schemata. Coding is not complicated but for convenience is simplified in the MWE in a \AB{left}{rigth} macro. Default align is 50% ot the text width but can be changed for each branches group according to the longest left part or some other length, as showed in the MWE:

enter image description here

\documentclass[10pt]{article}
\usepackage{schemata}
\newlength{\mylength}
\setlength{\mylength}{.5\textwidth} % default align

\newcommand\AB[2]{
  \schema{\schemabox[\mylength]{\hfill #1}}
  {\em \schemabox{#2}}}
\begin{document}

\noindent
{\bfseries Braces group alienated with the longest word}
\bigskip

\settowidth{\mylength}{Commutation}

\AB{Gradation}{
    Industria Virtutem parit: \\
    Virtus Laudem excibat: \\
    Laus adfert honorem: \\
    Honoris socia est, et comes \AE mulatio}

\AB{Commutation}{
    Quae de illo dicuntur; \^{}dici non\^{} \\
    non possunt: \\
    quae dici possunt: \\
    non dicuntur:}

\AB{Distribution}{
    consilio ciuitatem inuare: \\
    Senatus officium est: \\
    Magistratus officium est: \\
    opera \& diligentia, consequi senatus Voluntatem}

\bigskip
\noindent
{\bfseries Braces group, alienated at 25\% of the text width}\bigskip

\setlength{\mylength}{.25\textwidth}

\AB{Division}{
    Si probus es: \\
    non meruisti: \\
    sin improbus: \\
    non commoVeris:}

\AB{Similitude}{  
    Vt hirundines estiuuo tempore, presto sunt \\
    frigore pulsae recedunt: \\
    Ita falsi amici amici: sereno Vitae tempore, presto sunt \\
    Simulatque hyemem fortunae dederint Auolant omnes}

\AB{Exposition}{  
    Qui est tam tenui cogitatione praeditus: \\
    cuius animus, tantis angustiis invidiae continentur: \\
    Qui non hunc hominem, studiosissime Laudet, \\
    et sapientissimum iudicet:
    Qui pro salute patriae, pro incolumitate ciuitatis \\
    pro Repub: fortunis, quamuis magnum atque \\
    atrox periculum, studiose subeat?}

\end{document}

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 08 '17 at 16:37

Stripping your code from all the unnecessary bits, brace alignment is still based on using a math environment in your case. For example, I suggest using align* from amsmath:

enter image description here

\documentclass[10pt]{article}
\usepackage{array}% http://ctan.org/pkg/array
\usepackage{amsmath}% http://ctan.org/pkg/amsmath
\usepackage[textheight=180.5mm,textwidth=108.5mm]{geometry}% http://ctan.org/pkg/geometry
%\pagenumbering{arabic}
\newcolumntype{L}{>{\itshape}l}
\begin{document}

\begin{align*}
  \text{Gradation} & \left\{\begin{tabular}{L}
    Industria Virtutem parit: \\
    Virtus Laudem excibat: \\
    Laus adfert honorem: \\
    Honoris socia est, et comes AEmulatio
  \end{tabular} \right. \\[\normalbaselineskip]
  \text{Commutation} & \left\{ \begin{tabular}{L}
    Quae de illo dicuntur; \textasciicircum{}dici non\textasciicircum{} \\
    dici non possunt: \\
    quae dici possunt: \\
    non dicuntur:
  \end{tabular} \right. \\[\normalbaselineskip]
  \text{Distribution} & \left\{ \begin{tabular}{L}
    consilio ciuitatem inuare: \\
    Senatus officium est: \\
    Magistratus officium est: \\
    opera \& diligentia, consequi senatus Voluntatem
  \end{tabular} \right. \\[\normalbaselineskip]
  \text{Division} & \left\{ \begin{tabular}{L}
    Si probus es: \\
    non meruisti: \\
    sin improbus: \\
    non commoVeris:
  \end{tabular} \right. \\[\normalbaselineskip]
  \text{Similitude} & \left\{ \begin{tabular}{L}
    Vt hirundines estiuuo tempore, presto sunt \\
    frigore pulsae recedunt: \\
    Ita falsi amici amici: sereno Vitae tempore, presto sunt \\
    Simulatque hyemem fortunae dederint Auolant omnes
  \end{tabular} \right. \\[\normalbaselineskip]
  \text{Exposition} & \left\{ \begin{tabular}{L}
    Qui est tam tenui cogitatione praeditus: \\
    cuius animus, tantis angustiis invidiae continentur: \\
    Qui non hunc hominem, studiosissime Laudet, \\
    et sapientissimum iudicet:
    Qui pro salute patriae, pro incolumitate ciuitatis \\
    pro Repub: fortunis, quamuis magnum atque \\
    atrox periculum, studiose subeat?
  \end{tabular} \right.
\end{align*}
\end{document}

Note that you are allowed to use a tabular inside math mode, which automatically switches you into text mode and removes the requirement to use \textrm to switch. Also, the array package provides functionality to define a new column type. Using this I've defined L which sets its contents left-aligned, but inserts \itshape before (thanks for >) each entry. Finally, I've inserted a \normabaselineskip between entries for a visual gap similar to an empty line.

It would also be possible to align the words Gradation, Commutation, Division,... to the left, if needed, as well as change the spacing around the brace.

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 08 '17 at 16:37

Since it appears that this is something you use more than once, I would recommend defining your own custom macro and let that control all the formatting features. Below, I have defined \AlignedBrace{}{}, which accepts two parameters, the first being the label and the second being the text. Then, you use it as:

\AlignedBrace{Gradation}{%
    Industria Virtutem parit: \\
    Virtus Laudem excibat: \\
    Laus adfert honorem: \\
    Honoris socia est, et comes AEmulatio
}

which yields (only first two sections shown):

enter image description here

I have hard coded the width of the label side of the brace in the MWE below, but another option would be to allow for that to be computed based on the largest label that you intend to use:

\newcommand*{\WidestLeftSide}{Commutation}%
\newlength{\LeftWidth}%
\settowidth{\LeftWidth}{\WidestLeftSide}%

Code:

Adapted from Werner's solution:

\documentclass{article}

\newcommand*{\LeftWidth}{3.0cm}%
\newcommand*{\RightWidth}{\dimexpr\linewidth-\LeftWidth-2em\relax}%
\newcommand{\AlignedBrace}[2]{%
    \medskip\par\noindent%
    \makebox[\LeftWidth][r]{\textbf{#1}~}%
    $\left\{~\parbox{\RightWidth}{\strut\textit{#2}\strut}\right.$%
}%

\begin{document}
\AlignedBrace{Gradation}{%
    Industria Virtutem parit: \\
    Virtus Laudem excibat: \\
    Laus adfert honorem: \\
    Honoris socia est, et comes AEmulatio
}
\AlignedBrace{Commutation}{%
    Quae de illo dicuntur; \textasciicircum{}dici non\textasciicircum{} \\
    dici non possunt: \\
    quae dici possunt: \\
    non dicuntur:
}
\AlignedBrace{Distribution}{%
    consilio ciuitatem inuare: \\
    Senatus officium est: \\
    Magistratus officium est: \\
    opera \& diligentia, consequi senatus Voluntatem
}
\AlignedBrace{Division}{%
    Si probus es: \\
    non meruisti: \\
    sin improbus: \\
    non commoVeris:
}
\AlignedBrace{Similitude}{%
    Vt hirundines estiuuo tempore, presto sunt \\
    frigore pulsae recedunt: \\
    Ita falsi amici amici: sereno Vitae tempore, presto sunt \\
    Simulatque hyemem fortunae dederint Auolant omnes
}
\AlignedBrace{Exposition}{%
    Qui est tam tenui cogitatione praeditus: \\
    cuius animus, tantis angustiis invidiae continentur: \\
    Qui non hunc hominem, studiosissime Laudet, \\
    et sapientissimum iudicet:
    Qui pro salute patriae, pro incolumitate ciuitatis \\
    pro Repub: fortunis, quamuis magnum atque \\
    atrox periculum, studiose subeat?
}
\end{document}

This could also be done nicely with a list (more semantic), but very good solution. Essentially you need to define a new type of description environment. — yannisl, Apr 29 '12 at 19:14
I've got another problem: sometimes, what I type on the left, before the big curly braces, is too long and sticks out of the left margin, what should I do? — Guillaume Coatalen, Jul 17 '12 at 20:49
@GuillaumeCoatalen: I answered in your follow up question: typesetting big curly braces. — Peter Grill, Jul 17 '12 at 21:37

aligning braces in a text (not maths)

3 Answers3

Code:

Linked