Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Chapter

← Previous Next →

For a discovery and revolution of this kind will excite either pity or fear; and tragedy is supposed to be an imitation of such actions [as excite fear and pity]. Again, it will happen that infelicity and felicity will be in such like discoveries. ¹ But since discovery is a discovery of certain persons, some [discoveries] are of one person only with reference to another, when it is evident who the other person is,

Poetics. Aristotle. Theodore Alois Buckley (Translator). London. 1857.

Current edition Experimental

The Poetic of Aristotle (Theodore Alois Buckley) (OCR draft) (English) (Theodore Alois Buckley's English translation, first published in 1850 and represented from the Henry G. Bohn 1857 printing; corrected against a second OCR and aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) (Aristotle, Poetics. Immanuel Bekker, editor, Aristotelis Opera, volume 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1837.) — 11 focus

Ἔστι δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν ἡ εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον τῶν πραττομένων μεταβολή, καθάπερ εἴρηται· καὶ τοῦτο δέ, ὥσπερ λέγομεν, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ ἀναγκαῖον,

ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Οἰδίποδι ἐλθὼν ὡς εὐφρανῶν τὸν Οἰδίπουν καὶ ἀπαλλάξων τοῦ πρὸς τὴν μητέρα φόβου, δηλώσας ὃς ἦν, τοὐναντίον ἐποίησεν.

Καὶ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ ὁ μὲν ἀγόμενος ὡς ἀποθανούμενος, ὁ δὲ Δαναὸς ἀκολουθῶν ὡς ἀποκτενῶν· τὸν μὲν συνέβη ἐκ τῶν πεπραγμένων ἀποθανεῖν, τὸν δὲ σωθῆναι.

Ἀναγνώρισις δ᾿ ἐστίν, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὔνομα σημαίνει, ἐξ ἀγνοίας εἰς γνῶσιν μεταβολὴ ἢ εἰς φιλίαν ἢ ἔχθραν τῶν πρὸς εὐτυχίαν ἢ δυστυχίαν ὡρισμένων.

Καλλίστη δὲ ἀναγνώρισις, ὅταν ἅμα περιπέτειαι γίνωνται, οἷον ἔχει ἡ ἐν τῷ Οἰδίποδι.

Εἰσὶ μὲν οὗν καὶ ἄλλαι ἀναγνωρίσεις· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἄψυχα καὶ τὰ τυχόντα ἔστιν ὅτε, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, συμβαίνει, καὶ εἰ πέπραγέ τις ἢ μὴ πέπραγεν, ἔστιν ἀναγωρίσαι·

ἀλλ᾿ ἡ μάλιστα τοῦ μύθου καὶ ἡ μάλιστα τῆς πράξεως ἡ εἰρημένη ἐστίν. Ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη ἀναγνώρισις καὶ περιπέτεια ἢ ἔλεον ἕξει ἢ φόβον, οἵων πράξεων ἡ τραγῳδία μίμησις ὑπόκειται. Ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀτυχεῖν καὶ τὸ εὐτυχεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων συμβήσεται.

Ἐπεὶ δ᾿ ἡ ἀναγνώρισις τινῶν ἐστὶν ἀναγνώρισις, αἱ μὲν θατέρου πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον μόνον, ὅταν ᾖ δῆλος ἕτερος τίς ἐστιν, ὁτὲ δ᾿ ἀμφοτέρους δεῖ ἀναγνωρίσαι, οἷον ἡ μὲν Ἰφιγένεια τῷ Ὀρέστῃ ἀνεγνωρίσθη ἐκ τῆς πέμψεως τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἐκείνῳ δὲ πρὸς τὴν Ἰφιγένειαν ἄλλης ἔδει ἀναγνωρίσεως.

Δύο μὲν οὖν τοῦ μύθου μέρη περὶ ταῦτ᾿ ἐστί, περιπέτεια καὶ ἀναγνώρισις, τρίτον δὲ πάθος. Τούτων δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν καὶ ἀναγνώρισις εἴρηται,

πάθος δ᾿ ἐστὶ πρᾶξις φθαρτικὴ ἢ ὀδυνηρά, οἷον οἵ τε ἐν τῷ φανερῷ θάνατοι καὶ αἱ περιωδυνίαι καὶ τρώσεις καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 11 focus

ἔστι δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν ἡ εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον τῶν πραττομένων μεταβολὴ καθάπερ εἴρηται, καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὥσπερ λέγομεν κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ ἀναγκαῖον,

οἷον ἐν τῷ ́ 25 Οἰδιποδι ἐλθὼν ὡς εὐφρανῶν τὸν Οἰδίπουν καὶ ἀπαλλάξων τοῦ πρὸς τὴν μητέρα φόβου, δηλώσας ὃς ἦν, τοὐναντίον ἐποίησεν·

καὶ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ ὁ μὲν ἀγόμενος ὡς ἀποθανούμενος, ὁ δὲ Δαναὸς ἀκολουθῶν ὡς ἀποκτενῶν, τὸν μὲν συνέβη ἐκ τῶν πεπραγμένων ἀποθανεῖν, τὸν δὲ σωθῆναι.

ἀναγνώρισις 30 δέ, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὔνομα σημαίνει, ἐξ ἀγνοίας εἰς γνῶσιν μεταβολή, ἢ εἰς φιλίαν ἢ εἰς ἔχθραν, τῶν πρὸς εὐτυχίαν ἢ δυστυχίαν ὡρισμένων·

καλλίστη δὲ ἀναγνώρισις, ὅταν ἅμα περιπετείᾳ γένηται, οἷον ἔχει ἡ ἐν τῷ Οἰδίποδι.

εἰσὶν μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλαι ἀναγνωρίσεις· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἄψυχα καὶ τὰ 35 τυχόντα † ἐστὶν ὥσπερ εἴρηται συμβαίνει † καὶ εἰ πέπραγέ τις ἢ μὴ πέπραγεν ἔστιν ἀναγνωρίσαι.

ἀλλ’ ἡ μάλιστα τοῦ μύθου καὶ ἡ μάλιστα τῆς πράξεως ἡ εἰρημένη ἐστίν· ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη ἀναγνώρισις καὶ περιπέτεια ἢ ἔλεον ἕξει 1452b 1 ἢ φόβον (οἵων πράξεων ἡ τραγῳδία μίμησις ὑπόκειται), ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸ ἀτυχεῖν καὶ τὸ εὐτυχεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων συμβήσεται.

ἐπεὶ δὴ ἡ ἀναγνώρισις τινῶν ἐστιν ἀναγνώρισις, αἱ μέν εἰσι θατέρου πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον μόνον, ὅταν ᾖ δῆλος ἅτερος 5 τίς ἐστιν, ὁτὲ δὲ ἀμφοτέρους δεῖ ἀναγνωρίσαι, οἷον ἡ μὲν Ἰφιγένεια τῷ Ὀρέστῃ ἀνεγνωρίσθη ἐκ τῆς πέμψεως τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἐκείνου δὲ πρὸς τὴν Ἰφιγένειαν ἄλλης ἔδει ἀναγνωρίσεως.

δύο μὲν οὖν τοῦ μύθου μέρη ταῦτ’ ἐστί, περιπέτεια 10 καὶ ἀναγνώρισις· τρίτον δὲ πάθος. τούτων δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν καὶ ἀναγνώρισις εἴρηται,

πάθος δέ ἐστι πρᾶξις φθαρτικὴ ἢ ὀδυνηρά, οἷον οἵ τε ἐν τῷ φανερῷ θάνατοι καὶ αἱ περιωδυνίαι καὶ τρώσεις καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 11 focus

Ἔστι δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν ἡ εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον τῶν πραττομένων
μεταβολὴ καθάπερ εἴρηται, καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὥσπερ
λέγομεν κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ ἀναγκαῖον,

ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Οἰδίποδι
ἐλθὼν ὡς εὐφρανῶν τὸν Οἰδίπουν καὶ ἀπαλλάξων τοῦ
πρὸς τὴν μητέρα φόβου, δηλώσας ὃς ἦν, τοὐναντίον ἐποίησεν·

καὶ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ ὁ μὲν ἀγόμενος ὡς ἀποθανούμενος, ὁ δὲ
Δαναὸς ἀκολουθῶν ὡς ἀποκτενῶν, τὸν μὲν συνέβη ἐκ τῶν
πεπραγμένων ἀποθανεῖν, τὸν δὲ σωθῆναι.

ἀναγνώρισις
δέ, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὔνομα σημαίνει, ἐξ ἀγνοίας εἰς γνῶσιν
μεταβολή, ἢ εἰς φιλίαν ἢ εἰς ἔχθραν, τῶν πρὸς εὐτυχίαν ἢ
δυστυχίαν ὡρισμένων·

καλλίστη δὲ ἀναγνώρισις, ὅταν ἅμα
περιπέτειαι καὶ ἀναγνωρίσεις γίνωνται, οἵαν ἔχει ἡ ἐν τῷ Οἰδίποδι.

εἰσὶν
μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλαι ἀναγνωρίσεις· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἄψυχα καὶ
τὰ τυχόντα ἔστιν ὡς ὅπερ εἴρηται συμβαίνει, καὶ εἰ πέπραγέ
τις ἢ μὴ πέπραγεν ἔστιν ἀναγνωρίσαι.

ἀλλ᾽ ἡ μάλιστα
τοῦ μύθου καὶ ἡ μάλιστα τῆς πράξεως ἡ εἰρημένη
ἐστίν· ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη ἀναγνώρισις καὶ περιπέτεια ἢ ἔλεον
ἕξει ἢ φόβον, οἵων πράξεων ἡ τραγῳδία μίμησις ὑπόκειται·
ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀτυχεῖν καὶ τὸ εὐτυχεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων
συμβήσεται.

ἐπεὶ δὴ ἡ ἀναγνώρισις τινῶν ἐστιν ἀναγνώρισις,
αἱ μὲν θατέρου πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον μόνον, ὅταν δῆλος ἅτερος
τίς ἐστιν, ὁτὲ δὲ ἀμφοτέρους δεῖ ἀναγνωρίσαι, οἷον ἡ
μὲν Ἰφιγένεια τῷ Ὀρέστῃ ἀνεγνωρίσθη ἐκ τῆς πέμψεως
τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἐκείνου δὲ πρὸς τὴν Ἰφιγένειαν ἄλλης ἔδει
ἀναγνωρίσεως.

δύο μὲν οὖν τοῦ μύθου μέρη περὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἐστί, περιπέτεια
καὶ ἀναγνώρισις· τρίτον δὲ πάθος. τούτων δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν
καὶ ἀναγνώρισις εἴρηται,

πάθος δέ ἐστι πρᾶξις φθαρτικὴ ἢ
ὀδυνηρά, οἷον οἵ τε ἐν τῷ φανερῷ θάνατοι καὶ αἱ περιωδυνίαι
καὶ τρώσεις καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα.

Poetics, Greek text (Franz Ritter, 1839) (OCR draft) Experimental (Franz Ritter's 1839 Greek edition, corrected against OCR of the represented copy and aligned to the conventional Perseus chapter-and-subchapter sequence.) — 11 focus

Ἔστι δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν ἡ εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον τῶν πρωττομένων μεταβολή, καθάπερ εἴρηται· καὶ τοῦτο δέ, ὥσπερ λέγομεν, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ ἀναγκαῖον,

ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Οἰδίποδε ἐλθὼν ὡς εὐφρανῶν τὸν Οἰδίπουν καὶ ἀπαλλάξων τοῦ πρὸς τὴν μητέρα φόβου, δηλώσας ὃς ἦν, τοὐναντίον ἐποίησεν.

καὶ¹ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ ὁ μὲν ἀγόμενος ὡς ἀποθανούμενος, ὁ δὲ Δαναὸς ἀκολουθῶν ὡς ἀποκτενῶν· τὸν μὲν συνέβη ἐκ τῶν πεπραγμένων αποθανεῖν, τὸν δὲ σωθῆναι.

ἀναγνώρισις δ᾽ ἐστίν, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὔνομα σημαίνει, ἐξ ἀγνοίας εἰς γνῶσιν μεταβολὴ ἢ εἰς φιλίαν ἢ ἔχθραν τῶν πρὸς εὐτυχίαν ἢ δυστυχίαν ὡρισμένων.

καλλίστη δὲ ἀναγνώρισις, ὅταν ἅμα περιπέτειαι γίνωνται, οἷον ἔχει ἡ ἐν τῷ Οἰδίποδι.

εἰσὶ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλαι ἀναγνωρίσεις· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἄψυχα καὶ τὰ τυχόντα ἔστιν ὅτε, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, συμβαίνει, καὶ εἰ πέπραγέ τις ἢ μὴ πέπραγεν, ἔστιν ἀναγνωρίσαι·

ἀλλ᾿ ἡ μάλιστα τοῦ μύθου καὶ ἡ μάλιστα τῆς πράξεως ἡ εἰρημένη ἐστίν. ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη ἀναγνώρισις καὶ περιπέτεια ἢ ἔλεον ἕξει ἢ φόβον, οἷων πράξεων ἡ τραγῳδία μίμησις ὑπόκειται. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀτυχεῖν καὶ τὸ εὐτυχεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων συμβήσεται.

ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἡ ἀναγνώρισις τινῶν ἐστὶν ἀναγνώρισις, αἱ μὲν θατέρου πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον μόνον, ὅταν ᾖ δῆλος ἕτερος τίς ἐστιν, ὁτὲ² δ᾽ ἀμφοτέρους δεῖ ἀναγνωρίσαι, οἷον ἡ μὲν Ιφιγένεια τῷ Ὀρέστῃ ἀνεγνωρίσθη ἐκ τῆς πέμψεως τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἐκείνῳ δὲ πρὸς τὴν Ἰφιγένειαν ἄλλης ἔδει ἀναγνωρίσεως. [

Δύο μὲν οὖν τοῦ μύθου μέρη περὶ ταῦτ' ἐστί, περιπέτεια καὶ ἀναγνώρισις, τρίτον δὲ πάθος. τούτων δὲ περιπέτεια μὲν καὶ ἀναγνώρισις εἴρηται,

πάθος δ᾽ ἐστὶ πρᾶξις φθαρτικὴ ἢ ὀδυνηρά, οἷον οἵ τε ἐν τῷ φανερῷ θάνατοι καὶ αἱ περιωδυνίαι καὶ τρώσεις καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα.]

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 11 focus

A reversal is a change of the situation into the opposite, as described above,¹ this change being, moreover, as we are saying, probable or inevitable—

like the man in the Oedipus who came to cheer Oedipus and rid him of his anxiety about his mother by revealing his parentage and changed the whole situation.²

In the Lynceus, too, there is the man led off to execution and Danaus following to kill him, and the result of what had already happened was that the latter was killed and the former escaped.³

A discovery, as the term itself implies, is a change from ignorance to knowledge, producing either friendship or hatred in those who are destined for good fortune or ill.

A discovery is most effective when it coincides with reversals, such as that involved by the discovery in the Oedipus.

There are also other forms of discovery, for what we have described may in a sense occur in relation to inanimate and trivial objects, or one may discover whether some one has done something or not.

But the discovery which is most essentially part of the plot and part of the action is of the kind described above, for such a discovery and reversal of fortune will involve either pity or fear, 1452b 1 and it is actions such as these which, according to our hypothesis, tragedy represents; and, moreover, misfortune and good fortune are likely to turn upon such incidents.

Now since the discovery is somebody’s discovery, in some scenes one character only is discovered to another, the identity of the other being obvious; but sometimes each must discover the other. Thus Iphigeneia was discovered to Orestes through the sending of the letter, but a separate discovery was needed to make him known to Iphigeneia.⁴

We see then that two elements of the plot, reversal and discovery, turn upon these incidents. A third element is a calamity. Of these three elements we have already described reversal and discovery.

A calamity is a destructive or painful occurrence, such as a death on the stage, acute suffering and wounding and so on.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 11 focus

〈الإدارة والاستدلال〉

والإدارة هى التغير إلى مضادة الأعمال التى يعملون كما قلنا؛ وعلى طريق الحق وبطريق الضرورة، مثل ما أنه لما جاء إلى أديفوس على أنه يفرح بأديفوس وينقذه من خوف وفزع أمه، فانه أتى بالشعر على ضد ما عمل، وهو أنه غير ما كان يجابه فى محنه من قبل أنه كان مزمعاً أن يموت، فان 〈د〉اناوس لما جاء خلفه ليقتله أما هذا — على ما ذكر فيما كتب به من ذلك — 〈فقد〉 عرض له أن يموت، وأما ذاك فعرض له أنه سلم ونجا.

وأما الاستدلال، كما [على ما] يدل وينبئ الاسم نفسه، فهو العبور من لا معرفة إلى معرفة التى هى نحو الأشياء التى تحدد بالفلاح والنجح أو رداءة البخت والعداوة لها. والاستدلال الحسن يكون متى كانت الإدارة دفعة، بمنزلة ما يوجد فى سيرة أوديفس وتدبيره.

وقد توجد للاستدلال أصناف أخر، وذلك أنها قد توجد عند غير المتنفسة وإن كان الانسان يعمل 〈أو〉 وإن لم يكن يعمل شيئاً، فانه يعرض له الاستدلال على الحالين.

لكن هذه منها خرافة خاصة، وهذه هى خاصة عمل، أعنى ما قيل. ومثل هذا الاستدلال والإدارة إما تكون معه رحمة، وإما خوف، مثل ما أنه وضع أن العمل المديحى هو التشبيه والمحاكاة، وأيضاً الفلاح والنجح [وألا فلاح ونجح] فى 〈هذه〉 تعرضان:

〈و〉من قبل 〈أن〉 الاستدلال لقوم 〈فان منه〉 ما هو استدلال من إنسان ما إلى رفيقه: وهو يكون عندما يعرف ذاك الأمر هو فقط؛ وأما كان يجب أن يكون كلاهما يستدلان ويتعرفان، مثلما استدلت ووقفت المرأة المسماة أفاغانيا على أورسطس من إنفاذ رسالته، أما ذاك فكان يحتاج إلى الاستدلال وتعرف آخر، أعنى فى أمر إفاغانيا.

فهاتان اللتان خبرنا بهما هما جزءا الخرافة وحكاية الحديث، أعنى الاستدلال والادارة والجزء 〈الثالث هو〉 انفعال الألم والتأثير. والألم والتأثير هو عمل مفسد أو موجع بمنزلة الذين 〈تصيبهم المصا〉ئب من الصوت والعذاب والشقاء وأشباه هذه.

Poetics (S. H. Butcher, 1911) (OCR draft) Experimental (S. H. Butcher's English translation from Aristotle's Theory of Poetry and Fine Art, fourth edition, 1911.) — 11 focus

Reversal of the Situation is a change by which the action
veers round to its opposite, subject always to our rule of
probability or necessity.

Thus in the Oedipus, the messenger comes to cheer
Oedipus and free him from his alarms about his mother,
but by revealing who he is, he produces the opposite effect.

Again in the Lynceus, Lynceus is being led away to
his death, and Danaus goes with him, meaning to slay him;
but the outcome of the preceding incidents is that Danaus
is killed and Lynceus saved.

Recognition, as the name indicates, is a change from
ignorance to knowledge, producing love or hate between
the persons destined by the poet for good or bad fortune.

The best form of recognition is coincident with a Reversal
of the Situation, as in the Oedipus.

There are indeed other forms. Even inanimate things
of the most trivial kind may in a sense be objects of
recognition.
Again, we may recognise or discover whether a person has
done a thing or not.

But the recognition which is most intimately connected
with the plot and action is, as we have said, the recognition
of persons.
This recognition, combined with Reversal, will produce
either pity or fear; and actions producing these effects are
those which, by our definition, Tragedy represents.

Recognition, then, being between persons, it may happen
that one person only is recognised by the other—when the
latter is already known—or it may be necessary that the
recognition should be on both sides.
Thus Iphigenia is revealed to Orestes by the sending of
the letter; but another act of recognition is required to
make Orestes known to Iphigenia.

Two parts, then, of the Plot—Reversal of the Situation
and Recognition—turn upon surprises.

A third part is the Scene of Suffering. The Scene of
Suffering is a destructive or painful action, such as death
on the stage, bodily agony, wounds and the like.

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 11 focus

A Peripety is the change from one state of things within
the play to its opposite of the kind described, and that too
in the way we are saying, in the probable or necessary
sequence of events;

as it is for instance in Oedipus: here
the opposite state of things is produced by the Messenger,
who, coming to gladden Oedipus and to remove his fears
as to his mother, reveals the secret of his birth.

And in
Lynceus: just as he is being led off for execution, with
Danaus at his side to put him to death, the incidents pre-
ceding this bring it about that he is saved and Danaus put
to death.

A Discovery is, as the very word implies, a change
from ignorance to knowledge, and thus to either love or hate,
in the personages marked for good or evil fortune.

The
finest form of Discovery is one attended by Peripeties, like
that which goes with the Discovery in Oedipus.

There are
no doubt other forms of it; what we have said may happen
in a way in reference to inanimate things, even things of
a very casual kind; and it is also possible to discover
whether some one has done or not done something.

But
the form most directly connected with the Plot and the
action of the piece is the first-mentioned. This, with a
Peripety, will arouse either pity or fear—actions of that
nature being what Tragedy is assumed to represent;
and it
will also serve to bring about the happy or unhappy
ending.

The Discovery, then, being of persons, it may be that of one
party only to the other, the latter being already known;
or
both the parties may have to discover themselves. Iphigenia,
for instance, was discovered to Orestes by sending the
letter; and another Discovery was required to reveal him
to Iphigenia.

Two parts of the Plot, then, Peripety and Discovery, are
on matters of this sort.
A third part is Suffering;

which
we may define as an action of a destructive or painful
nature, such as murders on the stage, tortures, woundings,
and the like.

Poetics (Thomas Twining, 1789) (OCR draft) Experimental (Thomas Twining's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1789 and aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 11.7 focus

but the Discovery most appropriated to the fable, and the action, is that above defined; because such Discoveries, and Revolutions, must excite either pity or terror; and Tragedy we have defined to be an imitation of pitiable and terrible actions: and because, also, by them the event, happy, or unhappy, is produced.

[9]

The Poetic of Aristotle (Henry James Pye, revised 1792) (OCR draft) Experimental (Henry James Pye's revised 1792 English translation, corrected against the 1788 first edition, aligned to the Kassel reference edition, and supplied with a selective apparatus of substantive 1788 readings.) — 11.7 focus

but that I first mentioned has most connexion with the fable and the action; and such a discovery and peripetía will produce that pity and terror, of which tragedy is defined to be an imitation as from this the happiness or misery of the characters will arise.

Poetica Latine conversa (Franciscus Ritter, 1839) (OCR draft) Experimental (Franz Ritter's Latin translation, corrected against OCR of the represented copy and aligned to the conventional Perseus chapter-and-subchapter sequence.) — 11 focus

Est autem peripetia eorum quae aguntur in contrarium mutatio, qualis descripta est, idque, ut dicimus, secundum verisimilitudinem vel necessitatem,

quemadmodum in Oedipo qui venit exhilaraturus Oedipum ac metu propter matrem liberaturus, declarando quis ille esset, contrarium effecit.

et in Lynceo cum hic duceretur moriturus, Danaus autem sequeretur occisurus, evenit ex iis quae facta sunt ut hic moreretur, ille servaretur.

agnitio est autem, ut ipsum nomen indicat, ex ignoratione ad cognitionem transitus aut in amorem aut odium eorum qui ad felicitatem aut infelicitatem destinati sunt.

pulcherrima autem agnitio, cum simul peripetiae accidunt, ut se hahet quae in Oedipo.

sunt vero etiam aliae agnitiones: nam etiam circa ea quae anima carent et res vulgares est cum, ut expositum, contingat, et utrum fecerit aliquis an non fecerit, licet agnoscere:

sed quae potissimum ad fabulam et potissimum ad actionem pertinet, ea est quam diximus. talis enim agnitio et peripetia vel miserationem habebit vel metum, cuiusmodi actionum imitationem esse tragoediam posuimus. praeterea ut infelices atque felices sint in talibus rebus accidet.

sed quoniam agnitio quorundam est agnitio, in nonnullis alterum tantummodo ab altero, ubi constat alter quis sit, interdum autem utrumque oportet agnosci, sicut Iphigenia ab Oreste agnita est ex missa epistola, illi autem ab Iphigenia alia opus erat agnitione.

[Duae igitur fabulae partes circa haec sunt, peripetia et agnitio, tertia autem perpessio. ex his peripetia quidem et agnitio dicta est,

sed perpessio est actio exitiabilis vel cruciabilis, veluti caedes in conspectu et cruciatus et vulnerationes et quaecumque id genus].

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 11.7 focus

Mais celle dont je viens de parler eſt la plus propre à la fable & à l'action, car cette reconnoiſſance accompagnée de la Péripetie, produira immanquablement, ou la compaſſion ou la terreur dont la Tragedie eſt l'imitation, comme nous l'avons établi pour fondement; elle produira encore le bonheur ou le malheur des principaux perſonnages.

5.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 11 focus

La Peripetia è vno mutamento di coſe ſtate nel loro contrario, ficome s'è detto. Et tal fucceſſo debbe accadere (ficome anchora 10 ho detto innanzi) per via delverifimile, d'del neceffa rio;

ficome nello Edippo ſi vede, che colui, che gli vie ne innanzi per dargli conforto, & per liberarlo dal timore, che egli haueua per cagione della madre fatto, ch'egli hebbe manifesto, chiera Edippo; gli ingenerò vn' contrario effetto.

Et nel Linceo, done è condot to colui per douere morire; & Danao che lo ſeguita +393 per ammazzarlo: doue per le coſe ſeguite vi auuenne il contrario, che Danao cioè vi moriffe, & l'altro vi re ſtaſſe faluo.

La Recognitione (ſicome lo dimostra il no me) è vn' mutamento, che dalla ignoranza venuto alla cognitione ci fa amare, ò odiare quei tali, che ſono ſegnati ò di felicità,ò di miſeria.

Bellissima è quella, doue à vn medefimo tempo fi fa la Peripetia, ficome interuie ne nello Edippo.

Ma e' fi fa anchora delle recognitioni altrimenti, conciofia che elle fi faccino inuerſo di coſe ſenza anima; ò di quale altra fi voglia cofa: & anchora fi poffa riconoſcere ſe vno ha fatto, ò non fatto vna co fa.

Ma la propia della Fauola, & quella, che mafsimamente alla attione s'appartiene, è la ſopra racconta;perchè tale Recognitione, & tale Peripetia conterrà in ſe ò la mifericordia,ò il timore. Delle quali attioni è ſtato preſuppoſto da me la Tragedia effere imitatrice: Et an chora perchè in queſte v'accade l'eſſere felice, ò l'eſſere mifero. Ma la recognitione d'alcuni è recognitione.

Et ancora delle recognitioni, certe ne fono d'un' folo inuerſo d'unaltro, quando e vi ſi manifeſta chi è l'uno di loro. Et certe n'è, che ſi fanno per via d'amendue,ficome ad Ifigenia interuenne, che da Oreſte fu riconoſciuta per via d'una lettera ſcrittagli; & ad Oreſte per effer' riconoſciuto da lei fu di meſtier' d'unaltra recognitione.

Due ſono adunche le parti della Fauola intorno à queſta materia, la Peripetia cioè, & la Recognitione; & la terza parte è il male, che vi ſegue. Et della Peripetia, & della Recognitione s'è fauellato.

La crudeltà, ò il male è una attione, che cor rompe, & che dà dolore alla noſtra na ctura.come ſono le morti, che ſon' fatte in publico, le ferite,& altre fimili coſe. -9 RRRRRRRR

De poetica (Antonio Riccobono, 1587) (OCR draft) Experimental (Antonio Riccobono's Latin translation, first published in 1587; text represented from Immanuel Bekker's 1831 edition.) — 11 focus

Est vero peripetia in contrarium eorum quae aguntur mutatio, ut dictum est; atque hoc, ut dicimus, secundum verisimile aut necessarium.

ut in Oedipode, cum venisset nuntius tanquam laetitiam allaturus Oedipodi eumque metu liberaturus adversus matrem, ut aperuit quisnam esset, contrarium fecit.

et in Lynceo, cum ipse quidem duceretur ut moriturus, Danaus vero persequeretur ut interfecturus, hunc quidem contigit ex rebus gestis mori, illum vero servari.

agnitio autem est, ut etiam nomen significat, ex ignoratione in cognitioném mutatio, aut ad amicitiam aut inimicitiam eornm qui ad prosperam fortunam vel adversam definití sunt.

ac pulcherrima agnitio est cum simul peripetiae fiunt, ut se habet in Oedipode.

ac sunt quidem etiam aliae cognitiones. etenim ad inanimata pertinet agnitio, et ad quaecunque, ut dictum est, a fortuna aliquando esse contingit.

et si fecit aliquis aut non fecit, licet agnoscere, sed quae maxime pertinet ad fabnlaure quae maxime ad actionem, est ea quae dicta est: talis enim agnitio et peripetia ant aut misericordiam habebit aut metum; qualium actionum tragoedia imitatio supponitur. praeterea vero et adversa fortuna uti et prospera in talibus continget.

iam quoniam agnitio quorundam est agnitio, aliae quidem sunt alterius ad alterum solum, cum fuerit manifestus alter quis sit; aliquando vero ambos oportet agnoscere, ut Iphigenia ab Öreste agnita est ex missione epistolae, illi autem erga Iphigeniam alia opus fuit agnitione.

ac duae quidem fabulae partes circa haec sunt, peripetia et agnitio. tertia vero est passio. atque ex his peripetia et agnitio expositae sunt.

passio vero est actio habens vim interimendi aut graves dolores afferendi, ut quae in aperto sunt mortes et ciulationes et vulnerationes, et quaecunque talia.

De arte poetica liber (William of Moerbeke, ca. 1277) (OCR draft) Experimental (William of Moerbeke's medieval Latin translation, represented by the 1953 Aristoteles Latinus edition.) — 11 focus

Est autem peripeteia quidem que ad contrarium eorum que aguntur transmutatio, sicut dictum est, et hoc autem sicut dicebamus secundum verisimile aut necessarium ;

sicut in Oidipode veniens tamquam letificaturus Oidipodem et inmutaturus ab eo qui ad matrem timore, palificans quis erat, contrarium fecit ;

et in Lynkei hic quidem ductus tamquam interficiendus, Danaus autem sequens tamquam interfecturus, hunc quidem accidit ex actis mori, hunc autem salvari. —

Anagnorisis autem, sicut et nomen significat, ex ignorantia in notitiam transmutatio aut in amicitiam aut inimicitiam eorum que ad eufortunium aut infortunium determinata ;

pulcherrima autem anagnorisis, quando simul peripetie fiunt, sicut habet que in Oidipode.

Sunt quidem igitur et alia anagnorisees, et enim ad inanimata et ad quecumque adhuc et sicut dictum est accidit, et si egit quis et si non egit est anagnorizare ;

sed que maxime fabule et que maxime actionis que dicta est; talis enim anagnorisis et peripetela aut miserationem habebit aut terrorem, qualium actionum tragodia supponitur 1mitatio. — Adhuc autem et infortunari et eufortunari in talibus accidet.

Quoniam anagnorisis aliquorum est anagnorisis, hee quidem alterius ad alterum. solum, cum sit manifestus alter quis est, aliquando autem ambos oportet anagnorizare, puta Ifigenia Oresti recognita est ex missione epistole, illi autem ad Ifigeniam alia opus erat recognitione. —

Due quidem igitur fabule partes hee sunt, peripetia et anagnorisis, tertia autem passio. Harum autem peripetia quidem et anagnorisis dicte sunt,

passio autem est actio corruptiva et dolorosa, puta que in manifesto mortes et cruciatus et vulnerationes et quecumque talia. —

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition) (OCR draft) Experimental (The Arabic translation attributed to Abū Bishr Mattā, edited by Jaroslaus Tkatsch in 1928 and aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 11 focus

‏والادراه هى التغير الى مضادة الاعمال التى يعملون كما قلنا وعلى طريق الحق وبطريق الضرورة

‏مثل ما انه لما جا الى اريفوس على انه يفرح باريفوس وينقذه من خوف وفزع امه فانه اتى بالشعر على ضد ما عمل

‏وهو انه غير ما كان يجا به فى محنة من قبل انه كان مزمعا ان يموت فان اناوس لما جا خلفه ليقتله اما هذا على ما ذكر قيما كتب به من ذلك عرض له ان يموت واما ذاك فعرض له انه سلم ونجا

‏واما الاستدلال كما على ما يدل ويكنى الاسم نفسه فهو العبور من لا معرفة الى معرفة التى هى نحو الاشيا التى تحدد بالفلاح والنجح او برداه البخت والعداوة لها

‏والاستدلال الحسن يكون متى كانت الاراده دفعة بمنزلة ما يوجد فى سيرة اوديفس وتدبيره

‏وقد يوجد للاستدلال اصناف اخر وذلك انها قد توجد عند غير المتنفسة وان كان الانسان يعمل **ا وان لم يكن يعمل شيا فانه يعرض له الاستدلال على الحالين

‏لكن هذه منها خرافة خاصة وهذه هى خاصة عمل اعنى ما قيل ومثل هذا الاستدلال والاراده اما يكون معه رحمة واما خوف مثل ما انه وضع ان العمل المديحى هو التشبيه والمحاكاة وايضا والفلاح والنجح والافلاح ونجح فى تعرضان

‏من قبل الاستدلال لقوم ما هو استدلال من انسان ما الى رفيقه وهو يكون عند ما يعرف ذاك الامر هو فقط واما متى كان يجب ان يكون كليهما يسدلان ويتعرفان فان مثل ما استدلت ووقفت المراة المسماة افاغانيا على اورسطس من رانفاذ رسالته اما ذاك فكان يحتاج الى الاستدلال وتعرف اخر اعنى فى امر افاغانيا

‏فهاتان اللتان خبرنا بهما هما جزو الحرا** وحكاية الحديث اعنى الاستدلال والادارة والجزو الـ*** هو انفعال الالم والتاثير

‏والالم والتاثير هو عمل مفسد او موجع بمنزلة الذين يصيبهم مصايب من الصوت والعذاب والشقا واشباه هذه

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 11 focus

‏والادراه هى التغير الى مضادة الاعمال التى يعملون كما قلنا وعلى طريق الحق وبطريق الضرورة مثل ما انه لما جا الى اريفوس على انه يفرح باريفوس وينقذه من خوف وفزع امه فانه اتى بالشعر على ضد ما عمل

‏والاستدلال الحسن يكون متى كانت الاراده دفعة بمنزلة ما يوجد فى سيرة اوديفس وتدبيره

‏وقد يوجد للاستدلال اصناف اخر وذلك انها قد توجد عند غير المتنفسة وان كان الانسان يعمل **ا وان لم يكن يعمل شيا فانه يعرض له الاستدلال على الحالين لكن هذه منها خرافة خاصة وهذه هى خاصة عمل اعنى ما قيل

‏ومثل هذا الاستدلال والاراده اما يكون معه رحمة واما خوف مثل ما انه وضع ان العمل المديحى هو التشبيه والمحاكاة

‏وايضا والفلاح والنجح والافلاح ونجح فى تعرضان

‏والالم والتاثير هو عمل مفسد او موجع بمنزلة الذين يصيبهم مصايب من الصوت والعذاب والشقا واشباه هذه

Notes on the current edition

Poetics

1. 5. Different discoveries.

Commentary

Commentary on the Poetics (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) (Ingram Bywater's English commentary on Aristotle's Poetics.) focus

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-409

μάλιστα τοῦ μύθου: comp. 10, 1452 a 18

γίνεσθαι ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς συστάσεως τοῦ μύθου

. As the relationship between the parties is presupposed, the discovery of it in the course of the play is a very natural kind of incident.

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-410

μάλιστα τῆς πράξεως is explained by what follows, ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη ἀναγνώρισις κτέ.

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-411

ἢ ἔλεον ἕξει ἢ φόβον. The grammatical subject is ἀναγνώρισις, καὶ περιπέτεια being overlooked (see on 26, 1462 a 16 ). The Discovery will produce pity, when it synchronizes with the πάθος or anguish of the hero, as it does in the O. T.; but may also only suggest the coming of evil, in which case it will arouse fear. It is to be remembered that pity arises through the spectacle of suffering actually present and before us; whereas fear is apprehension of evil still to come (see on 13, 1453 a 2 ).

1452b2

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-412

1452b ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀτυχεῖν καὶ τὸ εὐτυχεῖν κτέ. is a further reason for saying that the discovery of relationships is ἡ μάλιστα τῆς πράξεως ( a 37 ). If the play has a happy ending, like the Lynceus ( a 27 ) or the Iphigenia in Tauris for instance, such a Discovery will be a very natural way of bringing that about; and it is equally natural in the O. T. and other plays with an unhappy ending.

Remarques sur la poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) (André Dacier's French commentary on Aristotle's Poetics.) focus

8. mvp-aristotle-comment-274

11.7 Mais celle dont je viens de parler eſt la plus propre à la REMARQUES. fable & à l'action.]¹

9. mvp-aristotle-comment-275

11.7 Car cette reconnoiſſance accompagnée de la péripetie produira immanquablement, ou la compaſſion ou la terreur, dont la Tragedie eſt l'imitation, &c.]²

Commentarius in Aristotelis Poeticam (Franciscus Ritter, 1839) (OCR draft) (Ritter's Latin commentary, extracted from the 1839 volume, divided by Ritter's chapters and sections, and linked to the corresponding Perseus reference subsections.) focus

3. mvp-aristotle-comment-80

Ritter, cap. 11 § 3

ἔστιν ὅτε, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, συμβαίνει: additur ὥσπερ εἴρηται ad definienda verba ἔστιν ὅτε συμβαίνει, est cum evenit, ut dictum, adversus ea quae anima carent, nempe ut fiat pro ignoratione cognitio, sive ἐξ ἀγνοίας εἰς γνῶσιν μεταβολή, et quidem talis mutatio, qua homines ad fortunam aut infortunium destinati se amare aut aversari incipiant. nimirum interdum ex fortuitis rebus homines suam aliorumque condicionem et sortem ita intelligunt, ut inde amicitia aut odium exsistat, ceterum loci lectio dubia est. nam ὅτε deest libris AcBcNa et Momnibus et GPQ. in nonnullis codicibus, ut in GP et M XIV est συμβαίνειν, quod grammatico deberi videtur sustentandae structurae studioso, postquam ὅτε a subsequente ὥσπερ absorptum erat. fortasse ἔστιν ex versu continuo sequente huc temere tractum est, ut Aristoteles scripserit καὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἄψυχα καὶ τὰ τυχόντα, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, συμβαίνει. – καὶ εἰ πέπραγέ τις ἢ μὴ 1) "Ex mera verborum vi coniiceremus ipsum Lyncea ad mortem duci etc. sed infra c. 18, 1. (si modo ad eandem tragoediam respicit, quod satis probabile est) non Lynceus, sed puer aliquis in capitis discrimen videtur venisse. hic autem puer Abas forte erat Lyncei filius. modum quidem quo periit Danaus, nemo veterum (qui scilicet hodie extant) tradidit; sed Hyginus, cuius fabulae ex tragicis saepissime derivatae sunt, mortem eius ab Abante parentibus nuntiatam bis commemoravit, fab. 170 et 273" 1 yrwhittus. πέπραγεν, ἔστιν ἀναγνωρίσαι : agnoscere aliquis potest, utrum actionem iam odiosam aut optandam omiserit aut susceperit.

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-81

Ritter, cap. 11 § 4

ἢ ἔλεον ἕξει ἢ φόβον, h. e. sive in alios miserationem sive de ipsis timorem in nobis excitabit. οἵων πράξεων, h. e. φοβερῶν καὶ ἐλεεινῶν, actiones quibus miseratio ac timor excitatur.

Aristotle Poetics 11.7

Theodore Alois Buckley (Translator)