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As to that poetic imitation which is narrative in
form and employs a single metre, the plot manifestly
ought, as in a tragedy, to be constructed on dramatic
principles. It should have for its subject a single
action, whole and complete, with a beginning, a middle,
and an end. It will thus resemble a living organism
in all its unity, and produce the pleasure proper to
it.

It will differ in structure from historical composi-
tions, which of necessity present not a single action,
but a single period, and all that happened within
that period to one person or to many, little connected
together as the events may be.

For as the sea-fight at 2
Salamis and the battle with the Carthaginians in Sicily
took place at the same time, but did not tend to any one
result, so in the sequence of events, one thing sometimes
follows another, and yet no single result is thereby
produced.

Such is the practice, we may say, of
most poets.

Here again, then, as has been already 3
observed, the transcendent excellence of Homer is
manifest. He never attempts to make the whole war of
Troy the subject of his poem, though that war had a
beginning and an end. It would have been too vast a
theme, and not easily embraced in a single view. If,
again, he had kept it within moderate limits, it must
have been over-complicated by the variety of the in-
cidents. As it is, he detaches a single portion, and
admits as episodes many events from the general story
of the war—such as the Catalogue of the ships and
others—thus diversifying the poem.

All other poets take a single hero, a single
period, or an action single indeed, but with a multiplicity
of parts. Thus did the
author of the Cypria and of the Little Iliad.

For this 4
reason the Iliad and the Odyssey each furnish the
subject of one tragedy, or, at most, of two; while the
Cypria supplies materials for many, and the Little Iliad
for eight—the Award of the Arms, the Philoctetes, the
Neoptolemus, the Eurypylus, the Mendicant Odysseus,
the Laconian Women, the Fall of Ilium, the Departure
of the Fleet.

Poetics. Aristotle. S. H. Butcher (Translator). London. 1911.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Experimental

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

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.) — 23 focus

Περὶ δὲ τῆς διηγηματικῆς καὶ ἐν μέτρῳ μιμητικῆς, ὅτι δεῖ τοὺς μύθους καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις συνιστάναι δραματικούς, καὶ περὶ μίαν πρᾶξιν ὅλην καὶ τελείαν, ἔχουσαν ἀρχὴν καὶ μέσον καὶ τέλος, ἵν᾿ ὥσπερ ζῷον ἓν ὅλον ποιῇ τὴν οἰκείαν ἡδονήν, δῆλον,

καὶ μὴ ὁμοίας ἱστορίας τὰς συνήθεις εἶναι, ἐν αἷς ἀνάγκη οὐχὶ μιᾶς πράξεως ποιεῖσθαι δήλωσιν ἀλλ᾿ ἑνὸς χρόνου, ὅσα ἐν τούτῳ συνέβη περὶ ἕνα ἢ πλείους, ὧν ἕκαστον ὡς ἔτυχεν ἔχει πρὸς ἄλληλα.

Ὥσπερ γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους ἥ τ᾿ ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ἐγένετο ναυμαχία καὶ ἡ ἐν Σικελίᾳ Καρχηδονίων μάχη, οὐδὲν πρὸς τὸ αὐτὸ συντείνουσαι τέλος, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐφεξῆς χρόνοις ἐνίοτε γίνεται θάτερον μετὰ θατέρου, ἐξ ὧν ἓν οὐδὲν γίνεται τέλος.

Σχεδὸν δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ποιητῶν τοῦτο δρῶσιν.

Διό, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν ἤδη, καὶ ταύτῃ θεσπέσιος ἂν φανείη Ὅμηρος παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους, τῷ μηδὲ τὸν πόλεμον, καίπερ ἔχοντα ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος, ἐπιχειρῆσαι ποιεῖν ὅλον· λίαν γὰρ ἂν μέγας καὶ οὐκ εὐσύνοπτος ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι· ἢ τῷ μεγέθει μετριάζοντα καταπεπλεγμένον τῇ ποικιλίᾳ. Νῦν δ᾿ ἓν μέρος ἀπολαβὼν ἐπεισοδίοις κέχρηται αὐτῶν πολλοῖς, οἷον νεῶν καταλόγῳ καὶ ἄλλοις ἐπεισοδίοις, οἷς διαλαμβάνει τὴν ποίησιν.

Οἱ δ᾿ ἄλλοι περὶ ἕνα ποιοῦσι καὶ περὶ ἕνα χρόνον, καὶ μίαν πρᾶξιν πολυμερῆ, οἷον ὁ τὰ Κύπρια ποιήσας καὶ τὴν μικρὰν Ἰλιάδα.

Τοιγαροῦν ἐκ μὲν Ἰλιάδος καὶ Ὀδυσσείας μία τραγῳδία ποιεῖται ἑκατέρας ἢ δύο μόναι, ἐκ δὲ Κυπρίων πολλαί, καὶ ἐκ τῆς μικρᾶς Ἰλιάδος πλέον ὀκτώ, οἷον ὅπλων κρίσις, Φιλοκτήτης, Νεοπτόλεμος, Εὐρύπυλος, πτωχεία, Λάκαιναι, Ἰλίου πέρσις καὶ ἀπόπλους καὶ Σίνων καὶ Τρῳάδες.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 23 focus

περὶ δὲ τῆς διηγηματικῆς καὶ ἐν μέτρῳ μιμητικῆς, ὅτι δεῖ τοὺς μύθους καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις συνιστάναι δραματικοὺς καὶ περὶ μίαν πρᾶξιν ὅλην καὶ τελείαν 20 ἔχουσαν ἀρχὴν καὶ μέσα καὶ τέλος, ἵν’ ὥσπερ ζῷον ἓν ὅλον ποιῇ τὴν οἰκείαν ἡδονήν, δῆλον,

καὶ μὴ ὁμοίας ἱστορίαις τὰς συνθέσεις εἶναι, ἐν αἷς ἀνάγκη οὐχὶ μιᾶς πράξεως ποιεῖσθαι δήλωσιν ἀλλ’ ἑνὸς χρόνου, ὅσα ἐν τούτῳ συνέβη περὶ ἕνα ἢ πλείους, ὧν ἕκαστον ὡς ἔτυχεν ἔχει πρὸς ἄλληλα.

ὥσπερ 25 γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους ἥ τ’ ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ἐγένετο ναυμαχία καὶ ἡ ἐν Σικελίᾳ Καρχηδονίων μάχη οὐδὲν πρὸς τὸ αὐτὸ συντείνουσαι τέλος, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐφεξῆς χρόνοις ἐνίοτε γίνεται θάτερον μετὰ θάτερον, ἐξ ὧν ἓν οὐδὲν γίνεται τέλος.

σχεδὸν δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ποιητῶν τοῦτο 30 δρῶσι.

διὸ ὥσπερ εἴπομεν ἤδη καὶ ταύτῃ θεσπέσιος ἂν φανείη Ὅμηρος παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους, τῷ μηδὲ τὸν πόλεμον καίπερ ἔχοντα ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος ἐπιχειρῆσαι ποιεῖν ὅλον· λίαν γὰρ ἂν μέγας καὶ οὐκ εὐσύνοπτος ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι ὁ μῦθος, ἢ τῷ μεγέθει μετριάζοντα καταπεπλεγμένον τῇ ποικιλίᾳ. 35 νῦν δ’ ἓν μέρος ἀπολαβὼν ἐπεισοδίοις κέχρηται αὐτῶν πολλοῖς, οἷον νεῶν καταλόγῳ καὶ ἄλλοις ἐπεισοδίοις δὶς διαλαμβάνει τὴν ποίησιν.

οἱ δ’ ἄλλοι περὶ ἕνα ποιοῦσι καὶ 1459b 1 περὶ ἕνα χρόνον καὶ μίαν πρᾶξιν πολυμερῆ, οἷον ὁ τὰ Κύπρια ποιήσας καὶ τὴν μικρὰν Ἰλιάδα.

τοιγαροῦν ἐκ μὲν Ἰλιάδος καὶ Ὀδυσσείας μία τραγῳδία ποιεῖται ἑκατέρας ἢ δύο μόναι, ἐκ δὲ Κυπρίων πολλαὶ καὶ τῆς μικρᾶς 5 Ἰλιάδος πλέον ὀκτώ, οἷον ὅπλων κρίσις, Φιλοκτήτης, Νεοπτόλεμος, Εὐρύπυλος, πτωχεία, Λάκαιναι, Ἰλίου πέρσις καὶ ἀπόπλους καὶ Σίνων καὶ Τρῳάδες.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 23 focus

Περὶ δὲ τῆς διηγηματικῆς καὶ ἐν μέτρῳ μιμητικῆς,
ὅτι δεῖ τοὺς μύθους καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις συνιστάναι
δραματικοὺς καὶ περὶ μίαν πρᾶξιν ὅλην καὶ τελείαν ἔχουσαν
ἀρχὴν καὶ μέσα καὶ τέλος, ἵν᾽ ὥσπερ ζῷον ἓν ὅλον
ποιῇ τὴν οἰκείαν ἡδονήν, δῆλον,

καὶ μὴ ὁμοίας ἱστορίαις τὰς
συνήθεις θεῖναι, ἐν αἷς ἀνάγκη οὐχὶ μιᾶς πράξεως ποιεῖσθαι
δήλωσιν ἀλλ᾽ ἑνὸς χρόνου, ὅσα ἐν τούτῳ συνέβη περὶ ἕνα
ἢ πλείους, ὧν ἕκαστον ὡς ἔτυχεν ἔχει πρὸς ἄλληλα.

ὥσπερ
γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους ἥ τ᾽ ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ἐγένετο
ναυμαχία καὶ ἡ ἐν Σικελίᾳ Καρχηδονίων μάχη οὐδὲν
πρὸς τὸ αὐτὸ συντείνουσαι τέλος, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐφεξῆς
χρόνοις ἐνίοτε γίνεται θάτερον μετὰ θάτερον, ἐξ ὧν ἓν
οὐδὲν γίνεται τέλος.

σχεδὸν δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ποιητῶν τοῦτο
δρῶσι.

διὸ ὥσπερ εἴπομεν ἤδη καὶ ταύτῃ θεσπέσιος ἂν
φανείη Ὅμηρος παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους, τῷ μηδὲ τὸν πόλεμον
καίπερ ἔχοντα ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος ἐπιχειρῆσαι ποιεῖν ὅλον·
λίαν γὰρ ἂν μέγας καὶ οὐκ εὐσύνοπτος ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι,
ἢ τῷ μεγέθει μετριάζοντα καταπεπλεγμένον τῇ ποικιλίᾳ.
νῦν δ᾽ ἓν μέρος ἀπολαβὼν ἐπεισοδίοις κέχρηται αὐτῶν
πολλοῖς, οἷον νεῶν καταλόγῳ καὶ ἄλλοις ἐπεισοδίοις διαλαμβάνει
τὴν ποίησιν.

οἱ δ᾽ ἄλλοι περὶ ἕνα ποιοῦσι
καὶ περὶ ἕνα χρόνον καὶ μίαν πρᾶξιν πολυμερή, οἷον ὁ τὰ
Κύπρια ποιήσας καὶ τὴν μικρὰν Ἰλιάδα.

τοιγαροῦν ἐκ μὲν
Ἰλιάδος καὶ Ὀδυσσείας μία τραγῳδία ποιεῖται ἑκατέρας
ἢ δύο μόναι, ἐκ δὲ Κυπρίων πολλαὶ καὶ τῆς μικρᾶς
Ἰλιάδος πλέον ὀκτώ, οἷον ὅπλων κρίσις, Φιλοκτήτης,
Νεοπτόλεμος, Εὐρύπυλος, πτωχεία, Λάκαιναι, Ἰλίου πέρσις
καὶ ἀπόπλους, καὶ Σίνων καὶ Τρῳάδες.

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.) — 23 focus

καὶ μὴ ὁμοίας ἱστορίας τὰς συνήθεις εἶναι, ἐν αἷς ἀνάγκη οὐχὶ μιᾶς πράξεως ποιεῖσθαι δήλωσιν ἀλλ᾽ ἑνὸς χρόνου, ὅσα ἐν τούτῳ συνέβη περὶ ἕνα ἢ πλείους, ὧν ἕκαστον ὡς ἔτυχεν ἔχει πρὸς ἄλληλα.

ὥσπερ γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους ἥ τ᾽ ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ἐγένετο ναυμαχία καὶ ἡ ἐν Σικελίᾳ Καρχηδονίων μάχη, οὐδὲν πρὸς τὸ αὐτὸ συντείνουσαι τέλος, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐφεξῆς χρόνοις ἐνίοτε γίνεται θάτερον μετὰ θατέρου, ἐξ ὧν ἓν οὐδὲν γίνεται τέλος.

σχεδὸν δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ποιητῶν τοῦτο δρῶσιν.

διό, ὥσπερ¹ εἴπομεν ἤδη, καὶ ταύτῃ θεσπέσιος ἂν φανείη Ὅμηρος παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους, τῷ μηδὲ τὸν πόλεμον, καίπερ ἔχοντα ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος, ἐπιχειρῆσαι ποιεῖν ὅλον, λίαν γὰρ ἂν μέγας καὶ οὐκ εὐσύνοπτος ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι, ἢ τῷ μεγέθει μετριάζοντα καταπεπλεγμένον τῇ ποικιλίᾳ. νῦν δ᾽ ἓν μέρος ἀπολαβών ἐπεισοδίοις κέχρηται [αὐτῶν] πολλοῖς, οἷον νεῶν καταλόγῳ καὶ ἄλλοις ἐπεισοδίοις, οἷς διαλαμβάνει τὴν ποίησιν.

οἱ δ᾽ ἄλλοι περὶ ἕνα ποιοῦσι καὶ περὶ ἕνα χρόνον, καὶ μίαν πρᾶξιν πο λυμερῆ, οἷον ὁ τὰ Κύπρια ποιήσας καὶ τὴν μικρὰν Ιλιάδα. [

τοιγαροῦν ἐκ μὲν Ἰλιάδος καὶ Ὀδυσσείας μία τραγῳδία ποιεῖται ἑκατέρας ἢ δύο μόναι, ἐκ δὲ Κυπρίων πολλαὶ καὶ τῆς μικρᾶς Ιλιάδος πλέον ὀκτώ, οἷον ὅπλων κρίσις, Φιλοκτήτης, Νεοπτόλεμος, Εὐρύπυλος, πτωχεία, Λάκαιναι, Ἰλίου πέρσις καὶ ἀπόπλους καὶ Σίνων καὶ Τρῳάδες.]

Translations (12)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 23 focus

We come now to the art of representation which is narrative and in metre.¹ Clearly the story must be constructed as in tragedy, dramatically, round a single piece of action, whole and complete in itself, 20 with a beginning, middle and end, so that like a single living organism it may produce its own peculiar form of pleasure.

It must not be such as we normally find in history, where what is required is an exposition not of a single piece of action but of a single period of time, showing all that within the period befell one or more persons, events that have a merely casual relation to each other.

For just as the battle of Salamis occurred at the same time as the Carthaginian battle in Sicily , but they do not converge to the same result²; so, too, in any sequence of time one event may follow another and yet they may not issue in any one result.

Yet most of the poets do this.

So in this respect, too, compared with all other poets Homer may seem, as we have already said, divinely inspired, in that even with the Trojan war, which has a beginning and an end, he did not endeavor to dramatize it as a whole, since it would have been either too long to be taken in all at once or, if he had moderated the length, he would have complicated it by the variety of incident. As it is, he takes one part of the story only and uses many incidents from other parts, such as the Catalogue of Ships and other incidents with which he diversifies his poetry.

The others, on the contrary, all write about a single hero or about a single period or about a single action with a great many parts, the authors, 1459b 1 for example, of the Cypria and the Little Iliad.³

The result is that out of an Iliad or an Odyssey only one tragedy can be made, or two at most, whereas several have been made out of the Cypria, and out of the Little Iliad more than eight, e.g. The Award of Arms, Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, Eurypylus, The Begging, The Laconian Women, The Sack of Troy , and Sailing of the Fleet, and Sinon, too, and The Trojan Women.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 23 focus

〈وحدة الفعل: فى الملحمة، وعند هوميروس〉

وأما الاقتصاصى والوزن المحاكى فقد 〈ينبغى〉 أن نخبرعنها بالخرافات وحكاية الحديث على ما فى المديحات وأن يقوم المتقينين والقينات نحو العمل الواحد متكامل بأسره، وهو الذى له أول ووسط وآخر، وهو الذى كما الحيوان العـ〈ـامـ〉ـل للذة خاصية؛ ومن حيث لا يدخل فى هذه التركيبات اقتصاصات تشبه، وهى التى قد ينظر فيها أن الاستدلال ليس إنما هو لعمل واحد، لكن لزمان واحد، بمبلغ ما يعرض فى هذا وعمل واحد أو كثير، وكيف كل واحد واحد منها، على مالها انضافت إلى قرينها كما كانت 〈الأزمـ〉ـنة أنفسها، أما فى سالامانا فحروب المراكب، وفى سيقيليا حرب القركدونيا، فان كلا هذين ليس شيئاً آخر غير أنها تنتهى إلى انقضاء واحد واحد. وكذلك فى الأزمنة التى 〈تكون〉 بعد فى وقت بعد وقت يكون واحد منها الذى لا يكون له شىء آخر هو آخر وانقضاء؛ وكثير من الشعراء قد يفعلون هذا قريباً.

ولذلك كما قلنا وفرغنا من القول 〈فى ذلك〉 فليـر أوميروس فى هذا ذو سنة وناموس هاد؛ ومن هذا الوجه أيضاً يرى أوميروس أنه متبع للناموس، وأنه لازم للصواب والاستقامة أكثر من هؤلاء الأخر، 〈و〉هو الذى عمل الحرب وقد كان له أول وآخر من حيث يرى أن يأتى به بأسره، هذا على أنه قد كان عظيما جداً ولم تكن تسهل رؤيته، ولا أيضاً كان مزمعاً أن ينتهى فى خرافته بهذه الحال، من قبل أنها قد كانت عندما كانت تتركب وتقترن قد كانت تصغر فى عظمها، والآن فى هذه المداخل التى تقتضب جزءً ما، وهو ما الذى يفعل الإنسان.

وأما هؤلاء الأخر فيقتضبوا بحسب واحد واحد فى واحد واحد من الزمان خرافات كثيرة الأجزاء، بمنزلة ذاك الذى عمل هذه التى هى معروفة «بقوفوانيا» وجعل «الإلياذا صغيرة». ولذلك عمل «إلياذا» و«أودوسيا» كلتيهما مديحاً واحداً أو بعد كراثنتين، وأما فى المعروفة «بقوفوانيا» فكثيرة، وإلى الإلياذا الصغيرة فثمانية، وأكثر التى تقال بالسلاح منها المعروفة بنا أوفطلامس وفيلوقطيطس 〈و〉المعروف بأفطوخيا و〈لاقـ〉ـينس، إلياس، ورجوع المراكب، واينن وطرواس.

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 23 focus

As for the poetry which merely narrates, or imitates by
means of versified language (without action), it is evident
that it has several points in common with Tragedy. I. The
construction of its stories should clearly be like that in
a drama; they should be based on a single action,
one that is a complete whole in itself, with a beginning,
middle, and end, so as to enable the work to produce its
own proper pleasure with all the organic unity of a living
creature.

Nor should one suppose that there is anything
like them in our usual histories.
A history has to deal not
with one action, but with one period and all that happened
in that to one or more persons, however disconnected the
several events may have been.

Just as two events may
take place at the same time, e.g. the sea-fight off Salamis
and the battle with the Carthaginians in Sicily, without
converging to the same end, so too of two consecutive
events one may sometimes come after the other with no
one end as their common issue.

Nevertheless most of our
epic poets, one may say, ignore the distinction.

Herein, then, to repeat what we have said before, we have
a further proof of Homer's marvellous superiority to the
rest. He did not attempt to deal even with the Trojan war
in its entirety, though it was a whole with a definite beginning
and end—through a feeling apparently that it was too long
a story to be taken in in one view, or if not that, too
complicated from the variety of incident in it. As it is,
he has singled out one section of the whole; many of the
other incidents, however, he brings in as episodes, using
the Catalogue of the Ships, for instance, and other episodes
to relieve the uniformity of his narrative.

As for the other
epic poets, they treat of one man, or one period; or else
of an action which, although one, has a multiplicity of
parts in it.

This last is what the authors of the
Cypria and Little Iliad have done. And the result is that,
whereas the Iliad or Odyssey supplies materials for only
one, or at most two tragedies, the Cypria does that for
several, and the Little Iliad for more than eight: for an
Adjudgment of Arms, a Philoctetes, a Neoptolemus, a
Eurypylus, a Ulysses as Beggar, a Laconian Women, a Fall
of Ilium, and a Departure of the Fleet; as also a Sinon, and
a Women of Troy.

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.) — 23 focus

Chapter 23

OF EPIC POETRY. As to imitations that are solely produced by narration and verse [A], it is evident that even there 23.1 as in tragedy, the fables should have a dramatic form and relate to one entire and complete action, that has a beginning, a middle and an end and which, like one perfect animal, should produce its peculiar delight; 23.2 and not follow the custom of history, where it is not necessary to confine the subject to one action but to one period of time; and where every thing may be introduced that happened in that time, whether relating to one or more persons, however casual their connexion may be (B). For as the sea-fight at Salamis 23.3 and the battle with the Carthagenians in Sicily, though they happened at the same [c] time, by no means conduced to the same end; so also even in progressive time events may sometimes be connected [D] and yet no particular common consequence may arise from them.¹²³⁴

23.4 This manner is nevertheless adopted by the generality of poets: therefore even in this respect, Homer as we [E] have before observed when compared with all other writers, may almost seem inspired. 23.5 He did not even attempt to include the whole Trojan war, though it had a beginning and an end. For it either would have been so large as not to be easily comprehended in one view; or, if it had been reduced to a moderate size, it would have been confused from the number of incidents. Taking, therefore, only one part for his subject, he introduces abundance of episodes from the other parts. Such as the catalogue of the ships and the other episodes, with which he has adorned his poem. While other poets, like the authors of the Cypriacs (F) 23.6 and the lesser Iliad, are satisfied if they confine themselves to one person, one period of time or one action, though it may have many parts. Not more than one or two tragedies at the most, could be formed either from the Iliad or the Odyssey. But many might from the Cypriacs; 23.7 and from the lesser Iliad more than eight. As the Judgment of the arms, Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, Eurypylus, the Ptochia [G], the Lacænæ, the Destruction of Troy, the Return of the Greeks, Sinon and the Troades.⁵⁶⁷

The Poetic of Aristotle (Theodore Alois Buckley) (OCR draft) Experimental (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.) — 23 focus

On the Epic Poem.

[1] ¹ CONCERNING the poetry, however, which is narrative and imitative in metre, it is evident that it ought to have dramatic fables, in the same manner as tragedy, 23.1 and should be conversant with one whole and perfect action, which has a beginning, middle, and end, in order that, like one whole animal, it may produce its appropriate pleasure 1; and that it may not be like the custom of histories, in which it is not necessary to treat of one action, 23.2 but of one time, viz. of such things as have happened in that time, respecting one or more persons, the relation of each of which things to the other is just as it may happen. ²For as the sea-fight at Salamis, 23.3 and the battle with the Carthaginians in Sicily, though they happened at the same time, tend nothing to the same end; thus also in successive times, one thing may sometimes be connected with another, from which no one end is produced. ³ But nearly all poets do this. Hence, as we have before observed, in this respect also Homer will appear to be divine, when compared with other poets, because he did not attempt to sing of the whole of the Trojan war, though it had a beginning and an end. For if he had, it would have been very great, and not sufficiently conspicuous; or if it bad been of a moderate size, it would have been intricate through the variety of incidents 2. But now, having selected one part of the war, he has made use of many episodes; such as the catalogue of the ships, 23.4 and other episodes, with which he has adorned his ⁴⁵ poem. Other poets, however, have composed a fable about one man, 23.5 and one time, 23.6 and one action, consisting of many parts; as the authors of the Cypriacs, and the Lesser Iliad. [With respect to the Iliad ⁶ and Odyssey, therefore, one or two tragedies only could be made from each. But many might be made from the Cypriacs; and from the Lesser Iliad more than eight; 23.7 such as the Judgment of the Arms 4, Philoctetes5, Neoptolemus, Eurypylus6, the Begging [of Ulysses], the Lacaenae, the Destruction of Troy, the Return of the Greeks, Sinon, and the Troades.

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.) — 23 focus

Quod attinet ad artem narrativam metrisque imitativam, opus esse ut fabulas sicut in tragoediis componas dramaticas, ac circa unam actionem totam et absolutam, quae habeat principium et medium et finem, ut tamquam animal unum ac totum propriam suam faciat voluptatem, perspicuum est,

neque vulgares historias ei similes esse licere, in quibus necesse non est unius actionis proponere explicationem sed unius temporis, quaecumque intra hoc acciderunt circa unum aut plures, quorum singula ut casus fert sese contingunt.

nam quemadmodum isdem temporibus ad Salaminem pugna navalis facta est et Carthaginiensium in Sicilia praelium, nihil ad eundem finem contendentia, sic etiam in temporibus succedentibus interdum accidit unum cum altero, ex quibus unus non fit finis.

fere autem plerique poetarum hoc committunt.

quare, ut iam diximus, etiam in hoc genere divinus videatur Homerus prae ceteris, propterea quod neque bellum illud, quamvis praeditum principio et fine, adgressus est pangere totum, quippe nimis magnum nec facile contuendum futurum erat, neque in brevius contractum varietate implicatum. nunc vero una parte delecta, episodiis usus est [ipsarum] multis, ut navium indice et aliis episodiis, quibus distinguit poesin.

ceteri autem circa unum canunt et circa unum tempus, et unam actionem pluribus partibus constantem, ut qui Cypria fecit et parvam Iliadem.

[itaque ex Hiade et Odyssea una tragoedia conficitur ex utravis vel duae solae, ex Cypriis autem multae et parva Iliade plus quam octo, veluti armorum iudicium, Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, Eurypylus, mendicitas, Lacaenae, Ilii excidium et discessio et Sinon et Troades.]

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 23 focus

CHAPITRE VINGT-TROISIE'ME.

Ce qui rend l'expreſſion claire & noble. Des barbariſmes & des Enigmes. Ce qui fait proprement l'Enigme. Critique frivole de l'ancien Euclide contre Homere. Les plus grands ornemens du diſcours deviennent vicieux, s'ils ſont trop frequens. Avantage des mots figurez ſur les mots propres. Vers d'Eſchyle rendu noble dans Euripide par le changement d'un mot. Ridicule Critique d'Ariphrades contre les Poëtes tragiques. Partage de tous les ornemens du diſcours, & à quels ouvrages chacun d'eux convient particulierement.

J.

22.1 LA vertu de l'expreſſion conſiſte dans la netteté & dans la nobleſſe. 22.2 Celle qui eſt compoſée de mots propres eſt tres claire; mais elle eſt auſſi fort baſſe, comme on le voit dans la Poeſie de Cleophon, & dans celle de Sthenelus. 22.3 L'expreſſion noble, & qui s'éloigne des façons de parler populaires, eſt celle qui employe des mots empruntez. J'appelle mots empruntez, les mots des Langues étrangeres, les metaphores, les mots allongez, enfin tout ce qui n'eſt pas mot propre.

2.

22.4 Mais ſi on n'employoit par tout que de ces ſortes de termes, on feroit, ou des énigmes, ou des barbariſmes. Les metaphores trop frequentes degenereroient en énigme, & les mots tirez des Langues étrangeres produiroient le barbariſme avec l'obſcurité. 22.5 Car l'énigme conſiſte proprement à dire les choſes, de maniere que l'expreſſion les faſſe paroître impoſſibles, & c'eſt ce qu'on ne peut faire par la ſimple compoſition des mots, il n'y a que les metaphores qui ayent la vertu de faire l'énigme, comme on le voit dans cet énigme celebre: J'ay vû un homme qui avec du feu colloit de l'airain ſur un homme, & autres ſemblables. 22.6 Et le barbariſme ne peut naître que des mots étrangers, 22.7 c'eſt pourquoy il faut ſen ſervir avec beaucoup de jugement & de retenue,

3.

22.8 Pour faire donc que l'expreſſion ne ſoit, ni populaire, ni baſſe, il faut avoir recours aux mots étrangers, aux metaphores, aux ornemens, & à toutes les autres eſpeces que j'ay expliquées; & pour la rendre claire & nette, il faut employer les mots propres. Mais il y a un moyen tres ſeur de la rendre en même temps, & noble & claire, c'eſt de ſe ſervir des mots allongez, racourcis, ou changez; car ce qu'il y a d'extraordinaire dans ces termes, & qui les fait paroître eloignez des mots propres, produit la nobleſſe, & ce qu'ils retiennent encore de l'uſage commun donne la netteté.

4.

22.9 C'eſt pourquoy ceux qui condamnent cette forte d'expreſſion, & qui blâment Homere de s'en être ſervi, le font ſans raiſon, comme l'ancien Euclide, qui ſoûtient qu'il n'y a rien de plus aiſé, que d'être Poëte, ſi l'on a la liberté d'alonger les mots à ſa fantaiſie, & qui ſe moque de ce Poëte en ſuivant cette mème methode dans ſes vers.

5.

22.10 Mais de ſe ſervir toûjours de ces façons de parler, c'eſt cette affectation qui fait le ridicule, & non pas la choſe même. 22.11 Car il y a une meſure qui eſt commune à toutes ces differentes eſpeces, & qu'il ne faut jamais paſſer. Cela eſt ſi vray, que ſi l'on ſe ſervoit de la mème maniére des metaphores, des mots étrangers, & de toutes les autres figures, que j'ay expliquées, & qu'on les employât à tout propos ſans grace, & à deſſein de les faire paroître ridicules, on y réüſſiroit avec la mème facilité,

6.

22.12 Pour être convaincu de la beauté que donnent à la diction ces expreſſions figurées, pourvû qu'elles ſoient convenables, bien placées & miſes avec meſure, il ne faut que prendre des vers d'un Poëme Epique, ou d'une Tragedie, & y changer les termes. 22.13 Si au lieu des metaphores, des mots étrangers, & de toutes les autres figures, on y ſubſtitue les mots propres, on verra que nous n'avons rien avancé que de vray.

7.

Eſchyle & Euripide ont tous deux fait un mème vers ïambe; mais parce que ce dernier y a changé un ſeul mot, & qu'au lieu du mot propre, ou du mot uſité, il en a mis un metaphorique, il a fait un vers fort noble, au lieu que celuy d'Eſchyle eſt bas & rampant. Eſchyle faiſoit dire par ſon Philoctete, cet ulcere qui mange mes chairs. Euripide a la place de ce mot manger, qui eſt commun, ſe ſert d'un terme metaphorique, & releve par là ſon expreſſion.

8.

Dans la plupart des vers d'Homere, ſi au lieu des termes recherchez & nobles, dont il s'eſt ſervi on s'aviſoit de mettre les mots propres, on détruiroit toute leur beauté. Par exemple, quand Homere, pour repreſenter le bruit effroiable que fait une mer agitée, dit, les rivages mugiſſent, ſi l'on met les rivages crient on gâtera tout.

9.

22.14 Il s'eſt auſſi trouvé un Ariphrades, qui a voulu ſe moquer des Poëtes tragiques ſur ce qu'ils employent des expreſſions, dont perſonne n'oferoit ſe ſervir dans le Langage ordinaire, par exemple, qu'ils renverſent les prépoſitions, & les mettent aprés les noms, & autres choſes ſemblables. 22.15 Mais c'eſt juſtement parce que ces façons de parler ne ſont, ni propres, ni d'un uſage commun, qu'elles relevent le ſtile de ces Poëtes, & l'éloignent de la ſimplicité du Langage ordinaire, & familier, & c'eſt ce qu'ignoroit ce Critique.

10.

22.16 Il eſt fort beau & fort difficile de ſe ſervir convenablement, & à propos de toutes les figures que nous venons d'expliquer, comme des mots doubles & des mots étrangers; mais il eſt beaucoup plus beau & plus difficile d'employer heureuſement la metaphore. 22.17 En effet c'eſt la ſeule choſe qu'on ne peut emprunter d'ailleurs, & qui marque un heureux naturel & un beau genie; car de bien faire ce tranſport d'une choſe à l'autre, c'eſt voir d'un coup d'œil ce qu'il y a de ſemblable dans des ſujets tres differens.

11.

22.18 Les mots doubles conviennent particuliere-ment aux Dithyrambes, les mots étrangers aux vers heroïques, & les metaphores aux vers ïambes. Mais & les mots doubles, & les mots étrangers, & les metaphores, & toutes les autres eſpeces, dont il a été parlé, trouvent leur uſage dans le vers heroïque, 22.19 au lieu que dans le vers ïambe, qui imite ſur tout le ſtile familier, on ne peut employer que les termes dont on ſe ſert dans la converſation, c'eſt-à-dire, les mots propres, la metaphore & l'ornement.

12.

22.20 Ce que nous venons de dire ſuffit pour la Tragedie, & pour l'imitation qui conſiſte dans l'action.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 23 focus

Tquanto alla imitatione narratiua, & che fi fa col verſo, che quiui ſi debba, aſſettare le Fauole da poterſi rappreſentare fi come nelle Tragedie; & che elle debbino effere intorno à vna attione intera, & perfetta, che habbia & principio, & mezo, & fine :¹

acciochè ella non altrimenti che vno animale intero, par toriſca il piacere, che ſia propio di lei, è manifeſtiſsimo; & che elle non debbino eſſer' fimili alle Hiſtorie conſuete, le quali è di neceſsità, che dieno notitia non pure d'una fola attione, ma di tutte quelle, che in vn tempo medefimo accaddono;

non tanto circa ad vn' folo, quanto circa à piu:inquel modo cioè, che ciascuna d'ef fe cofe (come dette la ſorte) interuene, Perchè coſi come circa à vn' medefimo tempo fu fatta la guerra di mare appreſſo di Salamina, & quella de' Cartagineſi in - Sicilia, le quali non tendono adun' medefimo fine;medefimamente ne tempi ſuſſequenti accade alcuna volta, ch'un fatto vi fuccede doppo l'altro, delquale non ne rieſce vn' medefimo fine.

Et queſto vſan'di fare la piu parte de' Poeti.

Onde & per queſte cagioni ancora (ſi come io hò detto innanzi) Homero appariſce diuino ſopra di tutti gli altri Poeti, perchè e non tenta di fingere tutta la guerra (benchè ella haueſſe & principio,& fine) come ſe ella fuſſe ſtata per riuſcir' troppo grande;& perciò difficile à potere eſſer' confiderata: VV vero perchè gli ſtimò che ſe e' l'haueſſe riſtretta à vna moderata grandezza, che'l Poema non haueſſe à parer ripieno di troppe varietà. Ma hauendone egli preſa à raccontar vna parte, v'interpone dentro molti Epiſodii, come è il Catalago delle naui, & altri, Onde egli fa il ſuo Poema ricchiſsimo; doue gli altri Poeti ſtanno intorno ad vn' ſolo huomo, & intorno ad vn' fol tem po, & conſtituiſcono vna attione, che habbia molte parti, come fe quegli, che finſe nel ſuo Poemale coſe fatte da' Cipriani; & come quegli, che fece il Poema detto La piccola Iliade.

Ma l'Iliade, & l'Odiſſea ciaſcuna d'eſſe da vna fola Tragedia, ò da due al più poſſono effere racchiuſe; & il Poema de Cipriani non può efle re racchiuſo, ſenon da molte, & quello della piccola Iliade e racchiuſo da piu, che da otto, come è il giudicio dell'arme, il Filottete, Neoptolemo, Euripilo, LaPo uera, la Lacena, l'Eccidio di Troia, La Ritornata del le naui, Sinone, Et le Troiade.

E'anchora di neceſsità, che il Poema Heroico ſi diuida in tante ſpetie, in quan te fi diuide eſſo Poema Tragico; Conciofia che e' debba eſſere,ò ſcempio, ò intrecciato,ò morale, ò affettuo fo. Le parti anchora,ò dell'uno,ò dell'altro Poema(eccetto l'Apparato & la Muſica) ſono le medeſime; douendo eſſere in luile Peripetie, le Recognitioni, gli Affetti,i Difcorfi, & la buona Locutione. Lequali tut te parti Homero prima di tutti hà vſato tanto che baſta, perchè l'uno de' ſuoi due Poemi, l'Iliade cioè e' com poſto ſcempio, & è affettuoſo; & l'Odiſſea è intrecciato, eſſendoui per tutto la recognitione, & il costume. Oltradiqueſto ha egli tutti gli altri auanzato con la Locutione, & col Diſcorſo.

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.) — 23 focus

De narrativa autem et in metro imitatione oportet fabnlas constituere, quemadmodum dramaticus in tragoediis, et circa unam actionem totam et perfectam, habentem principium et medium et finem,

ut quemadmodum animal unum totum efficiat propriam voluptatem, nec similes esse historias consuetas, in quibus necesse est non unius actionis efficere expositionem sed unius temporis,

quaecunque in eo evenerunt circa unum vel plures, quorum unumquodque, ut sors tulit, alterum respicit. quemadmodum enim secundum eadem tempora et in Salamine facta est navalis pugna et in Sicilia Carthaginiensium pugna,

nequaquam ad eundem tendentes finem,

sic et in temporibus consequentibus aliquando fit alterum cum altero, ex quibus non est unus finis. ac ferme id faciunt poëtarum multi. quamobrem, ut iam dicebamus, et in hac parte divinns apparere Homerus praeter ceteros potest, et quia neque bellum, quamvis habens principium et finem, aggressus est versibus totum describere (valde enim magnum, et quod non facile conspici poterat, evasurum erat) vel magnitudine se modice habens intertextum varietate. nunc autem cum abstulisset unam partem, episodiis usus est ipsorum multis, ut navium catalogo et aliis episodiis, quibus distinguit poësim.

alii vero circa unum canunt et circa unum tempus et unam actionem multarum partium, ut qui Cyprica fecit et parvam Iliadem.

igitur ex Iliade et Odyssea una tragoedia fit ex utraque, vel duae solae; at ex Cypriis multae, et ex parva Iliade plus quam octo, ut armorum iudicium, Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, Eurypylus, mendicatio, Lacaenae, Hii direptio et reditus classis et Sinon et Troades.

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.) — 23 focus

De narrativa autem et in metro imitativa, quod oportet fabulas sicut in tragodiis consistere actitivas et circa unam actionem totam et perfectam, habentem principium et media et finem, que sicut animal unum totum facit propriam delectationem, palam ;

et non similes hystorias consuetas esse, in quibus necesse non unius actionis fieri manifestationem, sed unius temporis, quecumque in hoc accidunt circa unum aut plures, quorum unumquodque ut contingit habet ad invicem.

Sicut enim secundum eadem tempora et in Salamina factum fuit navale bellum, et in Sicilia Carthaginensium bellum nichil ad eundem contendentia finem, sic et in hiis que deinceps temporibus aliquando fit alterum cum altero, ex quibus unus nullus fit finis.

Fere autem multi poetarum hoc actitant. Propter

quod, sicut diximus iam, et sic admirandus utique apparebit Homerus preter alios, eo quod neque bellum quamvis habens principium et finem conatus est poetizare totum ; valde enim utique magnum et non facile conspicabile debebat fore magnitudine moderantem complexum varietate. Nunc autem unam partem absumens usus est superadventitiis ipsi multis, puta katalogo et aliis superinductitiis bis bis intercipit poesim.

Alii autem circa unum faciunt et circa unum tempus et unam actionem multarum partium, velut qui Cyprica poetizavit et Parvam Nileidem.

Namque ex Iliade quidem et Odysseia unam tragodiam efficit utriusque aut duas solas, ex Cypriis autem multas et ex Parva Iliade plus quam octo, puta Oplon Krisis, Filoctetes, Neoptolemus, Eurypylus, Ptocheia, Lakena, Iliu Persis, et Apoplus, et Sinon et Proiades. —

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.) — 23 focus

‏ومن حيث لا يدخل فى هذه التركيبات اقتصاصات تشبه وهى التى قد ٮٮطر***ـا ان الاستدلال ليس انما هو لعمل واحد لكن لزمان واحد بمبلغ ما يعرض فى هذا وعمل واحد او كثير وكيف كل واحد واحد منها على ما لها انضافت الى قرينها كما كانت ا**رمنه انفسها

‏اما فى سالامانا فحروب المراكب وفى سيقيليا حرب الڡركوٮٮا ڡـ*ں كلى هذين ليسا شى احر غير انها تنتهى الى انقضا واحد واحد وكذلك فى الازمنة التى **ٮ بعد فى وقت بعد وقت يكون واحد منها الذى لا يكون له شى اخر هو اخر واىقصـ*

‏*كثير من الشعرا قد يفعلون هذا قريبا

‏ولذلك كما قلنا وفرغنا من القول ڡـ*ل فليرا اوميروس فى هذا ذو سبه وناموس هدو من هذا الوجه ايضا يرى اوميروس انه متبع للناموس وانه لازم للصواب والاستقامة اكثر من هولا الاخر *هو الذى عمل الحرر وقد كان له اول واحد من حيث يرى ان ياتى به باسره هذا على انه قد كان عظيم جد ولم يكن يسهل رويته ولا ايضا كان مزمع ان يبين فى خرافته بهذه الحال من قبل انها قد كانت عند ما كانت تتركب وتقترن قد كانت تصغر فى عظمها والان فى هذه المداخل التى ٮقبصت جزو ما وهو ما الذى يفعل الانسان

‏واما هولا الاخر فيقتضبوا بحسب واحد واحد فى واحد واحد من الزمان خرافات كثيرة الاجزا بمنزلة ذلك الذى عمل هذه التى هى معروفة ٮقوٯواٮٮا وجعل الاليادا صغيرة

‏ولذلك عمل اليادا واودوسيا كلتيهما مديحا واحدا او بعد كر اثنتين واما *** المعروفة ٮٯوٯواٮٮا فكثيرة والى الاليادا الصغيرة فثمانية واكثر التى تقال السلاح منها المعروفة ٮٮااوفطلامس وفيلوقطيطس المعروف بافطوخيلا وكبس الياس ورجوع المراكب واسين وطرواس

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 23 focus

‏واما الاقتصاصى والوزن المحاكى فقد بين ان نخبر عنها الخرافات وحكاية الحديث على ما فى المديحات وان تقوم المتقينين والقينات نحو العمل الواحد متكامل باسره وهو الذى له اول ووسط واخر وهو الذى كما الحيوان العـ**ل للذة حاصية ومن حيث لا يدخل فى هذه التركيبات اقتصاصات تشبه وهى التى قد ٮٮطر***ـا ان الاستدلال ليس انما هو لعمل واحد لكن لزمان واحد بمبلغ ما يعرض فى هذا وعمل واحد او كثير وكيف كل واحد واحد منها على ما لها انضافت الى قرينها كما كانت ا**رمنه انفسها

‏يفعلون هذا قريبا

‏ولا ايضا كان مزمع ان يبين فى خرافته بهذه الحال من قبل انها قد كانت عند ما كانت تتركب وتقترن قد كانت تصغر فى عظمها والان فى هذه المداخل التى ٮقبصت جزو ما وهو ما الذى يفعل الانسان

Aristotle Poetics 23

S. H. Butcher (Translator)

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Current edition Experimental

Chapter 23

On the Epic Poem.

CHAPITRE VINGT-TROISIE'ME.

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