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As for Comedy, it is (as has been observed) an imitation of
men worse than the average; worse, however, not as regards
any and every sort of fault, but only as regards one particular
kind, the Ridiculous, which is a species of the Ugly.

The Ridiculous may be defined as a mistake or deformity not
productive of pain or harm to others; the mask, for instance,
that excites laughter, is something ugly and distorted without
causing pain.

Though the successive changes in Tragedy and their authors are
not unknown, we cannot say the same of Comedy; its early
stages passed unnoticed, because it was not as yet taken
up in a serious way.

It was only at a late point in its progress that a chorus of
comedians was officially granted by the archon; they used
to be mere volunteers. It had also already certain definite
forms at the time when the record of those termed comic
poets begins. Who it was who supplied it with masks, or
prologues, or a plurality of actors and the like, has remained unknown.

The invented Fable, or Plot, however, originated in Sicily, with
Epicharmus and Phormis;

of Athenian poets Crates was the first to drop the Comedy
of invective and frame stories of a general and non-personal
nature, in other words, Fables or Plots.

Epic poetry, then, has been seen to agree with Tragedy to
this extent, that of being an imitation of serious subjects
in a grand kind of verse. It differs from it, however, (1) in
that it is in one kind of verse and in narrative form;

and (2) in its length—which is due to its action having
no fixed limit of time, whereas Tragedy endeavours to keep
as far as possible within a single circuit of the sun, or
something near that.

This, I say, is another point of difference between them,
though at first the practice in this respect was just the
same in tragedies as in epic poems.

They differ also (3) in their constituents, some being common
to both and others peculiar to Tragedy—

hence a judge of good and bad in Tragedy is a judge of
that in epic poetry also. All the parts of an epic are included
in Tragedy; but those of Tragedy are not all of them to
be found in the Epic.

Poetics. Aristotle. Ingram Bywater (Translator), ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1909.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (5)

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) (Aristotle, Poetics. Immanuel Bekker, editor, Aristotelis Opera, volume 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1837.) — 5 focus

Ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία ἐστίν, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν, μίμησις φαυλοτέρων μέν, οὐ μέντοι κατὰ πᾶσαν κακίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ αἰσχροῦ ἐστὶ τὸ γελοῖον μόριον.

Τὸ γὰρ γελοῖόν ἐστιν ἁμάρτημά τι καὶ αἶσχος ἀνώδυνον καὶ οὐ φθαρτικόν, οἷον εὐθὺς τὸ γελοῖον πρόσωπον αἰσχρόν τι καὶ διεστραμμένον ἄνευ ὀδύνης.

Αἱ μὲν οὖν τῆς τραγῳδίας μεταβάσεις, καὶ δι᾿ ὧν ἐγένοντο, οὐ λελήθασιν, ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία διὰ τὸ μὴ σπουδάζεσθαι ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλαθεν· καὶ γὰρ χορὸν κωμῳδῶν ὀψέ ποτε ὁ ἄρχων ἔδωκεν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐθελονταὶ ἦσαν.

Ἤδη δὲ σχήματά τινα αὐτῆς ἐχούσης οἱ λεγόμενοι αὐτῆς ποιηταὶ μνημονεύονται. Τίς δὲ πρόσωπα ἀπέδωκεν ἢ προλόγους ἢ πλήθη ὑποκριτῶν καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, ἠγνόηται.

Τὸ δὲ μύθους ποιεῖν Ἐπίχαρμος καὶ Φόρμις.

Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐκ Σικελίας ἦλθεν, τῶν δὲ Ἀθήνησιν Κράτης πρῶτος ἦρξεν ἀφέμενος τῆς ἰαμβικῆς ἰδέας καθόλου ποιεῖν λόγους καὶ μύθους.

Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐποποιία τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ μέχρι μόνου μέτρου μετὰ λόγου μίμησις εἶναι σπουδαίων ἠκολούθησεν· τῷ δὲ τὸ μέτρον ἁπλοῦν ἔχειν καὶ ἀπαγγελίαν εἶναι, ταύτῃ διαφέρουσιν.

Ἔτι δὲ τῷ μήκει· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὅτι μάλιστα πειρᾶται ὑπὸ μίαν περίοδον ἡλίου εἶναι ἢ μικρὸν ἐξαλλάττειν, ἡ δὲ ἐποποιία ἀόριστος τῷ χρόνῳ, καὶ τούτῳ διαφέρει.

Καίτοι τὸ πρῶτον ὁμοίως ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις τοῦτο ἐποίουν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔπεσιν.

Μέρη δ᾿ ἐστὶ τὰ μὲν ταὐτά, τὰ δὲ ἴδια τῆς τραγῳδίας.

Διόπερ ὅστις περὶ τραγῳδίας οἶδε σπουδαίας καὶ φαύλης, οἶδε καὶ περὶ ἐπῶν· ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐποποιία ἔχει, ὑπάρχει τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ, ἃ δὲ αὐτή, οὐ πάντα ἐν τῇ ἐποποιίᾳ.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 5 focus

ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία ἐστὶν ὥσπερ εἴπομεν μίμησις φαυλοτέρων μέν, οὐ μέντοι κατὰ πᾶσαν κακίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ αἰσχροῦ ἐστι τὸ γελοῖον μόριον.

τὸ γὰρ γελοῖόν ἐστιν 35 ἁμάρτημά τι καὶ αἶσχος ἀνώδυνον καὶ οὐ φθαρτικόν, οἷον εὐθὺς τὸ γελοῖον πρόσωπον αἰσχρόν τι καὶ διεστραμμένον ἄνευ ὀδύνης.

αἱ μὲν οὖν τῆς τραγῳδίας μεταβάσεις καὶ δι’ ὧν ἐγένοντο οὐ λελήθασιν, ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία διὰ τὸ μὴ 1449b 1 σπουδάζεσθαι ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλαθεν· καὶ γὰρ χορὸν κωμῳδῶν ὀψέ ποτε ὁ ἄρχων ἔδωκεν, ἀλλ’ ἐθελονταὶ ἦσαν.

ἤδη δὲ σχήματά τινα αὐτῆς ἐχούσης οἱ λεγόμενοι αὐτῆς ποιηταὶ μνημονεύονται. τίς δὲ πρόσωπα ἀπέδωκεν ἢ προλόγους ἢ 5 πλήθη ὑποκριτῶν καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, ἠγνόηται.

τὸ δὲ μύθους ποιεῖν Ἐπίχαρμος καὶ Φόρμις τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐκ Σικελίας ἦλθε,

τῶν δὲ Ἀθήνησιν Κράτης πρῶτος ἦρξεν ἀφέμενος τῆς ἰαμβικῆς ἰδέας καθόλου ποιεῖν λόγους καὶ μύθους.

ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐποποιία τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ μέχρι μὲν τοῦ μετὰ 10 μέτρου λόγῳ μίμησις εἶναι σπουδαίων ἠκολούθησεν· τῷ δὲ τὸ μέτρον ἁπλοῦν ἔχειν καὶ ἀπαγγελίαν εἶναι, ταύτῃ διαφέρουσιν·

ἔτι δὲ τῷ μήκει· ἡ μὲν ὅτι μάλιστα πειρᾶται ὑπὸ μίαν περίοδον ἡλίου εἶναι ἢ μικρὸν ἐξαλλάττειν, ἡ δὲ ἐποποιία ἀόριστος τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τούτῳ διαφέρει,

καίτοι 15 τὸ πρῶτον ὁμοίως ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις τοῦτο ἐποίουν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔπεσιν.

μέρη δ’ ἐστὶ τὰ μὲν ταὐτά, τὰ δὲ ἴδια τῆς τραγῳδίας·

διόπερ ὅστις περὶ τραγῳδίας οἶδε σπουδαίας καὶ φαύλης, οἶδε καὶ περὶ ἐπῶν· ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐποποιία ἔχει, ὑπάρχει τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ, ἃ δὲ αὐτῇ, οὐ πάντα ἐν τῇ 20 ἐποποιίᾳ.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 5 focus

ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία ἐστὶν ὥσπερ εἴπομεν μίμησις φαυλοτέρων
μέν, οὐ μέντοι κατὰ πᾶσαν κακίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ
αἰσχροῦ ἐστι τὸ γελοῖον μόριον.

τὸ γὰρ γελοῖόν ἐστιν ἁμάρτημά
τι καὶ αἶσχος ἀνώδυνον καὶ οὐ φθαρτικόν, οἷον
εὐθὺς τὸ γελοῖον πρόσωπον αἰσχρόν τι καὶ διεστραμμένον
ἄνευ ὀδύνης.

αἱ μὲν οὖν τῆς τραγῳδίας μεταβάσεις καὶ
δι᾽ ὧν ἐγένοντο οὐ λελήθασιν, ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία διὰ τὸ μὴ
σπουδάζεσθαι ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλαθεν· καὶ γὰρ χορὸν κωμῳδῶν
ὀψέ ποτε ὁ ἄρχων ἔδωκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐθελονταὶ ἦσαν.

ἤδη δὲ
σχήματά τινα αὐτῆς ἐχούσης οἱ λεγόμενοι αὐτῆς ποιηταὶ
μνημονεύονται. τίς δὲ πρόσωπα ἀπέδωκεν ἢ προλόγους ἢ
πλήθη ὑποκριτῶν καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, ἠγνόηται.

τὸ δὲ μύθους
ποιεῖν Ἐπίχαρμος καὶ Φόρμις τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐκ
Σικελίας ἦλθε,

τῶν δὲ Ἀθήνησιν Κράτης πρῶτος ἦρξεν
ἀφέμενος τῆς ἰαμβικῆς ἰδέας καθόλου ποιεῖν λόγους καὶ
μύθους.

ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐποποιία τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ μέχρι μὲν τοῦ
διὰ μέτρου μεγάλου μίμησις εἶναι σπουδαίων ἠκολούθησεν·
τῷ δὲ τὸ μέτρον ἁπλοῦν ἔχειν καὶ ἀπαγγελίαν εἶναι, ταύτῃ
διαφέρουσιν·

ἔτι δὲ τῷ μήκει· ἡ μὲν ὅτι μάλιστα πειρᾶται
ὑπὸ μίαν περίοδον ἡλίου εἶναι ἢ μικρὸν ἐξαλλάττειν, ἡ δὲ
ἐποποιία ἀόριστος τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τούῳ διαφέρει,

καίτοι
τὸ πρῶτον ὁμοίως ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις τοῦτο ἐποίουν καὶ ἐν
τοῖς ἔπεσιν.

μέρη δ᾽ ἐστὶ τὰ μὲν ταὐτά, τὰ δὲ ἴδια τῆς
τραγῳδίας·

διόπερ ὅστις περὶ τραγῳδίας οἶδε σπουδαίας
καὶ φαύλης, οἶδε καὶ περὶ ἐπῶν· ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐποποιία
ἔχει, ὑπάρχει τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ, ἃ δὲ αὐτῇ, οὐ πάντα ἐν τῇ
ἐποποιίᾳ.

Poetics, Greek text (S. H. Butcher, 1911) (OCR draft) Experimental (S. H. Butcher's Greek text from Aristotle's Theory of Poetry and Fine Art, fourth edition, 1911.) — 5 focus

[1] 31 Ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία ἐστὶν ὥσπερ εἴπομεν μίμησις φαυλοτέρων μέν, οὐ μέντοι κατὰ πᾶσαν κακίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ αἰσχροῦ ἐστι τὸ γελοῖον μόριον. ἀλλ’ οὐ τοῦ αἰσχροῦ¹ 33 τὸ γὰρ γελοῖόν ἐστιν ἁμάρτημά τι καὶ αἶσχος ἀνώδυνον καὶ οὐ φθαρτικόν...

[4] 1449b 9 ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐποποιία τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ μέχρι μὲν τοῦ μετὰ μέτρου μέτρου μεγάλου² μίμησις εἶναι σπουδαίων ἠκολούθησεν...

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.) — 5 focus

τὸ γὰρ γελοῖόν ἐστιν ἁμάρτημά τι καὶ αἶσχος ἀνώδυνον καὶ οὐ φθαρτικόν, οἷον εὐθὺς τὸ γελοῖον πρόσωπον αἰσχρόν τι καὶ διεστραμμένον ἄνευ ὀδύνης.

αἱ μὲν οὖν τῆς τραγωδίας μεταβάσεις, καὶ δι' ὧν ἐγένοντο, οὐ λελήθασιν, ἡ δὲ κωμῳδία διὰ τὸ μὴ σπουδάζεσθαι ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλαθεν· καὶ γὰρ χορὸν κωμῳδῶν ὀψέ ποτε ὁ ἄρχων ἔδωκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐθελονταὶ ἦσαν.

ἤδη δὲ σχήματά τινα αὐτῆς ἐχούσης οἱ λεγόμενοι αὐτῆς ποιηταὶ μνημονεύονται. τίς δὲ πρόσωπα ἀπέδωκεν ἢ λόγους ἢ πλήθη ὑποκριτῶν καὶ ὅσα τοια¹ῦτα, ἠγνόηται·

τὸ δὲ μύθους ποιεῖν Ἐπίχαρμος καὶ Φόρμις. τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐκ Σικελίας ἦλθεν,

τῶν δὲ Ἀθήνησιν Κράτης πρῶτος ἦρξεν ἀφέμενος τῆς ἰαμβικῆς ἰδέας καθόλου ποιεῖν λόγους καὶ μύθους.

ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐποποιία τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ [μέχρι μόνου μέτρου μεγάλου] μίμησις εἶναι σπουδαίων ἠκολούθησεν· τῷ δὲ τὸ μέτρον ἁπλοῦν ἔχειν καὶ ἀπαγγελίαν εἶναι, ταύτῃ διαφέρουσιν.

ἔτι δὲ τῷ μήκει· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὅτι μάλιστα πειρᾶται ὑπὸ μίαν περίοδον ἡλίου εἶναι ἢ μικρὸν ἐξαλλάττειν, ἡ δὲ ἐποποιία αόριστος τῷ χρόνῳ, καὶ τούτῳ διαφέρει.

καίτοι τὸ πρῶτον ὁμοίως ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις τοῦτο ἐποίουν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔπεσιν.

μέρη δ᾽ ἐστὶ τὰ μὲν ταὐτά, τὰ δὲ ἴδια τῆς τραγῳδίας.

διόπερ ὅστις περὶ τραγῳδίας οἶδε σπουδαίας καὶ φαύλης, οἶδε καὶ περὶ ἐπῶν· ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐποποιία ἔχει, ὑπάρχει τῇ τραγῳδία, ἃ δὲ αὐτή, οὐ πάντα ἐν τῇ ἐποποιίᾳ.

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 5 focus

Comedy, as we have said, is a representation of inferior people, not indeed in the full sense of the word bad, but the laughable is a species of the base or ugly.¹

It consists in some blunder or ugliness that does not cause pain or disaster, an obvious example being the comic mask which is ugly and distorted but not painful.

The various stages of tragedy and the originators of each are well known, but comedy remains obscure because it was not at first treated seriously. 1449b 1 Indeed it is only quite late in its history² that the archon granted a chorus for a comic poet; before that they were volunteers.³

Comedy had already taken certain forms before there is any mention of those who are called its poets. Who introduced masks or prologues, the number of actors, and so on, is not known.

Plot making [Epicharmus and Phormis]⁴ originally came from Sicily ,

and of the Athenian poets Crates⁵ was the first to give up the lampooning form and to generalize his dialogue and plots.

Epic poetry agreed with tragedy only in so far as it was a metrical representation of heroic action, but inasmuch as it has a single metre and is narrative in that respect they are different.

And then as regards length, tragedy tends to fall within a single revolution of the sun or slightly to exceed that, whereas epic is unlimited in point of time;

and that is another difference, although originally the practice was the same in tragedy as in epic poetry.

The constituent parts are some of them the same and some peculiar to tragedy.

Consequently any one who knows about tragedy, good and bad, knows about epics too, since tragedy has all the elements of epic poetry, though the elements of tragedy are not all present in the epic.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 5 focus

〈الكوميديا والهزلى ومراحل الكوميديا الأولى؛ المقارنة بين المأساة والملحمة〉

ومذهب الهجاء هو كما قلنا: [هى] تشبيه ومحاكاة الذين دنوا وتزيفوا وليس فى كل شر ورذيلة، لكن إنما هى شىء مستهزأ فى باب ما هو قبيح، وهى جزء مستهزئة. وذلك أن الاستهزاء هو زلل ما وبشاعة غير ذات صعوبة ولا فاسدة، مثال ذلك وجه المستهزئ هو من ساعته بشع قبيح، وهو منكر بلا ضغينة.

فأما العاملون لصناعة المديح، ومن أين نشأوا وحدثوا، فلست أظن أنه يغبا أمرهم فى ذلك ولا يهمل وينسى. فأما صناعة الهجاء فانه لما كانت غير معتنى بها، فانها أنسيت وغبا أمرها منذ الابتداء. وذلك أن صفوف الرقاصين والدستبند من أهل الهجاء من حيث إنما أطلق ذلك [أو] الوالى على أثينية بالأخرة، غير أن العمل بذلك إنما كان مردوداً إلى اختيارهم وإرادتهم من حيث كان لهم من جهة شكل ما أن يعدوا ممن كان من شعرائها وكانوا يذكرون.

وبعض الوجوه الذين أعطوا إما بسبب تقدمة الكلام أو من كثرة المرائين والمنافقين، فان جميع من كان مثل هؤلاء لم يعرفوا. والعمل للقصص والخرافات هو أن ننزل جميع الكلام الذى يكون بالاختصار. ومنذ قديم الدهر أيضاً عندما أتى بها من سيقليا. وكان أول من أنشأها وأحدثها بأثينية قراطس فان هذا ترك النوع المعروف بالامباقيا، وبدأ أن يعمل الكلام والقصص.

والتشبيه والمحاكاة للأفاضل صارت لازمة لصناعة الشعر المسماة أفى فى صناعة المديح إلى معدن ما من الوزن مزمع القول وكون الوزن بسيطاً وأن يكون عهود — فان هذه مختلفة؛ وأيضاً فى الطول: أما تلك فهى تزيد خاصة أن تكون تحت دائرة واحدة شمسية، أو أن تتغير قط قليلا؛ وأما عمل الأفى فهو غير محدود فى الزمان؛ وهذا هو مخالف، على أنهم كانوا أولاً يفعلون هذا فى المديحات على مثال واحد وفى جميع الأفى.

وأما الأجزاء: أما بعضها فهذه، ومنها هى خاصة بالمديحات. ولذلك كل من كان عارفاً من صناعة المديح تلك التى هى حريصة، وتلك التى هى مزيفة، فانه يكون عارفاً بجميع هذه الصغار: أيما منها يصلح لعمل الأفى فى صناعة المديح، وأما التى تصلح لهذه فليس جميعها يصلح لعمل الأفى.

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.) — 5 focus

Comedy is, as we have said, an imitation of characters
of a lower type—not, however, in the full sense of the
word bad, the Ludicrous being merely a subdivision of the ugly.

It consists in some defect or ugliness which
is not painful or destructive. To take an obvious
example, the comic mask is ugly and distorted, but does
not imply pain.

The successive changes through which Tragedy passed,
and the authors of these changes, are well known, whereas
Comedy has had no history, because it was not at first
treated seriously. It was late before the Archon granted a comic chorus to a poet; the performers were till then voluntary.

Comedy had already taken definite shape
when comic poets, distinctively so called, are heard of.
Who furnished it with masks, or prologues, or increased
the number of actors, these and other similar details remain unknown.

As for the plot, it came originally
from Sicily;

but of Athenian writers Crates was the
first who, abandoning the 'iambic' or lampooning form,
generalised his themes and plots.

Epic poetry agrees with Tragedy in so far as it is an
imitation in verse of characters of a higher type. They
differ, however, in that Epic poetry admits but one kind of
metre, and is narrative in form.

They differ, again,
in their length: for Tragedy endeavours, as far as
possible, to confine itself within a single revolution of the sun, or but slightly to exceed this limit;

whereas the
Epic action has no limits of time. This, then, is a
second point of difference; though at first the same freedom was admitted in Tragedy as in Epic poetry.

Of their constituent parts some are common to both,
some peculiar to Tragedy:

whoever, therefore, knows
what is good or bad Tragedy, knows also about Epic
poetry. All the elements of an Epic poem are found in
Tragedy, but the elements of a Tragedy are not all found in the Epic poem.

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.) — 5 focus

PART V. OF THE SUPERIORITY OF TRAGIC TO EPIC POETRY.

I.

26.1 IT may be inquired, farther, which of the two imitations, the EPIC, or the TRAGIC, deserves the preference.

26.2 If that, which is the least vulgar, or popular, of the two, be the best, and that be such, which is calculated for the better sort of spectators-the imitation, which extends to every circumstance¹, must, evidently, be the most vulgar, or popular; 26.3 for there, the imitators have recourse to every kind of motion and gesticulation, as if the audience, without the aid of action, were incapable of understanding them: like bad flute-players, who whirl themselves round, when they would imitate the motion of the Discus, and pull the Coryphaeus, when Scylla is the subject. 26.4 Such is Tragedy. It may also be compared to what the modern actors are in the estimation of their predecessors; for Myniscus used to call Callipides, on account of his intemperate action, the ape-and Tyndarus was censured on the same account. What these performers are with respect to their predecessors, the Tragic imitation, when entire, is to the Epic. 26.5 The latter, then, it is urged, addresses itself to hearers of the better sort, to whom the addition of gesture is superfluous: but Tragedy is for the people²; and being, therefore, the most vulgar kind of imitation, is evidently the inferior.

II.

26.6 But now, in the first place, this censure falls, not upon the Poet's art, but upon that of the actor; for the gesticulation may be equally laboured in the recitation of an Epic Poem, as it was by Sostratus; and in singing, as by Mnasitheus, the Opuntian.

26.7 Again-All gesticulation is not to be condemned; since even all dancing is not; but such only, as is unbecoming-such as was objected to Callipides, and is now objected to others, whose gestures resemble those of immodest women³.

26.8 Farther-Tragedy, as well as the Epic, is capable of producing its effect, even without action; we can judge of it perfectly by reading⁴. If, then, in other respects, Tragedy be superior, it is sufficient that the fault here objected is not essential to it.

III.

26.9 Tragedy has the advantage in the following respects. It possesses all that is possessed by the Epic; it might even adopt its metre⁵: 26.10 and to this it makes no inconsiderable addition, in the Music and the Decoration; by the latter of which, the illusion is heightened, and the pleasure, arising from the action, is rendered more sensible and striking.

26.11 It has the advantage of greater clearness and distinctness of impression, as well in reading, as in representation.

26.12 It has also that, of attaining the end of its imitation in a shorter compass: for the effect is more pleasurable, when produced by a short and close series of impressions, than when weakened by diffusion through a long extent of time; as the Oedipus of SOPHOCLES, for example, would be, if it were drawn out to the length of the Iliad⁶.

26.13 Farther-there is less unity in all Epic imitation; as appears from this-that any Epic Poem will furnish matter for several Tragedies. For, supposing the Poet to chuse a fable strictly one, the consequence must be, either, that his Poem, if proportionably contracted, will appear curtailed and defective, or, if extended to the usual length, will become weak, and, as it were, diluted. If, on the other hand, we suppose him to employ several fables-that is, a fable composed of several actions⁷-his imitation is no longer strictly one. 26.14 The Iliad, for example, and the Odyssey contain many such subordinate parts, each of which has a certain magnitude, and unity, of its own: yet is the construction of those Poems as perfect, and as nearly approaching to the imitation of a single action, as possible.

IV.

26.15 If then TRAGEDY be superior to the EPIC in all these respects, and, also, in the peculiar end at which it aims, (for each species ought to afford, not any sort of pleasure indiscriminately, but such only as has been pointed out⁸,) it evidently follows, that TRAGEDY, as it attains more effectually the end of the art itself, must deserve the preference.

26.16 AND THUS MUCH concerning TRAGIC and EPIC Poetry in general, and their several species-the number and the differences of their parts-the causes of their beauties and their defects-the censures of critics, and the principles on which they are to be answered.

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.) — 5 focus

Chapter 5

СПАР. V. OF COMEDY.-DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EPIC POETRY AND TRAGEDY. COMEDY as has already been observed, is an imitation of worse [A] persons; 5.1 yet not such as are bad with respect to general depravity but in that particular species of turpitude which is calculated to excite ridicule. And ridicule is produced by errors unattended by dangerous or fatal consequences; 5.2 thus deformity of body is ridiculous, provided it is not occasioned by pain. The changes in tragedy and from whom they originated are well known; 5.3 but it is different with regard to comedy, from its being less cultivated at first. For it was not till late that the comic chorus was appointed by the magistrate but it was performed by voluntary actors, till at length, having attained certain forms peculiar to itself, the writers of comedy were deemed worthy of remembrance. 5.4 Nevertheless, it is still unknown who introduced the masks, the prologue, the number of actors 5.5 and other things of that kind. Epicharmus and Phormis commenced the practice of giving a fable to comedy, the origin of which must therefore be derived from Sicily: 5.6 for among the Athenians, Crates was the first who forsook personal satire and introduced a general subject or¹

The epopee agrees only with tragedy in using verse 5.7 and imitating things of importance by means of language; but it differs from it in only using simple verse and being narrative; 5.8 it also differs in regard to length for tragedy endeavours as much as possible to confine itself to one revolution of the sun or only to exceed it a little; but the epopee is not limited as to its duration : and even tragedy, in its origin, had the same latitude as epic poetry. 5.9 As to the parts, some are common to both 5.10 and some peculiar to tragedy. 5.11 Whoever, therefore, can judge of a good or bad tragedy, may judge also of an epic poem: for whatever is essential to the epopее [в] may be found in tragedy but many things belong to tragedy that are not in the epopee.²

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.) — 5 focus

On Comedy, and its Origin.—Difference of Epopee and Tragedy.

[1] ¹ 5.1 BUT comedy is, as we have said, an imitation indeed of bad characters, yet it does not imitate them according to every vice, [but the ridiculous only;] since the ridiculous is a portion of turpitude. For the ridiculous is a certain error, and turpitude unattended with pain, and not destructive. 5.2 Thus, for instance, a ridiculous face is something deformed and distorted without pain. ² The transitions, therefore, of tragedy, and the causes through which they are produced, are not unknown; 5.3 but [those of] comedy have escaped our knowledge, because it was not at first an object of attention. For it was late before the magistrate gave a chorus to comedians 1; but prior to that period, the choruses were voluntary. 5.4 Comedy, however, at length having obtained a certain form, those who are said to have been poets therein are commemorated. But it is unknown who it was ³ that introduced masks or prologues, or a multitude of players, and such like particulars. 5.5 But Epicharmus and Phormis [were the first] to compose fables ; 5.6 which, therefore, originated from Sicily. But among the Athenians, Crates, rejecting the Iambic ⁴⁵⁶ form, first began generally to compose speeches and fables. ⁷ 5.7 The epopee, therefore, is an attendant on tragedy, [with the exception of the long metre 4,] since through this it is an imitation of worthy characters and actions. But it differs from tragedy in that it has a simple metre, and is a narration. 5.8 It also [differs from it] in length. For tragedy is especially limited by one period of the sun, or admits but a small variation from this period; but the epopee is not defined within a certain time, 5.9 and in this it differs; though at first they observed the same conduct with tragedy5, no less than epic poetry. ⁸ 5.10 With respect to the parts, however, [of the epopee and tragedy,] some are the same in both, but others are peculiar to tragedy. 5.11 Hence he who knows what is a good or bad tragedy, knows the same in respect to epic poetry. For those things which the epopee possesses are to be found in tragedy; but every thing which tragedy contains is not in the epopee.

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.) — 5 focus

Comoedia autem est, ut diximus, imitatio deteriorum quidem, non tamen in omni vitiorum genere, sed turpitudinis nonnisi pars est ridiculum.

nam ridiculum est peccatum quoddam et turpitudo doloris expers neque perniciosa, sicut statim ridicula persona est turpe quid et distortum sine doloris significatione.

iam tragoediae immutationes, etiam a quibus factae sint, non latuerunt, comoedia autem quod primo minus existimabatur delituit: etenim chorum comoedorum sero tandem archon dedit, sed voluntarii erant.

sed postquam iam formas quasdam nacta est, memorantur qui comici poetae dicuntur.

quis vero personas dederit aut sermones aut plures histriones et quaecumque sunt huiusmodi, non compertum est: fabulas autem pangere Epicharmus et Phormis.

hoc quidem primum ex Sicilia venit, sed Atheniensium Crates primus coepit missa forma invectiva generatim narrationes pangere et fabulas.

epopoeia vero tragoediam [nonnisi metro longo excepto] ita assectata est ut graves imitaretur: sed quod metrum simplex habet et narratio est, eo discrepant.

praeterea longitudine: etenim haec quam maxime studet intra unum solis circuitum versari vel paulum excedere, epopoeia autem temporis definitionem non admittit, et hoc differt.

quamquam primo aeque in tragoediis hoc faciebant atque in carminibus epicis.

partes autem aliae sunt communes, aliae tragoediae peculiares.

quamobrem quicumque tragoediam gravem et vilem compertam habet, idem sapit in epicis: quae enim epopoeia habet, insunt in tragoedia, quae autem ipsa, non omnia in epopoeia,

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 5 focus

CHAPITRE CINQUIE'ME.

Définition de la Comedie. Ce que c'eſt que le ridicule: Pourquoy la Comedie fut cultivée plus tard que la Tragedie; c'étoit au Magiſtrat à donner les chœurs. Quels Poëtes furent les premiers qui formerent des ſujets de Comedie. Conformité & difference de l'Epopée avec la Tragedie. Quelle doit être la durée de l'action de ces deux Poëmes. Ceux qui jugeront bien de la Tragedie, jugeront bien du Poëme Epique, mais ceux qui jugeront bien du Poëme Epique, ne ſeront pas toûjours capables de bien juger de la Tragedie, & pourquoy?

5.1 LA Comedie eſt, comme je l'ay déja dit, une imitation des plus méchans hommes. Quand je dis méchans, ce n'eſt pas dans toutes ſortes de vices, mais ſeulement dans le ridicule: 5.2 car le ridicule eſt proprement un defaut, une difformité ſans douleur, & qui ne va point à la deſtruction du ſujet où il ſe trouve. Par exemple, ſans aller plus loin, nous appellons un viſage ridicule, un viſage defagreable, & tout contrefait ſans aucune douleur.

2. 5.3 Les changemens qui ſont arrivez à la Tragedie ont été ſenſibles, & on en a connu les Auteurs, mais la Comedie a été inconnuë, parce qu'elle ne fut pas cultivée dés le commencement, comme la Tragedie, car le Magiſtrat ne commença que fort tard à donner des chœurs comiques. Ceux qui joüoient alors étoient des Acteurs libres & volontaires, qui joüoient pour eux, & ſans ordre du Magiſtrat. 5.4 Depuis que la Comedie eut commencé à prendre quelque forme, on ſçait les Poëtes qui y ont travaillé, mais on ignore ceux qui ont employé les premiers des maſques, fait des prologues, augmenté le nombre des Acteurs, & ajoûté toutes les autres choſes que nous y voyons aujourd'huy.

3. 5.5 Epicharmus & Phormys s'aviſerent les premiers de former des ſujets, & par conſequent cette maniére vint de Sicile. 5.6 Crates fut le premier des Atheniens qui la ſuivit en renonçant aux railleries groſſieres qui regnoient auparavant.

4. 5.7 L'Epopée a cela de commun avec la Tragedie, qu'elle eſt un diſcours en vers, & une imitation des actions des plus grands perſonnages. 5.8 Et elle eſt differente, en ce qu'elle n'employe qu'une ſeule & même ſorte de vers, qu'elle eſt une pure narration, & qu'elle a plus d'étenduë: car la Tragedie tâche autant qu'il eſt poſſible, de ſe renfermer dans le tour d'un ſoleil, ou de changer peu ce temps, au lieu qu'il n'y a point de temps preſcrit à l'Epopée. 5.9 Mais il faut dire auſſi, qu'il n'y en avoit pas non plus pour la Tragedie dans ſes commencemens.

5. 5.11 Celuy qui jugera bien d'une Tragedie, & qui connoîtra bien ſeurement ſi elle eſt bonne ou mauvaiſe, pourra auſſi juger d'une Epopée, 5.10 car toutes les parties de l'Epopée ſe trouvent dans la Tragedie, mais toutes celles de la Tragedie ne ſe trouvent pas dans l'Epopée.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 5 focus

A la Commedia (come noi habbiam' detto) e vna imitation' di coſe cattiue; ma non già, che habbino il ſommo grado della cattiuità: ma è vna imi tatione di quella parte ridicula, che contien'la bruttez za.¹

Conciofia che il ridiculo ſia vn' difetto, & vna vergogna ſenza dolore ; & che non corrompa la natura di chi l'ha:ſicome è un'uolto brutto,& cótraffatto, il quale ſenza dolore di chi l'ha è ridiculo.

Non fono adunche incognite le mutationi, che ha la Tragedia ſopportatos nè anchora gli autori d'eſſe; ma ben' quelle della Com media da principio furon' occulte per non hauer' ella hauuto troppi affettionati di lei. Perchè il Principe Athenieſe doppo vn' gran tempo le conceſſe il choro, il quale fu d'huomini volontarii compoſto;

nè di lei fi raccontan'Poeti, ſenő dappoi ch'ella venne ſotto qual che formaine ſi ſa già chi v'ordinaſſe le perſone,ò i prologhi, ò la moltitudine de gli Iftrioni, & altre coſe ſimi li.

Ma alla compofitione della Fauola Epicarmo, & Forme detter' principio.

Onde tal coſa imprima di Sicilia venne. Et il primo, che da Athene defle à tal'co fa principio, fu Crate; il quale, laſciata la forma della Poefia Iambica, cominciò generalmente à finger' le fauole, & i ragionamenti.

Ł Poema Heroico adunche cóuiene co'k Tragico I in queſto ſolo, che ciascuno d'efsi col parlare in ver ſi imita l'attioni virtuoſe; ma è differente l'un' dall' altro & perchè il Poema Heroico ha il verſo d'una ſola fatta: & perchè e' fa la narratione: & anchora è diffesente per la lunghezza.²

Conciofia che il Tragico finiſca l'impreſa ſua ſotto vn' circuito di ſole, ò poco più.. Et l'Heroico la faccia ſenza tempo determinato.

Et cer tamente da prima fu vſata la medefima libertà del tempo nell'uno, & nell'altro Poema.

Le parti d'amendue queſti Poemi ſono & comuni; & parte ſono propie della Tragedia.

Onde chi ſa difcerner'bene intrala Tra gedia buona, & la Tragedia maluagia; coſtui il medefimo faprà difcernere infra' Poemi Heroici:imperochè tutto quello, ch'è nel Poema Heroico, è nella Tragedia: ma non già per l'oppoſito.

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.) — 5 focus

Comoedia vero est, ut dicebamus, imitatio peiorum. at non secundum omne vitium: sed turpitudinis est particula ridiculum.

etenim ridiculum est erratum quoddam, et turpitudo sine dolore, et non habent vim interimendi, ut statim ridicula facies turpis ac distorta sine dolore.

ac mutationes quidem tragoediae, et per quos factae sint, non latent: comoedia vero, quia in ipsa a principio positum studium non est, latuit. etenim chorum comoedorum sero magistratus dedit: sed illi voluntarii erant.

atque cum figuras quasdam iam ipsa nacta esset, pauci ipsius poëtae commemorantur. quis autem personas assignaverit aut prologos aut multitudines histrio num, et quaecunque talia, ignorantur.

at fabulas facere Epicharmus et Phormis coeperunt. ac ex Sicilia quidem a principio venit.

eorum vero qui Athenis orti sunt, Crates primus, cum iambicam formam abiecisset, coepit in universum facere sermones vel fabulas.

epopoeia igitur tragoediam usque ad solum hunc terminum conse- cuta consecuta est, quod sit cum sermone imitatio bonorum. in eo autem differunt, quod illa quidem metrum simplex habet, et enarratio est, praeterea longa est:

haec vero quam maxime conatur suh sub uno solis ambitu esse aut paulisper variare, cum epopoeia indefinita sit tempore.

atque in hoc differt, etiam si primis temporibus id simi liter faciebant, tum in tragoediis tum in epicis.

partes antem autem quaedam eaedem sunt, quaedam propriae tragoediae.

quare quicunque cognitionem habuerit tragoediae bonae et malae, habuerit etiam epicorum: quae enim epopoeia habet, insunt in tragoedia, quae vero ipsa, non omnino in epopoeia.

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.) — 5 focus

Komodia autem est, sicut diximus, imitatio peiorum quidem, non tamen secundum omnem malitiam, sed turpis est quod risile particula ;

nam risile est. peccatum aliquod et turpitudo non dolorosa et non corruptiva, puta mox risilis facies turpis aliqua et inversa sine dolore. —

Que quidem igitur tragodie transitiones, et per que facte sunt, non latuerunt ; komodia autem, quia non studebatur a principio, latuit. Et enim chorum komodorum tarde aliquando archon tradidit, sed ethellonte erant.

lam autem scemata quedam habente ipsa, qui dicuntur ipsius poete memorantur.

Quis autem larvas tradidit aut prologos aut multitudines ypocritarum et quecumque talia, ignoratum est. Fabulas autem facere Epicharmus et Formis. Quantum ad id quod a principio ex Sicilia venit,

eorum autem qui Athenis, Krates primus incepit dimissa iambica specie universaliter facere sermones et fabulas. —

Epopoiia quidem igitur tragodie usque ad solum metrum simplex habere et enuntiationem esse, hac differunt ;

adhuc autem longitudine, hec quidem quam maxime temptat sub una periodo solis esse aut modicum variat, epopoiia autem optima tempore, et hoc differt'

equidem primo similiter in tragodiis.

Propter quod quicumque de tragodia novit studiosa et prava, novit et de versibus ; que quidem enim habet epopoiia, existunt tragodie, que autem ipsi, non omnia in epopoiia.

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.) — 5 focus

‏ومذهب الهجا هو كما فلنا [هى] تشبيه ومحاكاة اكبر ٮووٮرا وتزيفا وليس فى كل شر ورذيلة لكن انما هى شى مستهزا فى باب ما هو قبيح وهى جزو ومستهزية

‏وذلك ان الاستهزا هو زلل ما وشناعة غير ذات صعوبة ولا فاسدة مثال ذلك وجه المستهزى هو من ساعته شنيع قبيح وهو منكر بلا صعٮٮه

‏فاما العاملون لصناعة المديح ومن اين نشوا وحدثوا فلست اظن انه يعما امرهم فى ذلك ولا يهمل ويسا فاما صناعة الهجا فانه لما كانت غير معتنا بها فانها انسيت وعما امرها منذ الابتدا وذلك ان صفوف الرقاصين والدستبند من اهل الهجا من حيث انما اطلق ذلك او الوالى على اثينية بلاخرة غير ان العمل بذلك انما كان مردود الى اختيارهم وارادتهم

‏من حيث كان لهم من جهة شكل ما ان يعدون ممن كان من سراٮها وكانوا يذكرون وبعض الوجوه الذين اعطوا اما تسليم ٮقدمة الكلام او من كثرة المرايين والمنفقين فان جميع من كان مثل هولا لم يعرفون

‏والعمل للقصص والخرافات هو ان ٮٮرل جميع [من كان مثل] الكلام الذى يكون بالاختصار ومنذ قديم الزمان ايضا عند ما اتى بها من سيقليا

‏وكان اول من انشاها واحدثها باثنية قراطس فان هذا ترك النوع المعروف بالامباقيا وبدا يعمل الكلام والقصص

‏والتشبه والمحاكاة للافاضل صارت لازمة لصناعة الشعر المسماة افى فى صناعة المديح الى معدن ما من الوزن مزمع القول وكون الوزن بسيط وان يكون عهود فان هذه مختلفة

‏وايضا فى الطول اما تلك فهى تريد خاصة ان تكون تحت دايرة واحدة شمسية او ان تتغير قط قليلا واما عمل الافى فهو غير محدود فى الزمان وبهذا هو مخالف

‏على انهم كانوا اولا يفعلون هذا فى المديحات على مثال واحد وفى جميع الافى

‏واما الاجزا اما بعضها فهذه ومنها هى خاصية بالمديحات

‏ولذلك كل من كان عارفا من صناعة المديح تلك التى هى حريصة وتلك التى هى مزيفة فانه يكون عارفا بجيمع هذه الصغار ايما منها يصلح العمل الافى فى صناعة المديح واما التى تصلح لهذه فليس جميعها يصلح لعمل الافى

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 5 focus

‏من حيث كان لهم من جهة شكل ما ان يعدون ممن كان من سراٮها وكانوا يذكرون

‏وبعض الوجوه الذين اعطوا اما تسليم ٮقدمة الكلام او من كثرة المرايين والمنفقين فان جميع من كان مثل هولا لم يعرفون

‏والعمل للقصص والخرافات هو ان ٮٮرل جميع [من كان مثل] الكلام الذى يكون بالاختصار

‏ومنذ قديم الزمان ايضا عند ما اتى بها من سيقليا وكان اول من انشاها واحدثها باثنية قراطس فان هذا ترك النوع المعروف بالامباقيا وبدا يعمل الكلام والقصص