[1]
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7.1
THESE things being defined, let us in the next place show what the combination of the incidents ought to be, since this is the first and greatest part of tragedy.
2
7.2
But it is granted to us, that tragedy is the imitation of a perfect and whole action, and of one which possesses a certain magnitude; for there may be a whole which has no magnitude.
3
7.3
But a whole is that which has a beginning, middle, and end.
7.4
And the beginning is that which necessarily is not itself posterior to another thing; but another thing is naturally expected to follow it.
7.5
On the contrary, the end is that which is itself naturally adapted to be posterior to another thing, either from necessity, or for the most part; but after this there is nothing else. But the middle is that which is itself after another thing, and after which there is something else. Hence, it is necessary that those who compose fables properly, should neither
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begin them casually, nor end them casually, but should employ the above-mentioned forms [of beginning, middle, and end].
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7.6
Further still,
7.7
since that which is beautiful, whether it be an animal, or any thing else which is composed from certain parts, ought not only to have these parts arranged,
7.8
but a magnitude also which is not casual For the beautiful consists in magnitude and order. Hence, neither can any very small animal be beautiful; for the survey of it is confused, since it is effected in a time nearly insensible. Nor yet a very large animal; for it is not surveyed at once, but its subsistence as one and a whole escapes the view of the spectators; such as if, for instance, it should be an animal of ten thousand stadia in length.
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Hence,
7.9
as in bodies and in animals it is necessary there should be magnitude; but such as can easily be seen;
7.10
thus also in fables, there should be length, but this such as can easily be remembered 1.
7.11
The definition, however, of the length
7
with reference to contests
and the senses, does not fall under the consideration of art. For if it were requisite to perform a hundred tragedies, [as is said to have been the case more than once 3,] the performance ought to be regulated by a clepsydra.
8
But the definition [of the length of the fable] according to the nature of the thing, is this, that the fable is always more beautiful the greater it is, if at the same time it is perspicuous. Simply defining the thing, however, we may say, [that a fable has an appropriate magnitude,] when the time of its duration is such as to render it probable that there can be a transition from prosperous to adverse,
7.12
or from adverse to prosperous fortune, according to the necessary or probable order
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10
11
of things as they take place. This is a sufficient definition of magnitude. of