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These are the constituent parts into which tragedy is particularly divided.

Poetics. Aristotle. ed. Henry James Pye. London. 1792.

Current edition Experimental

The Poetic of Aristotle (Henry James Pye, revised 1792) (OCR draft) (English) (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.)

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.) — 12 focus

Μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας, οἷς μὲν ὡς εἴδεσι δεῖ χρῆσθαι, πρότερον εἴπομεν· κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσόν, καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται κεχωρισμένα, τάδε ἐστί, πρόλογος ἐπεισόδιον ἔξοδος χορικόν,

καὶ τοῦτου τὸ μὲν πάροδος τὸ δὲ στάσιμον, κοινὰ μὲν ἁπάντων ταῦτα,

ἴδια δὲ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ κόμμοι.

Ἔστι δὲ πρόλογος μὲν μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ πρὸ χοροῦ παρόδου,

ἐπεισόδιον δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ μεταξὺ ὅλων χορικῶν μελῶν,

ἔξοδος δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας μεθ᾿ ὃ οὐκ ἔστι χοροῦ μέλος,

χορικοῦ δὲ πάροδος μὲν ἡ πρώτη λέξις ὅλου χοροῦ,

στάσιμον δὲ μέλος χοροῦ τὸ ἄνευ ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου,

κόμμος δὲ θρῆνος κοινὸς χοροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ σκηνῆς.

Μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας, οἷς μὲν δεῖ χρῆσθαι, πρότερον εἴπαμεν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσὸν καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται κεχωρισμένα, ταῦτ᾿ ἐστίν.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 12 focus

μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας οἷς μὲν ὡς εἴδεσι δεῖ χρῆσθαι 15 πρότερον εἴπομεν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσὸν καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται κεχωρισμένα τάδε ἐστίν, πρόλογος ἐπεισόδιον ἔξοδος χορικόν,

καὶ τούτου τὸ μὲν πάροδος τὸ δὲ στάσιμον,

κοινὰ μὲν ἁπάντων ταῦτα, ἴδια δὲ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ κομμοί.

ἔστιν δὲ πρόλογος μὲν μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ πρὸ χοροῦ 20 παρόδου,

ἐπεισόδιον δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ μεταξὺ ὅλων χορικῶν μελῶν,

ἔξοδος δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας μεθ’ ὃ οὐκ ἔστι χοροῦ μέλος·

χορικοῦ δὲ πάροδος μὲν ἡ πρώτη λέξις ὅλη χοροῦ,

στάσιμον δὲ μέλος χοροῦ τὸ ἄνευ ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου,

κομμὸς δὲ θρῆνος κοινὸς χοροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ 25 σκηνῆς.

μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας οἷς μὲν ὡς εἴδεσι δεῖ χρῆσθαι πρότερον εἴπαμεν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσὸν καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται κεχωρισμένα ταῦτ’ ἐστίν.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 12 focus

Μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας οἷς μὲν ὡς εἴδεσι δεῖ χρῆσθαι
πρότερον εἴπομεν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσὸν καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται
κεχωρισμένα τάδε ἐστίν, πρόλογος ἐπεισόδιον ἔξοδος χορικόν,

καὶ τούτου τὸ μὲν πάροδος τὸ δὲ στάσιμον,

κοινὰ μὲν
ἁπάντων ταῦτα, ἴδια δὲ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ κόμμοι.

ἔστιν δὲ πρόλογος μὲν μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ πρὸ χοροῦ
παρόδου,

ἐπεισόδιον δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ μεταξὺ
ὅλων χορικῶν μελῶν,

ἔξοδος δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας
μεθ᾽ ὃ οὐκ ἔστι χοροῦ μέλος·

χορικοῦ δὲ πάροδος μὲν ἡ
πρώτη λέξις ὅλη χοροῦ,

στάσιμον δὲ μέλος χοροῦ τὸ ἄνευ
ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου,

κόμμος δὲ θρῆνος κοινὸς χοροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ
σκηνῆς.

μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας οἷς μὲν ὡς εἴδεσι δεῖ χρῆσθαι
πρότερον εἴπαμεν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσὸν καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται
κεχωρισμένα ταῦτ᾽ ἐστίν.

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.) — 12 focus

Μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας, οἷς μὲν ὡς εἴδεσι δεῖ χρῆσθαι, πρότερον εἴπομεν· κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσὸν καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται κεχωρισμένα, τάδε ἐστί, πρόλογος ἐπεισόδιον ἔξοδος χορικόν,

καὶ τούτου τὸ μὲν πάροδος τὸ δὲ στάσιμον,

κοινὰ μὲν ἁπάν των ταῦτα, ἴδια δὲ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ κόμμοι.

ἔστι δὲ πρόλογος μὲν μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ πρὸ χοροῦ παρόδου,

ἐπεισόδιον δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ μεταξὺ ὅλων χορικῶν μελῶν,

ἔξοδος δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας μεθ' ὃ οὐκ ἔστι χοροῦ μέλος,

χορικοῦ δὲ πάροδος μὲν ἡ πρώτη λέξις ὅλου χοροῦ,

στάσιμον δὲ μέλος χοροῦ τὸ ἄνευ ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου,

κόμμος δὲ θρῆνος κοινὸς χοροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ σκηνῆς.

μέρη δὲ τραγῳδίας, οἷς μὲν δεῖ χρῆσθαι, πρότερον εἴπομεν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ποσὸν καὶ εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται κεχωρισμένα, ταῦτ᾽ ἐστίν.]

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 12 focus

We have already¹ spoken of the constituent parts to be used as ingredients of tragedy. The separable members into which it is quantitatively divided are these: Prologue, Episode, Exode, Choral Song,

the last being divided into Parode and Stasimon.

These are common to all tragedies; songs sung by actors on the stage and commoi are peculiar to certain plays.

A prologue is the whole of that part of a tragedy which precedes the entrance of the chorus.

20 An episode is the whole of that part of a tragedy which falls between whole choral songs.

An exode is the whole of that part of a tragedy which is not followed by a song of the chorus.

A parode is the whole of the first utterance of the chorus.

A stasimon is a choral song without anapaests or trochaics.²

A commos is a song of lament shared by the chorus and the actors on the stage.

The constituent parts to be used as ingredients of tragedy have been described above; these are the separable members into which it is quantitatively divided.³

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 12 focus

〈أقسام المأساة بحسب الكمية〉

وأما أجزاء صناعة المديح فينبغى أن يستعمل بعضها فكما يستعمل الأنواع؛ وأما كيف ذلك فقد خبرنا فيما تقدم؛ وأما بحسب الكمية فأى الأشياء تنقسم فنحن مخبرون الآن، وهذه الأجزاء هى: تقدمة الخطب، والمدخل، ومخرج الرقص الذى للصفوف، ولهذا نفسه هو مجاز وعبور، وأيضاً المقام؛ وهذه كلها هى عامية للمديح، فالتى من المسكن وأصناف ومجاز الصفوف.

والمدخل أيضاً هو جزء كلى من صناعة المديح، وهو وسط نغمة صوت جميع الصف. والمخرج أيضاً هو جزء كلى من أجزاء صناعة المديح، وهو الذى لا يكون للصف بعده صوت. وأما مجاز الصف فهو المقولة الأولى الذى لجميع الصف. وأما الوقفة فهى الجزء من الصف الذى هو بلا وزن الذى لأنافاسطس وطروخاس؛ وأما القينة فهى الانتحاب العام للصف الذى من المسكن.

فأما أجزاء صناعة المديح التى ينبغى أن تستعمل فقد خبرنا بها فيما تقدم؛ وأما التى بحسب المقدار وأنه إلى كم جزء يجب أن ينقسم التلخيص — فهى هذه، وهى التى نظن فى بعضها ظناً، وبعضها التى نحترس بها عند تركيب الخرافات.

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.) — 12 focus

[The parts of Tragedy which must be treated as elements
of the whole have been already mentioned.
We now come to the quantitative parts—the separate parts
into which Tragedy is divided namely, Prologue, Episode,
Exode, Choric song;

this last being divided into Parode and Stasimon.

These are common to all plays: peculiar to some are the
songs of actors from the stage and the Commoi.

The Prologue is that entire part of a tragedy which
precedes the Parode of the Chorus.

The Episode is that entire part of a tragedy which is
between complete choric songs.

The Exode is that entire part of a tragedy which has no
choric song after it.

Of the Choric part the Parode is the first undivided
utterance of the Chorus:

the Stasimon is a Choric ode without anapaests or
trochaic tetrameters:

the Commos is a joint lamentation of Chorus and actors.

The parts of Tragedy which must be treated as elements
of the whole have been already mentioned. The quantitative
parts—the separate parts into which it is divided are here
enumerated.]

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 12 focus

The parts of Tragedy to be treated as formative elements in
the whole were mentioned in a previous Chapter.
From the
point of view, however, of its quantity, i. e. the separate
sections into which it is divided, a tragedy has the following
parts: Prologue, Episode, Exode,

and a choral portion, dis-
tinguished into Parode and Stasimon;

these two are common
to all tragedies, whereas songs from the stage and Commoe
are only found in some.

The Prologue is all that precedes
the Parode of the chorus;

an Episode all that comes in
between two whole choral songs;

the Exode all that follows
after the last choral song.

In the choral portion the Parode
is the whole first statement of the chorus;

a Stasimon,
a song of the chorus without anapaests or trochees;

a
Commos, a lamentation sung by chorus and actor in concert.

The parts of Tragedy to be used as formative elements in
the whole we have already mentioned; the above are its
parts from the point of view of its quantity, or the separate
sections into which it is divided.

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.) — 12.9 focus

The Commos¹, is a general lamentation of the Chorus and the Actors together.

[10]

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.) — 12.9 focus

and the commos is the common lamentation of the chorus and from the scene. But ¹ we have before shown what the parts of tragedy are which must necessarily be used;

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.) — 12 focus

[Partes autem tragoediae, quibus tamquam formis uti convenit, ante diximus: sed a quantitate atque in quas dividitur separatas, hae sunt, prologus episodium exodus choricum,

et huius partim parodus partim stasimum,

communia quidem omnium haec, propria autem quae ex scena et commi.

est autem prologus pars tota tragoediae quae ante chori parodum,

episodium autem pars tota tragoediae quae intra duas integras chori cantiones,

exodus autem pars tota tragoediae post quam non est chori cantio,

chorici autem parodus prima oratio totius chori,

stasimum autem carmen chori quod sine anapaesto et trochaeo, commus autem lamentatio communis chori et ex scena.

partes autem tragoediae,

quibus uti convenit, ante diximus, sed a´quantitate et in quas dividitur separatas, hae sunt].

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 12.9 focus

Commoi, ce font les regrets que font enſemble le Chœur & les Acteurs.

CHAPITRE TREΙΖΙΕΜΕ.

Les caractéres que la Tragedie doit choiſir pour être parfaite. Si elle doit étre ſimple ou double, & avoir une Cataſtrophe heureuſe ou funeſte. Difference ſur cela du goût des premiers Atheniens & de celuy des Atheniens du temps d'Ariftote. Dans quelles familles on prenoit le ſujet des plus belles pieces. Euripide défendu contre les Anciens qui l'accuſoient d'être trop Tragique. Le ſuccez de ſes pieces. Diſputes publiques des Poëtes. Une Tragedie pour être bonne doit emporter les ſuffrages des Sçavans & des ignorans. Défauts d'Euripide. Tragedies doubles plus Comiques que Tragiques. Leur origine.

1.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 12 focus

E T quanto alle parti della Tragedia, che fi debbono vſare come ſue parti ſpecifiche, ſe n'è detto innan zi; & quanto alle fue parti quantitatiue, nelle quali ella fi diuide ſeparatamente, tali ſono Prologo, Epiſodio, Efito, Coricojet queſto ſi diuide in quello, che entra in fcena & in quello, che ſtà fermo.¹

Et queſti ſono parti communi à tutti fimili Poemi.

Et propie fon' quelle, che ap partengono alla Scena, & i Commi. Prologo è vna parte intera della Tragedia innanzi all'entrata del Choro.

Epiſodio è vna parte medefimamente intera, che è po ſta infra i canti interi de' Chori.

Eſito è vna parte fimile,alla quale non conſeguita dietro neffun canto fatto dal Choro.

L'Entrata del Corico è la prima locutione di tutto il Choro. Et la Melodia poſata del Choro è quella, che canta ſenza anapeſto, & fenza trocheo.

Commo è vn' pianto vniuerfale di tutto il Choro, & di tutti quegli, che ſono nella Scena.

Detto adúche s'è innāzi delle parti, che fi debbono vſare nella Tragedia;

& hora s'è detto di quelle, che la diuidono ſeparatamé te per via della quantità.

Confequentemente è da aggiugnere alle coſe dette quello, che debba eſſere ris Iguardato:& quello, che debba effer' sfuggito da cópo fitori d'eſſe Fauole: & onde fi debba cauare il propio uffitio della Tragedia. D

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.) — 12 focus

Iam partes tragoediae, quibus nt ut formis oportet nti uti, prins prius diximus. at secundum quantitatem, et in quas ipsa dividitur separatas, hae sunt, prologus episodium exodus choricum, et huius quidem una pars parodus altera vero stasimum.

atque hae quidem communes omnium,

propriae vero illae a scena et commi. ac prologus est pars integra tragoediae ante chori parodum,

episodium pars integra tragoediae interiecta inter integros choricos cantus,

exodus pars integra tragoediae, post quam non est chori cantus.

chorici autem parodus prima dictio integri chori, stasimum vero cantus chori sine anapaesto et trochaeo.

at commus lamentatio communis chori et a scena.

ac partes quidem tragoediae,

quibus oportet uti, prius dictae: at secundum quantitatem,

et in quas ipsa dividitur separatas, hae sunt.

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.) — 12 focus

Partes autem tragodie quibus quidem ut speciebus oportet uti, prius diximus, secundum quantum autem et in que dividitur separata hec sunt, prologus, episodion, exitus, khoricon ;

et huius hoc quidem parodus, hoc autem stasimon.

Communia quidem omnium hec, propria autem que a skene et kommoi.

Est autem prologus quidem pars tota tragodie que ante khori parodum,

episodion autem pars tota tragodie que intermedia totarum khoricarum melodiarum,

exodus autem (idest exitus) pars tota tragodie post quam non est khori melodia.

Khorici autem parodus quidem prima locutio totius khori,

stasimon autem melodia khori que sine anapesto et trocheo;

kommos autem lamentatio nova khori et a scene (idest scemate fabulari).

Partes autem tragodie quibus quidem oportet uti prius diximus, secundum quantum et in quas dividitur separatas hee sunt.

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.) — 12 focus

‏واما اجزا صناعة المديح فينبغى ان يستعمل بعضها فكما يستعمل الانواع واما كيف ذلك فقد خبرنا فيما تقدم واما بحسب الكمية فاى الاشيا ينقسم فنحن مخبرون الان وهذه الاجزا هى ٮقدمة الخطب والمدخل ومخرج الرقص الذى للصفوف

‏ولهذا نفسه هو مجاز وعبور وايضا المقام

‏وهذه كلها هى عامية المديح فالتى من المسكن واصناف

‏ومجاز الصفوف والمدخل ايضا هو جزو كلى من صناعة المديح

‏وهو وسط نغمة صوت جميع الصف

‏والمخرج ايضا هو جزو كلى من اجزا صناعة المديح وهو الذى لا يكون للصف بعده صوتا

‏واما مجاز الصف فهو المقولة الاولى الذى بجميع الصف

‏واما الوفقة فهى الجزو من الٮصڡ الذى هو بلا وزن الذى لانافاسطس وطروخاس

‏واما القينة فهى الانتحاب العام للصف الذى من المسكن

‏فاما اجزا صناعة المديح التى ينبغى ان تستعمل فقد خبرنا بها فيما تقدم واما التى بحسب المقدار وانه الى كم جزو يجب ان ينقسم الٮلحيص فهى 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.) — 12 focus

‏ومجاز الصفوف والمدخل ايضا هو جزو كلى من صناعة المديح وهو وسط نغمة صوت جميع الصف والمخرج ايضا هو جزو كلى من اجزا صناعة المديح وهو الذى لا يكون للصف بعده صوتا واما مجاز الصف فهو المقولة الاولى الذى بجميع الصف واما الوفقة فهى الجزو من الٮصڡ الذى هو بلا وزن الذى لانافاسطس وطروخاس واما القينة فهى الانتحاب العام للصف الذى من المسكن

‏فاما اجزا صناعة المديح التى ينبغى ان تستعمل فقد خبرنا بها فيما تقدم واما التى بحسب المقدار وانه الى كم جزو يجب ان ينقسم الٮلحيص فهى هذه وهى التى *طں فى بعضها طٮا وبعضها التى يحترس بها عند تركيب الخرافات

Commentary

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

11. mvp-aristotle-comment-291

12.9 Commoi, ſont les regrets que font enſemble le Chœur & les Acteurs.]¹

Commentary on the Poetics (Thomas Twining, 1789) (OCR draft) (Thomas Twining's notes on Aristotle's Poetics, aligned to the Kassel reference edition.) focus

92. mvp-aristotle-comment-92

NOTE 92. P. 86.

12.9 THE COMMOS, &c.

Κομμου Ἡγειτο γυναικων μυρια πληθυς, μετα ΚΟΜΜΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΟΛΟΛΥΓΗΣ

—τουτεστι, γοου και ὀδυρμου. — Suidas. The phrase,

ἀπο σκηνης

, is commonly used by Aristotle to denote the actors, as distinguished from the chorus; because, as Jul. Pollux tells us,

ΣΚΗΝΗ μεν ΥΠΟΚΡΙΤΩΝ ἴδιον, ἡ δε ὀρχηστρα του χορου

¹. Thus, Prob. xlix. of Sect. 19 , speaking of the Dorian and Hypophrygian modes, he says, they were both,

χορω μεν ἀναρμοστα, τοις δε ἀπο σκηνης οἰκειότερα

.—So, Prob. xxx. and Prob. xv.

τα ἀπο σκηνης

, (the dialogue,) is opposed to

τα του χορου

the chorus. I was much surprised, therefore, to find the meaning of this phrase so widely mistaken, in the late Camb. edit. where

ἀπο σκηνης

is thus explained:

"id est, ἀτεχνως—ad choragi munus, non Poetæ, pertinens

²."

An example of the

Κομμος

, pointed out by Victorius, may be found in the Andromache of Euripides, v. 1197. I know not why some of the commentators confine these joint lamentations of chorus and actors to the Exode, or what they call the last act. They are often, I think, to be found in other parts of the drama;

"dans le cours des actes,"

as Dacier rightly observes. We have an example of this between Tecmessa and the chorus, in the Ajax, v. 901.

Ἰω, μοι μοι—

. Another occurs very early in the Iphigenia in Tauris, v. 143, &c. where Iphigenia, assisted by the choral virgins, her attendants, performs the funereal libation to the manes of her brother, whom she supposes to be dead, and sings a funereal dirge. The chorus, indeed, have so small a part in this lamentation, that it may be thought hardly to answer Aristotle's definition of

θρηνοι κοινοι

&c. But this, in fact, seems no objection, because the lamentation of Iphigenia is broken off abruptly, as Mr. Markland has well observed, at v. 235, by the arrival of the shepherd. I consider it, therefore, only as an unfinished

Κομμος

. But, that it answers to that idea, appears, I think, from the whole cast of it; from the frequent occurrence of the interjections,

φευ, φευ, ἐ, ἐ, αἰ, αἰ οἰ μοι

, &c. and of the very word,

θρηνος

, throughout, and, from the answer of the chorus:

Ω ὁμωαι, δυσθρηνητοις
Ως θρηνοις ἔγκειμαι.

v. 143.

Χορ. —ΑΝΤΙΨΑΛΜΟΥΣ ᾠδας
Ὕμνον τ᾿ Ασιηταν σοι
Βαρβαρον ἰαχαν
Δεσποινα γ᾿ ἐξαυδασω,
Ταν ἐν ΘΡΗΝΟΙΣΙ μουσαν
Νέκυσί μέλεον³.

v. 178.

To thee thy faithful train
The Asiatic hymn will raise,
A doleful, a barbaric strain,
Responsive to thy lays,
And steep in tears the mournful song,
Notes which to the dead belong;
Dismal notes attun'd to woe
By Pluto in the realms below.—

Potter's Eurip. v. 206.

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

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-85

Ritter, cap. 12 § 2

ἔστι δὲ πρόλογος μὲν μέρος ὅλοντρα - γῳδίας τὸ πρὸ χοροῦ παρόδου: iam incipit ulna sua uti et sic disputare, ut missa interna tragicae poesis natura curet, ne forte quo nomine singulae tragoediarum particulae vocandae sint lectores nesciant. prologus est igitur tota tragoediae pars quae posita est ante chori carmen parodicum. nomen πάροδον h. 1. non de chori in orchestram ingressu sed de tragoediae parte quadam intelligendum esse definitio παρόδου quae statim sequitur ostendit. Aristophanes tragoediae initium, h. e. primam orationem eius qui primum inducitur, πρόλογον appellavit in Ranis v. 1119., ubi Euripidem Aeschyli tragoedias exagitantem haec dicere fecit: καὶ μὴν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς τοὺς προλόγους σοι τρέψομαι, ὅπως τὸ πρῶτον τῆς τραγῳδίας μέρος πρώτιστον αὐτοῦ βασανιῶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ. ibidem cum Aeschylo imperatum esset ut πρόλογον ἐκ τῆς Ὀρεστείας recitaret, ille dicto audiens tres versus qui primi sunt in Choephoris ac deinde quartum et quinti dimidiam partem ex oratione Orestis protulit. verus Aristoteles in Rhetoricis III, 14 init. cuiusvis carminis exordium πρόλογον vocat: τὸ μὲν οὖν προοίμιόν ἐστιν ἀρχὴ λόγου, ὅπερ ἐν ποιήσει πρόλογος καὶ ἐν αὐλήσει προαύλιον· πάντα γὰρ ἀρχαὶ ταῦτ᾽ εἰσί, καὶ οἷον ὁδοποίησις τῷ ἐπιόντι. haec significatio nomini plane convenit: πρόλογος enim ea est oratio quae ceteris prius admittitur. sed si ὁ λόγος opponitur τῷ μέλει, prologus ea complectitur quae ante chori adventum in scena peraguntur, h. e. quae prius dicuntur quam cantus inchoatur. hoc intellectu πρόλογον dictum accepit scriptor anonymus apud Küsterum ante comoedias Aristophanis p. XIV (apud Bekkerum p. XII): πρόλογος τὸ μέχρι τῆς εἰσόδου τοῦ χοροῦ μέρος. conf. Tzetzae Versus de tragica poesi editi a Dübnero in Museo Rhen. philolog. vol. IV. p. 403. πρόλογος μέν ἐστι τὸ μέχρι χοροῦ τῆς εἰσόδου. nec vero haec significatio multum immutatur, si quando chorus ante adest quam histriones' in scenam ingressi sunt, quod factum videmus in Aeschyli Persis et Supplicibus atque in Rheso Euripidis: tum enim πρόλογος continet illa quae ante a coryphaco recitantur quam totius chori canticum incipit, quae unius choreutae recitatio et λόγος et λέξις appellari potest. itaque in Persis prologus continetur v. 1-64., in Supplicibus v. 1-40., in Rheso v. 1-22. longius autem in prologo definiendo a significatione vocis πρόλογος recessit technicus hic noster, dum quae primam λέξιν totius chori praecedunt eo nomine complectitur. secundum hanc sententiam dimidia paene Oedipi Colonei pars (v. 1-667) ingenti prologo occupatur, sed ea culpa non est praestantissimi poetae: immo in culpa sunt technici notiones suas ex vagis notis componentes. cur ὅλον μέρος, non μέρος simpliciter, scripserit et hic et paulo post ubi episodium et exodus definitur, id in tali scriptore non curiose quaerendum existimo. fortasse significari voluit prologi ambitum plerumque satis magnum esse, item episodii exodique. ἐπεισόδιον δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγῳδίας τὸ μεταξὺ ὅλων χορικῶν μελῶν: quae ab histrionibus inter duo chori cantica aut inter semet ipsos aut inter ipsos et choreutas peraguntur, ἐπεισόδιον efficiunt. nomen inde factum est, quod actorum colloquia nascentis artis tragicae aetate canticis choricis tamquam quoddam alienum vel secundarium interserebantur. ὅλα μέλη chori quae circumdant ἐπεισόδιον, aut parodus et stasimum aut duo stasima esse possunt. conf. anonymus apud Küsterum 1. c. ἐπεισόδιον τὸ μεταξύ δύο χορικῶν μελῶν. Tzetzes 1. c. ἐπεισόδιος δέ ἐστιν... λόγος μεταξὺ πλὴν μελῶν χορῶν (lege χοροῦ) δύο. ἔξοδος δὲ μέρος ὅλον τραγωδίας μεθ' ὃ οὐκ ἔστι χοροῦ μέλος: accuratius scripsisset ὅλου χοροῦ μέλος. in ipsa enim exodo singuli choreutae in κόμμοις interdum respondent canticis ab histrionibus ex scena fusis, et minora singulorum choreutarum carmina decantari et anapaesti coryphaei recitari possunt. ceterum vel sic definitio accommodari nequit ad omnes tragoedias, si quidem Aeschyli Supplices totius chori cantico concluduntur, et Eumenides in fine novi chori carmine instructae sunt. scriptor anonymus (apud Küsterum p. XIV) comoediae exodum a nostro tehnico discedens sic definivit: ἔξοδος τὸ ἐπὶ τέλει λεγόμενον τοῦ χοροῦ. huic consentit scholiasta Aristophanis ad Vespas v. 270., Pollux IV, 108., Hesychius s. v. ἐξόδιοι νόμοι. imperite Tzetzes 1. c. vers. 24. ἡ δ' ἔξοδός τις τυγχάνει χοροῦ λόγος, μεθ' ὃν χοροῖς οὐκ ἔστι τι λέγειν μέλος. πάροδος μὲν ἡ πρώτη λέξις ὅλου χοροῦ: si nomen παρόδου (Einzug) premis, quae chorus canit vel coryphaeus recitat, dum choreutae in orchestram sive a dextra sive a sinistra parte per apsides ingrediuntur, ea voce consignantur. id fere fecerunt grammatici, ut scholiasta Euripidis ad Phoeniss. v. 210 (202): πάροδος δὲ ἐστιν ᾠδὴ· χοροῦ βαδίζοντος ἀδομένη ἅμα τῇ εἰσόδῳ. item scholiasta Aristophanis ad Vespas v. 270., qui coryphaei exhortationem inter chori in orchestram adventum (230-247) enuntiatam πάροδον appellavit. alios grammaticorum de parodo locos collectos attulit G. C. W. Schneiderus de Re scenica Atheniensium pag. 205 sq., quibus iam addendus est I. Tzetzae definitio in Versibus de tragica poesi v. 35-42. a Dübnero evulgatis in Museo Rhen. philologico t. IV. p. 403. eiusmodi vero parodus multis tragoediis omnino deest, Sophocliis quidem omnibus, excepta Aiace, deest. hoc cum alios tum Pseudo - Aristotelem videtur impulisse, ut aliam definitionem parodi excogitarent. nam hic noster nonnisi totius chori primum carmen ( πρώτην λέξιν iste dixit) nomine parodi intelligi voluit, eodemque intellectu eandem vocem a Plutarcho acceptam fuisse patet ex illius quaestione an seni sit gerenda res publica c. 3. p. 785 A (IV. I. p. 152. apud Wyttenb.): Σοφοκλῆς δὲ λέγεται μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν υἱῶν παρανοίας δίκην φεύγων ἀναγνῶναὶ τὴν ἐν Οἰδίποδι τῷ ἐπὶ Κολωνοῦ πάροδον, ᾗ ἐστιν ἀρχὴ εὐίππου ( ν. 668), ξένε, τᾶσδε χώρας.” quae sint huiusce definitionis τῆς παρόδου incommoda, neuter eorum videtur vidisse vel curavisse. iam enim, ut ante notavimus, dimidia fere Oedipi Colonei pars prologus est. porro idem huius fabulae carmen (v. 668 sqq.) non minus pro stasimo quam pro parodo haberi potest. nam quia omnes chori personae hic demum canere incipiunt, parodus est. sed idem canticum stasimum est, quia neque anapaestorum neque trochaeorum systemata admixta sunt. idem dici potest de primo carmine chorico Oedipi Regis v. 151 - 215. aliisque pluribus. his expositis, dicendum restat cur λέξιν ὅλου χορού h. 1. legamus, ubi μέλος exspectamus. hoc ego technico nostro parum caute scribenti excidisse puto, quemadmodum apud Photium et Suidam legimus μονῳδία λέ γεται, ὅταν εἶς μόνος λέγῃ τὴν ᾠδήν. conf. Argumentum Persarum Aeschyli τῶν δὲ χορῶν τὰ μὲν ἐστι παροδικά, ὡς ὅτε λέγει δι' ἣν αἰτίαν πάρεστιν, ὡς τὸ “ Τύριον οἶδμα λιποῦσα,” h. e. primum carmen choricum Phoenissarum Euripidis v. 202 sqq. Tzetzes 1. c. ὅλου χοροῦ λέξις τε πρώτη τυγχάνει· ᾠδὴν ὁ Εὐκλείδης δέ, λέξιν οὐ λέγει. accuratius igitur Euclides locutus est de parodo quam ceteri technici solebant. de iis qui parodum λέξιν et qui αδὴν nominabant, Tzetzes v. 42. monet, et recte monet, ut mihi videtur, ταυτὸν τάχα λέγοντες ἐν πολλοῖς λόγοις. Hermannus et Müllererus, ille in Commentariis ad h. 1. pag. 142., hic in Museo Rhenano philolog. t. V. p. 362., existimant λέξιν, non ᾠδήν, consulto ab Aristotele positam esse, ne systemata anapaestica 2), quae ab uno coryphaeo recitata esse, non a toto choro cantata, certum est, a parodo excluderentur. sed ita 2) Nobile exemplum anapaestorum ab uno coryphaeo recitatorum et strophis intersertorum praebet parodus Antigonae Sophocliae v. 100 - 161.auctor personatus sibi ipse non constabit, cum parodum totius chori λέξιν esse dicit et nihilo minus unius coryphaei anapaestos recipere voluit, aut ille hoc ignoravit, anapaestos non cani a choro sed recitari a coryphaeo. accedit quod ὅλου χοροῦ λέξις nihil nisi carmen esse potest: totus enim chorus nunquam loquitur, sed semper canit. hoc recte monuit Tyrwhittus. diligenter et docte, ut solet, Odofr. Müllerus nuper de parodo disputavit in Museo Rhenano philolog. t. V. p. 360 sqq., sed virum aequissimum sententiam suam aliqua ex parte immutaturum esse, ubi haec legerit, confido. στάσιμον δὲ μέλος χοροῦ τὸ ἄνευ ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου: τὸ ἄνευ ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου τo consilio addita esse puto, ut, si quando stasimo coniuncta essent systemata anapaestica vel trochaica, haec ad ipsum stasimum non pertinere moneretur. sic in Sophoclis Aiace post prologum (v. 1-133), dum chorus in orchestram ingreditur, primum sex systemata anapaestica a coryphaeo recitantur (v. 134-171), iisque parodus absolvitur, tum sequitur carmen a choro stante ( στάσιμον) decantatum (v. 172 - 200). dum anapaesti illi recitantur, chorus non stat sed in orchestrae mediam partem ingreditur. aliud exemplum ex Aeschyli Agamemnone petere licet. chorus ingredi orchestram incipit a versu 40., et hinc usque ad v. 103. novem systemata anapaestica a coryphaco recitantur, et haec τὴν πάροδον efficiunt; continuo sequitur stantis chori carmen ( στάσιμον) a versu 104. usque ad 257. in eiusdem Supplicibus statim ab initio chorus ingreditur, quod dum fit, coryphaeus decem systemata anapaestica (v. 1-40) recitat, quo facto stantis chori carmen inchoatur. eiusmodi igitur systemata a carmine chorico excludi technicus voluit. sed idem cur etiam ἄνευ τροχαίου addidit ? scilicet τροχερός est numerus trochaicus et ad saltandum aptus, non ad standum, ideoque cantica ex trochaeis continuis composita ex stasimis eximenda putavit. fortasse cogitavit eiusmodi carmina quae apud Aeschylum in Eumenid. v. 997-1002. leguntur: χαίρετ' ἀστικὸς λεώς, ἴκταρ ἥμενοι Διός, παρθένου φίλας φίλοι σωφρονοῦντες ἐν χρόνῳ. Παλλάδος δ' ὑπὸ πτεροῖς ὄντας ἅζεται πατήρ. baec et similia a saltante choro cantata esse dubitari nequit. conf. eiusdem fabulae v. 1014 - 1020. Prometh. v. 415-417. 420-422. Hermannus olim (in Comment. ad h. 1.) stasima inde dicta putabat, quod carmina essent perpetua sive systematis anapaesticis trochaicisve non interrupta, sed hanc sententiam ab ipso iam improbari credo. nam perpetuus Graece dicitur non στάσιμος sed συνεχής. stasima recte tradunt grammatici Graeci dicta esse propterea quod canerentur a stantibus choreutis, quamquam modicos ac decoros motus ne ab his quidem carminibus remotos fuisse verisimile videtur. locos grammaticorum de στασίμοις exponentium collectos posuit Schneiderus in Re scenica Atheniensium p. 207. conf. Odofr. Müllerus ad Aeschyli Eumenides p. 95. illis locis iam accedit Tzetzes 1. c. vers. 51 sqq. ἄλλοι δὲ τὸ στάσιμον χοροῦ φασὶν μέρος (1. μέλος) ἄνευ ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου τῶν μέτρων· πάλιν ὁ Εὐκλείδης δέ φησιν σιν ὧδέ πως · ὅταν χορὸς στάς τι κατάρχεται λέγειν. in versu postremo λέγειν negligenter dictum esse pro άδειν memineris. Tzetzes illam priorem definitionem et alteram Euclidis non re sed verbis differre pronuntiat ( καὶ ταῦτα πολλοῖς ἓν τελοῦσι τοῖς λόγοις), et recte pronuntiat, quoniam, dum illa systemata anapaestica recitantur, choreutae in mediam orchestrae partem procedunt, itemque non stantes sed saltantes trochaica systemata decantare solent. itaque μέλος χοροῦ ἄνευ ἀναπαίστου καὶ τροχαίου idem est atque μέλος ὃ χορευταὶ στάντες ἄδουσιν. κόμμος δὲ θρήνος κοινὸς χοροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ σκηνῆς: nomen κόμμοι inde factum est, quod plerumque unus vel alter canentium sese plangebat doloris ostentandi causa.mira est huius technici etiam h. 1. sive dicendi brevitas sive negligentia. debuit saltem κόμμος δὲ θρήνος κοινὸς τοῦ χοροῦ καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ σκηνῆς, sed articulum saepius hoc capite omisit, ubi verus Aristoteles haud dubie illum positurus erat. de commo absurda quidem Tzetzes attulit, sed quae contemnere nobis non licet, propterea quod ex eius verbis patet, huius technici definitionem ignotam ei non fuisse: scribit igitur 1. c. vers. 64 sqq. οὗτος δ᾽ ὁ κόμμος τοῦ χοροῦ τελῶν μέρος ὑποκριταῖς ἦν ὡς πολὺ συνηγμένος, κόμμος δὲ θρήνου πενθικώτερος πλέον. ὁ θρῆνός ἐστιν ἠρεμέστερον μέλος. κόμμον πάλιν ἄλλος δέ τις θρῆνον λέγει, κοινὸν χοροῦ σκηνῆς τε τυγχάνει λέγων.

Aristotle Poetics 12.9

ed. Henry James Pye

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CHAPITRE TREΙΖΙΕΜΕ.

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Commentary

NOTE 92. P. 86.

Ritter, cap. 12 § 2

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