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those have either totally failed in the attempt or been unfavourably received, who have endeavoured to represent the whole destruction of Troy and not divided it into parts; (I [G] do not mean in the manner of Æschylus

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.) — 18 focus

Ἔστι δὲ πάσης τραγῳδίας τὸ μὲν δέσις τὸ δὲ λύσις, τὰ μὲν ἔξωθεν καὶ ἔνια τῶν ἔσωθεν πολλάκις ἡ δέσις, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἡ λύσις.

Λέγω δὲ δέσιν μὲν εἶναι τὴν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς μέχρι τούτου τοῦ μέρους ὃ ἔσχατόν ἐστιν, ἐξ οὗ μεταβαίνει εἰς εὐτυχίαν, λύσιν δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς μεταβάσεως μέχρι τέλους,

ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ τῷ Θεοδέκτου δέσις μὲν τά τε προπεπραγμένα καὶ ἡ τοῦ παιδίου λῆψις, λύσις δ᾿ ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς αἰτιάσεως τοῦ θανάτου μέχρι τοῦ τέλους.

Τραγῳδίας δὲ εἴδη εἰσὶ τέσσαρα· τοσαῦτα γὰρ καὶ τὰ μέρη ἐλέχθη.

Ἡ μὲν πεπλεγμένη, ἧς τὸ ὅλον ἐστὶ περιπέτεια καὶ ἀναγνώρισις·

ἡ δὲ παθητική, οἷον οἵ τε Αἴαντες καὶ οἱ Ἰξίονες·

ἡ δὲ ἠθική, οἷον αἱ Φθιώτιδες καὶ ὁ Πηλεύς·

τὸ δὲ τέταρτον, οἷον αἵ τε Φορκίδες καὶ Προμηθεὺς καὶ ὅσα ἐν ᾅδου.

Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ἅπαντα δεῖ πειρᾶσθαι ἔχειν, εἰ δὲ μή, τὰ μέγιστα καὶ πλεῖστα, ἄλλως τε καὶ ὡς νῦν συκοφαντοῦσι τοὺς ποιητάς· γεγονότων γὰρ καθ᾿ ἕκαστον μέρος ἀγαθῶν ποιητῶν, ἕκαστον τοῦ ἰδίου ἀγαθοῦ ἀξιοῦσι τὸν ἕνα ὑπερβάλλειν.

Δίκαιον δὲ καὶ τραγῳδίαν ἄλλην καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν λέγειν οὐδὲν ἴσως τῷ μύθῳ. Τοῦτο δέ, ὧν ἡ αὐτὴ πλοκὴ καὶ λύσις.

Πολλοὶ δὲ πλέξαντες εὖ λύουσι κακῶς·

δεῖ δὲ ἄμφω ἀεὶ κροτεῖσθαι.

Χρὴ δέ, ὅπερ εἴρηται πολλάκις, μεμνῆσθαι καὶ μὴ ποιεῖν ἐποποιικὸν σύστημα τραγῳδίαν. Ἐποποιικὸν δὲ λέγω τὸ πολύμυθον, οἷον εἴ τις τὸν τῆς Ἰλιάδος ὅλον ποιοῖ μῦθον.

Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸ μῆκος λαμβάνει τὰ μέρη τὸ πρέπον μέγεθος, ἐν δὲ τοῖς δράμασι πολὺ παρὰ τὴν ὑπόληψιν ἀποβαίνει.

Σημεῖον δέ, ὅσοι πέρσιν Ἰλίου ὅλην ἐποίησαν καὶ μὴ κατὰ μέρος, ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδης Νιόβην, καὶ μὴ ὥσπερ Αἰσχύλος, ἢ ἐκπίπτουσιν ἢ κακῶς ἀγωνίζονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἀγάθων ἐξέπεσεν ἐν τούτῳ μόνῳ.

Ἐν δὲ ταῖς περιπετείαις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁπλοῖς πράγμασι στοχάζονται ὧν βούλονται θαυμαστῶς· τραγικὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ φιλάνθρωπον.

Ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο, ὅταν ὁ σοφὸς μὲν μετὰ πονηρίας δὲ ἐξαπατηθῇ, ὥσπερ Σίσυφος, καὶ ὁ ἀνδρεῖος μὲν ἄδικος δὲ ἡττηθῇ.

Ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο εἰκός, ὥσπερ Ἀγάθων λέγει· εἰκὸς γὰρ γίνεσθαι πολλὰ καὶ παρὰ τὸ εἰκός.

Καὶ τὸν χορὸν δὲ ἕνα δεῖ ὑπολαβεῖν τῶν ὑποκριτῶν, καὶ μόριον εἶναι τοῦ ὅλου, καὶ συναγωνίζεσθαι μὴ ὥσπερ παρ᾿ Εὐριπίδῃ ἀλλ᾿ ὥσπερ παρὰ Σοφοκλεῖ.

Τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς τὰ διδόμενα μᾶλλον τοῦ μύθου ἢ ἄλλης τραγῳδίας ἐστίν· διὸ ἐμβόλιμα ᾄδουσιν, πρώτου ἄρξαντος Ἀγάθωνος τοῦ τοιούτου. Καίτοι τί διαφέρει ἢ ἐμβόλιμα ᾄδειν ἢ ῥῆσιν ἐξ ἄλλου εἰς ἄλλο ἁρμόττειν ἢ ἐπεισόδιον ὅλον;

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 18 focus

ἔστι δὲ πάσης τραγῳδίας τὸ μὲν δέσις τὸ δὲ λύσις, 25 τὰ μὲν ἔξωθεν καὶ ἔνια τῶν ἔσωθεν πολλάκις ἡ δέσις, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἡ λύσις·

λέγω δὲ δέσιν μὲν εἶναι τὴν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς μέχρι τούτου τοῦ μέρους ὃ ἔσχατόν ἐστιν ἐξ οὗ μεταβαίνει εἰς εὐτυχίαν ἢ εἰς ἀτυχίαν, λύσιν δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς μεταβάσεως μέχρι τέλους·

ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ τῷ Θεοδέκτου 30 δέσις μὲν τά τε προπεπραγμένα καὶ ἡ τοῦ παιδίου λῆψις καὶ πάλιν ἡ αὐτῶν λύσις δ’ ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς αἰτιάσεως τοῦ θανάτου μέχρι τοῦ τέλους.

τραγῳδίας δὲ εἴδη εἰσὶ τέσσαρα (τοσαῦτα γὰρ καὶ τὰ μέρη ἐλέχθη),

ἡ μὲν πεπλεγμένη, ἧς τὸ ὅλον ἐστὶν περιπέτεια καὶ ἀναγνώρισις,

ἡ δὲ παθητική, οἷον οἵ τε 1456a 1 Αἴαντες καὶ οἱ Ἰξίονες,

ἡ δὲ ἠθική, οἷον αἱ Φθιώτιδες καὶ ὁ Πηλεύς·

τὸ δὲ τέταρτον † οης †, οἷον αἵ τε Φορκίδες καὶ ὁ Προμηθεὺς καὶ ὅσα ἐν ᾅδου.

μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ἅπαντα δεῖ πειρᾶσθαι ἔχειν, εἰ δὲ μή, τὰ μέγιστα καὶ πλεῖστα, ἄλλως τε 5 καὶ ὡς νῦν συκοφαντοῦσιν τοὺς ποιητάς· γεγονότων γὰρ καθ’ ἕκαστον μέρος ἀγαθῶν ποιητῶν, ἑκάστου τοῦ ἰδίου ἀγαθοῦ ἀξιοῦσι τὸν ἕνα ὑπερβάλλειν.

δίκαιον δὲ καὶ τραγῳδίαν ἄλλην καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν λέγειν οὐδενὶ ὡς τῷ μύθῳ· τοῦτο δέ, ὧν ἡ αὐτὴ πλοκὴ καὶ λύσις.

πολλοὶ δὲ πλέξαντες εὖ 10 λύουσι κακῶς·

δεῖ δὲ ἀμφότερα ἀρτικροτεῖσθαι.

χρὴ δὲ ὅπερ εἴρηται πολλάκις μεμνῆσθαι καὶ μὴ ποιεῖν ἐποποιικὸν σύστημα τραγῳδίαν—ἐποποιικὸν δὲ λέγω τὸ πολύμυθον— οἷον εἴ τις τὸν τῆς Ἰλιάδος ὅλον ποιοῖ μῦθον.

ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸ μῆκος λαμβάνει τὰ μέρη τὸ πρέπον μέγεθος, ἐν 15 δὲ τοῖς δράμασι πολὺ παρὰ τὴν ὑπόληψιν ἀποβαίνει.

σημεῖον δέ, ὅσοι πέρσιν Ἰλίου ὅλην ἐποίησαν καὶ μὴ κατὰ μέρος ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδης, ἢ Νιόβην καὶ μὴ ὥσπερ Αἰσχύλος, ἢ ἐκπίπτουσιν ἢ κακῶς ἀγωνίζονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἀγάθων ἐξέπεσεν ἐν τούτῳ μόνῳ.

ἐν δὲ ταῖς περιπετείαις καὶ ἐν τοῖς 20 ἁπλοῖς πράγμασι στοχάζονται ὧν βούλονται θαυμαστῶς· τραγικὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ φιλάνθρωπον.

ἔστιν δὲ τοῦτο, ὅταν ὁ σοφὸς μὲν μετὰ πονηρίας δ’ ἐξαπατηθῇ, ὥσπερ Σίσυφος, καὶ ὁ ἀνδρεῖος μὲν ἄδικος δὲ ἡττηθῇ.

ἔστιν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ εἰκὸς ὥσπερ Ἀγάθων λέγει, εἰκὸς γὰρ γίνεσθαι πολλὰ 25 καὶ παρὰ τὸ εἰκός.

καὶ τὸν χορὸν δὲ ἕνα δεῖ ὑπολαμβάνειν τῶν ὑποκριτῶν, καὶ μόριον εἶναι τοῦ ὅλου καὶ συναγωνίζεσθαι μὴ ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδῃ ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ Σοφοκλεῖ.

τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς τὰ ᾀδόμενα οὐδὲν μᾶλλον τοῦ μύθου ἢ ἄλλης τραγῳδίας ἐστίν· διὸ ἐμβόλιμα ᾄδουσιν πρώτου ἄρξαντος 30 Ἀγάθωνος τοῦ τοιούτου. καίτοι τί διαφέρει ἢ ἐμβόλιμα ᾄδειν ἢ εἰ ῥῆσιν ἐξ ἄλλου εἰς ἄλλο ἁρμόττοι ἢ ἐπεισόδιον ὅλον;

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 18 focus

Ἔστι δὲ πάσης τραγῳδίας τὸ μὲν δέσις τὸ δὲ λύσις, τὰ
μὲν ἔξωθεν καὶ ἔνια τῶν ἔσωθεν πολλάκις ἡ δέσις, τὸ δὲ
λοιπὸν ἡ λύσις—

λέγω δὲ δέσιν μὲν εἶναι τὴν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς
μέχρι τούτου τοῦ μέρους ὃ ἔσχατόν ἐστιν ἐξ οὗ μεταβαίνει
εἰς εὐτυχίαν, λύσιν δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς μεταβάσεως
μέχρι τέλους·

ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ τῷ Θεοδέκτου
δέσις μὲν τά τε προπεπραγμένα καὶ ἡ τοῦ παιδίου λῆψις καὶ
πάλιν ἡ αὐτῶν, λύσις δ᾽ ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς αἰτιάσεως τοῦ θανάτου
μέχρι τοῦ τέλους.

τραγῳδίας δὲ εἴδη εἰσὶ τέσσαρα (τοσαῦτα
γὰρ καὶ τὰ μέρη ἐλέχθη),

ἡ μὲν πεπλεγμένη, ἧς τὸ ὅλον
ἐστὶν περιπέτεια καὶ ἀναγνώρισις,

ἡ δὲ παθητική, οἷον οἵ τε
Αἴαντες καὶ οἱ Ἰξίονες,

ἡ δὲ ἠθική, οἷον αἱ Φθιώτιδες καὶ ὁ
Πηλεύς·

τὸ δὲ τέταρτον ὄψις, οἷον αἵ τε Φορκίδες καὶ Προμηθεὺς
καὶ ὅσα ἐν ᾅδου.

μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ἅπαντα δεῖ πειρᾶσθαι
ἔχειν, εἰ δὲ μή, τὰ μέγιστα καὶ πλεῖστα, ἄλλως τε
καὶ ὡς νῦν συκοφαντοῦσιν τοὺς ποιητάς· γεγονότων γὰρ καθ᾽
ἕκαστον μέρος ἀγαθῶν ποιητῶν, ἑκάστου τοῦ ἰδίου ἀγαθοῦ
ἀξιοῦσι τὸν ἕνα ὑπερβάλλειν.

δίκαιον δὲ καὶ τραγῳδίαν
ἄλλην καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν λέγειν οὐδενὶ ἴσως τῷ μύθῳ· τοῦτο
δέ, ὧν ἡ αὐτὴ πλοκὴ καὶ λύσις.

πολλοὶ δὲ πλέξαντες εὖ
λύουσι κακῶς·

δεῖ δὲ ἄμφω ἀεὶ κρατεῖσθαι.

χρὴ δὲ ὅπερ
εἴρηται πολλάκις μεμνῆσθαι καὶ μὴ ποιεῖν ἐποποιικὸν σύστημα
τραγῳδίαν—ἐποποιικὸν δὲ λέγω τὸ πολύμυθον—
οἷον εἴ τις τὸν τῆς Ἰλιάδος ὅλον ποιοῖ μῦθον.

ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ
διὰ τὸ μῆκος λαμβάνει τὰ μέρη τὸ πρέπον μέγεθος, ἐν
δὲ τοῖς δράμασι πολὺ παρὰ τὴν ὑπόληψιν ἀποβαίνει.

σημεῖον
δέ, ὅσοι πέρσιν Ἰλίου ὅλην ἐποίησαν καὶ μὴ κατὰ
μέρος ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδης, ἢ Νιόβην καὶ μὴ ὥσπερ Αἰσχύλος,
ἢ ἐκπίπτουσιν ἢ κακῶς ἀγωνίζονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἀγάθων ἐξέπεσεν
ἐν τούτῳ μόνῳ·

ἐν δὲ ταῖς περιπετείαις καὶ ἐν τοῖς
ἁπλοῖς πράγμασι στοχάζονται ὧν βούλονται θαυμαστῶς·
τραγικὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ φιλάνθρωπον.

ἔστιν δὲ τοῦτο, ὅταν
ὁ σοφὸς μὲν μετὰ πονηρίας δ᾽ ἐξαπατηθῇ, ὥσπερ Σίσυφος,
καὶ ὁ ἀνδρεῖος μὲν ἄδικος δὲ ἡττηθῇ·

ἔστιν δὲ τοῦτο
εἰκὸς ὥσπερ Ἀγάθων λέγει, εἰκὸς γὰρ γίνεσθαι πολλὰ
καὶ παρὰ τὸ εἰκός.

καὶ τὸν χορὸν δὲ ἕνα δεῖ ὑπολαβεῖν
τῶν ὑποκριτῶν, καὶ μόριον εἶναι τοῦ ὅλου καὶ συναγωνίζεσθαι
μὴ ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδῃ ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ Σοφοκλεῖ.

τοῖς
δὲ λοιποῖς τὰ ᾀδόμενα οὐδὲν μᾶλλον τοῦ μύθου ἢ ἄλλης
τραγῳδίας ἐστίν· διὸ ἐμβόλιμα ᾄδουσιν πρώτου ἄρξαντος
Ἀγάθωνος τοῦ τοιούτου. καίτοι τί διαφέρει ἢ ἐμβόλιμα
ᾄδειν ἢ εἰ ῥῆσιν ἐξ ἄλλου εἰς ἄλλο ἁρμόττοι ἢ ἐπεισόδιον
ὅλον;

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.) — 18 focus

Ἔστι δὲ πάσης τραγῳδίας τὸ μέν δέσις τὸ δὲ λύσις, τὰ μὲν ἔξωθεν καὶ ἔνια τῶν ἔσωθεν πολλάκις ἡ δέσις, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἡ λύσις.

λέγω δὲ δέσιν μὲν εἶναι τὴν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς μέχρι τούτου τοῦ μέρους ὃ ἔσχατόν ἐστιν, ἐξ οὗ μεταβαίνει εἰς εὐτυχίαν, λύσιν δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς μεταβάσεως μέχρι τέλους,

ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Λυγκεῖ τῷ Θεοδέκτου δέσις μὲν τά τε προπεπραγμένα καὶ ἡ τοῦ παιδίου λῆψις, λύσις δ᾽ ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς αἰτιάσεως τοῦ θανάτου μέχρι τοῦ τέλους.] [

Τραγῳδίας δὲ εἴδη εἰσὶ τέσσαρα· τοσαῦτα γὰρ καὶ τὰ μέρη ἐλέχθη.

ἡ μὲν πεπλεγμένη, ἧς τὸ ὅλον ἐστὶ περιπέτεια καὶ ἀναγνώρισις·

ἡ δὲ παθητική, οἷον οἵ τε Αἴαντες καὶ οἱ Ἰξίονες·

ἡ δὲ ἠθική, οἷον αἱ Φθιώτιδες καὶ ὁ Πηλεύς·

τὸ δὲ τέταρτον, οἷον αἵ τε Φορκίδες καὶ Προμηθεὺς καὶ ὅσα ἐν¹ Αιδου.

μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ἅπαντα δεῖ πειρᾶσθαι ἔχειν, εἰ δὲ μή, τὰ μέγιστα καὶ πλεῖστα, ἄλλως τε καὶ ὡς νῦν συκοφαντοῦσι τοὺς ποιητάς· γεγονότων γὰρ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον μέρος ἀγαθῶν ποιητῶν, ἕκαστον τοῦ ἰδίου ἀγαθοῦ ἀξιοῦσι τὸν ἕνα ὑπερβάλλειν.

δίκαιον δὲ καὶ τραγῳδίαν ἄλλην καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν λέγειν οὐδὲν ἴσως τῷ μύθῳ· τοῦτο δέ, ὧν ἡ αὐτὴ πλοκὴ καὶ λύσις.

πολλοὶ δὲ πλέξαντες εὖ λύουσι κακῶς·

δεῖ δὲ ἄμφω ἀεὶ κροτεῖσθαι.]

Χρὴ δέ, ὅπερ εἴρηται πολλάκις, μεμνῆσθαι καὶ μὴ ποιεῖν ἐποποιικὸν σύστημα τραγῳδίαν. ἐποποιικὸν δὲ λέγω τὸ πολύμυθον, οἷον εἴ τις τὸν τῆς Ἰλιάδος ὅλον ποιοῖ μῦθον.

ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸ μῆκος λαμβάνει τὰ μέρη τὸ πρέπον μέγεθος, ἐν δὲ τοῖς δράμασι πολὺ παρὰ τὴν ὑπόληψιν ἀποβαίνει.

σημεῖον δέ, ὅσοι πέρσιν Ἰλίου ὅλην ἐποίησαν καὶ μὴ κατὰ μέρος [, ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδης Νιόβην, καὶ μὴ ὥσπερ Αἰσχύλος], ἢ ἐκπίπτουσιν ἢ κακῶς ἀγωνίζονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ² Ἀγάθων ἐξέπεσεν ἐν τούτῳ μόνῳ.

ἐν δὲ ταῖς περιπετείαις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁπλοῖς πράγμασι στοχάζονται ὧν βούλονται θαυμαστῶς· τραγικὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ φιλάνθρωπον.

ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο, ὅταν ὁ σοφὸς μὲν μετὰ πονηρίας δὲ ἐξαπατηθῇ, ὥσπερ Σίσυφος, καὶ ὁ ἀνδρεῖος μὲν ἄδικος δὲ ἡττηθῇ.

ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο εἰκός, ὥσπερ Ἀγάθων λέγει· εἰκὸς γὰρ γινεσθαι πολλὰ καὶ παρὰ τὸ εἰκός.

καὶ τὸν χορὸν δὲ ἕνα δεῖ ὑπολαβεῖν τῶν ὑποκριτῶν, καὶ μόριον εἶναι τοῦ ὅλου, καὶ συναγωνίζεσθαι μὴ ὡς παρ' Εὐριπίδῃ ἀλλ᾽ ὡς παρὰ Σοφοκλεῖ.

τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς τὰ ᾠδόμενα οὐ μᾶλλον τοῦ μύθου ἢ ἄλλης τραγῳδίας ἐστίν· διὸ ἐμβόλιμα ᾄδουσιν, πρώτου ἄρξαντος Ἀγάθωνος τοῦ τοιούτου. καίτοι τί διαφέρει ἢ ἐμβόλιμα ᾄδειν ἢ ῥῆσιν ἐξ ἄλλου εἰς ἄλλο ἁρμόττειν ἢ ἐπεισόδιον ὅλον;

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 18 focus

In every tragedy there is a complication and a denouement.¹ The incidents outside the plot and some of those in it usually form the complication, the rest is the denouement.

I mean this, that the complication is the part from the beginning up to the point which immediately precedes the occurrence of a change from bad to good fortune or from good fortune to bad; the denouement is from the beginning of the change down to the end.

For instance, in the Lynceus of Theodectes the complication is the preceding events, and the seizure of the boy, and then their own seizure; and the denouement is from the capital charge to the end.²

Tragedies should properly be classed as the same or different mainly in virtue of the plot, that is to say those that have the same entanglement and denouement. Many who entangle well are bad at the denouement. Both should always be mastered.

There are four varieties of tragedy—the same as the number given for the elements³—

first the complex kind, which all turns on reversal and discovery;

the calamity play like the stories of Ajax and Ixion;

the character play like the Phthian Women⁴ and the Peleus⁵.

1456a 1 The fourth element is spectacle, like the Phorcides⁶ and Prometheus, and all scenes laid in Hades.

One should ideally try to include all these elements or, failing that, the most important and as many as possible, especially since it is the modern fashion to carp at poets, and, because there have been good poets in each style, to demand that a single author should surpass the peculiar merits of each.

One must remember, as we have often said, not to make a tragedy an epic structure:

by epic I mean made up of many stories—suppose, for instance, one were to dramatize the IIiad as a whole.

The length of the IIiad allows to the parts their proper size, but in plays the result is full of disappointment.

And the proof is that all who have dramatized the Sack of Troy as a whole, and not, like Euripides, piecemeal, or the Niobe story as a whole and not like Aeschylus, either fail or fare badly in competition. Indeed even Agathon failed in this point alone.

In reversals, however, and in simple stories⁷ too, 20 they admirably achieve their end, which is a tragic effect that also satisfies your feelings.

This is achieved when the wise man, who is, however, unscrupulous, is deceived—like Sisyphus—and the man who is brave but wicked is worsted.

And this, as Agathon says, is a likely result, since it is likely that many quite unlikely things should happen.

The chorus too must be regarded as one of the actors. It must be part of the whole and share in the action, not as in Euripides but as in Sophocles.

In the others the choral odes have no more to do with the plot than with any other tragedy. And so they sing interludes, a practice begun by Agathon. And yet to sing interludes is quite as bad as transferring a whole speech or scene from one play to another.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 18 focus

〈العقدة والحل؛ أنواع المأساة؛ مدى الخرافة والمأساة〉

وكل مديح فشىء منها حل، وشىء ما رباط؛ أما أشياء التى من خارج والأفراد من داخل فى بعض الأوقات فالرباطات التى من الابتداء إلى هذا الجزء، وهى تلك التى هى أقلية، ومنها يكون العبور إما 〈إلى〉 النجاح والفلاح، وإما إلى لا نجاح ولا فلاح. وأما الانحلال فهو كان من أول العبور إلى آخره، كحال رباط ثاوداقطس فى لونقى. أما الارتباط فالتى تقدمت فكتبت وأخذ الطفل وأيضاً والتى عليها؛ وأما الانحلال فذاك الذى هو من لونقى إلى الموت وإلى الانقضاء.

وأنواع المدائح أربعة أنواع (وهذا كله قيل إنه أجزاء أيضاً): فأحدها مقترن مؤلف؛ والآخر الإدارة والتقليب الذى فى الكل والاستدلال؛ والآخر هى انفعالية، بمنزلة أفثوطيدس وفيلوس أيضاً، والرابع فأمور فو〈ر〉 قيداس وأفرومثيوس، وما قيل لهما وهو أن التى فى الجحيم هى ممتحنة محزنة فى كل شىء.

وإن لم يكن هكذا فهى لا محالة فى أشياء عظام وكثيرة، وإنهم يهتمون ويقسمون الشعراء على جهة أخرى كما الآن؛ وذلك أنه لما كان فى كل جزء وحيد شعراء جياد حذاق، هم يؤهلون كل إنسان لخيره الخاص. وقد ينبغى ألا يكون هم يؤهلون كل إنسان للخيرالخاص به.

وقد كان يجب ألا يكون لا مديح آخر، وهذا أن يقال للخرافة. وهذا إذا كان موجوداً فتأليفته وحله هما بأعيانهما. وكثيرين عندما ألفوا وأقرنوا يحلون حلا حسناً، وإما على جهة رديئة إن أمسكا كليهما بالتبديل.

وقد يجب أن يتذكر مما قد قيل مرات كثيرة ولا يفعل تركيب المديح المسمى افوفيوايقون — وأعنى بايفوفيايقون الوزن الكثير الخرافات — مثل أن يعمل إنسان الخرافة التى من «إيليادا» كلها. وذلك أن الأجزاء هنالك تأخذ بسبب الطول العظم اللائق والأولى. وأما فى العياب فيكون النظير خارجاً عن الشىء كثيراً. والدليل هو هذا وهو أن بمبلغ الزيادة التى لا يليون عملوها بجملتها لا بالأجزاء، كما عمل أوريفيدس بناوبى وليس كما عمل اسكيولوس من أنهم إما أن يقعون وإما أن يجاهدون جهاداً رديئاً، من قبل أن هذا من الخيرات وقع.

فى الإدارات وفى الأمور البسيطة يستدلون ويتعرفون حقيقة هذه التى يريدون ويحبون على طريق الزهو، من قبل أن هذا هو مديحى ومن شأن محبة الانسان. وهذا موجود متى انخدع حكيم، بمنزلة سيوسيفوس مع الرذيلة وغلب الشجاع من الجائر. وهذه هى بالحقيقة أيضاً كما يقول فى الخير أيضاً بالحقيقة: وقد تكون كثيرة خارجة عن الحق.

وللصف الذى فى الجحيم من هؤلاء المنافقين، وأن يكون جزءاً للقول، وأن يجاهده مع لا على أنه مع أوريفيدس، لكن كما يجاذب مع سوفقلس. وكثير من التى تتغنى ليس فيها شىء آخر أكبر من الخرافة أو من المدح؛ ولذلك إنما تتغنى الدخيلة، وأول من بدأ ذلك أغاثن الشاعر. على 〈أنه〉 لا فرق بين أن يتغنى بالدخيلات، وبين أن يؤلف قول من أخرى إلى أخرى.

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.) — 18 focus

Every tragedy falls into two parts, Complication
and Unravelling or Dénouement.

Incidents extraneous
to the action are frequently combined with a portion of
the action proper, to form the Complication; the rest is
the Unravelling. By the Complication I mean all that
extends from the beginning of the action to the part
which marks the turning-point to good or bad fortune.
The Unravelling is that which extends from the
beginning of the change to the end.

Thus, in the
Lynceus of Theodectes, the Complication consists of the
incidents presupposed in the drama, the seizure of the
child, and then again * * extends
from the accusation of murder to the end.

There are four kinds of Tragedy,

the Complex, depend-
ing entirely on Reversal of the Situation and Recognition;

the Pathetic (where the motive is passion), such as the
tragedies on Ajax and Ixion;

the Ethical (where the
motives are ethical), such as the Phthiotides and the
Peleus.

The fourth kind is the Simple.
exclude the purely spectacular element>, exemplified by
the Phorcides, the Prometheus, and scenes laid in Hades.

The poet should endeavour, if possible, to combine all
poetic elements; or failing that, the greatest number and
those the most important; the more so, in face of the
cavilling criticism of the day. For whereas there have
hitherto been good poets, each in his own branch, the
critics now expect one man to surpass all others in their
several lines of excellence.

In speaking of a tragedy as the same or different, the
best test to take is the plot. Identity exists where the
Complication and Unravelling are the same.

Many poets tie the knot well, but unravel it ill.

Both arts, however, should always be mastered.

Again, the poet should remember what has been often
said, and not make an Epic structure into a Tragedy—
by an Epic structure I mean one with a multiplicity of
plots—as if, for instance, you were to make a tragedy
out of the entire story of the Iliad.

In the Epic poem,
owing to its length, each part assumes its proper
magnitude. In the drama the result is far from
answering to the poet's expectation.

The proof is that
the poets who have dramatised the whole story of the
Fall of Troy, instead of selecting portions, like Euripides;
or who have taken the whole tale of Niobe, and not a
part of her story, like Aeschylus, either fail utterly or
meet with poor success on the stage. Even Agathon

has been known to fail from this one defect. In his
Reversals of the Situation, however, he shows a marvellous
skill in the effort to hit the popular taste, —to produce a
tragic effect that satisfies the moral sense.

This effect is
produced when the clever rogue, like Sisyphus, is out-
witted, or the brave villain defeated.

Such an event is
probable in Agathon's sense of the word: 'it is probable,'
he says, 'that many things should happen contrary to
probability.'

The Chorus too should be regarded as one of the
actors; it should be an integral part of the whole, and
share in the action, in the manner not of Euripides but
of Sophocles.

As for the later poets, their choral songs
pertain as little to the subject of the piece as to that of
any other tragedy. They are, therefore, sung as mere
interludes, a practice first begun by Agathon. Yet
what difference is there between introducing such choral
interludes, and transferring a speech, or even a whole act,
from one play to another?

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 18 focus

(4) There is a further point
to be borne in mind. Every tragedy is in part Complication
and in part Dénouement; the incidents before the opening
scene, and often certain also of those within the play,
forming the Complication; and the rest the Dénouement.

By Complication I mean all from the beginning of the story
to the point just before the change in the hero's fortunes;
by Dénouement, all from the beginning of the change to
the end.

In the Lynceus of Theodectes, for instance, the
Complication includes, together with the presupposed inci-
dents, the seizure of the child and that in turn of the parents;
and the Dénouement all from the indictment for the murder
to the end.

(5) There are
four distinct species of Tragedy-that being the number of
the constituents also that have been mentioned:

first, the
complex Tragedy, which is all Peripety and Discovery;

second, the Tragedy of suffering, e. g. the Ajaxes and Ixions;

third, the Tragedy of character, e.g. The Phthiotides and
Peleus.

The fourth constituent is that of 'Spectacle,' ex-
emplified in The Phorcides, in Prometheus, and in all plays
with the scene laid in the nether world.

The poet's aim,
then, should be to combine every element of interest, if
possible, or else the more important and the major part
of them. This is now especially necessary owing to the
unfair criticism to which the poet is subjected in these days.
Just because there have been poets before him strong in
the several species of tragedy, the critics now expect
the one man to surpass that which was the strong point
of each one of his predecessors.

Now it is right, when one speaks of a tragedy
as the same or not the same as another, to do so on the
ground before all else of their Plot, i. e. as having the same
or not the same Complication and Dénouement.

Yet there
are many dramatists who, after a good Complication, fail in
the Dénouement.

But it is necessary for both points of
construction to be always duly mastered.

(6) One should also re-
member what has been said more than once, and not write
a tragedy on an epic body of incident (i.e. one with a plurality
of stories in it), by attempting to dramatize, for instance,
the entire story of the Iliad.

In the epic owing to its scale
every part is treated at proper length;
with a drama, how-
ever, on the same story the result is very disappointing.

This is shown by the fact that all who have dramatized
the fall of Ilium in its entirety, and not part by part, like
Euripides, or the whole of the Niobe story, instead of a
portion, like Aeschylus, either fail utterly or have but ill
success on the stage;
for that and that alone was enough
to ruin even a play by Agathon.

Yet in their Peripeties, as
also in their simple plots, the poets I mean show wonderful
skill in aiming at the kind of effect they desire-a tragic
situation that arouses the human feeling in one,

like the
clever villain (e. g. Sisyphus) deceived, or the brave wrong-
doer worsted.

This is probable, however, only in Agathon's
sense, when he speaks of the probability of even improbabilities
coming to pass.

(7) The Chorus too should be regarded as
one of the actors; it should be an integral part of the
whole, and take a share in the action-that which it has
in Sophocles rather than in Euripides.

With the later poets,
however, the songs in a play of theirs have no more to do
with the Plot of that than of any other tragedy. Hence
it is that they are now singing intercalary pieces, a practice
first introduced by Agathon. And yet what real difference is
there between singing such intercalary pieces, and attempting
to fit in a speech, or even a whole act, from one play into
another?

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.) — 18.15 focus

As a proof of this, those Poets, who have formed the whole of the destruction of Troy into a Tragedy, instead of confining themselves (as Euripides, but not Aeschylus, has done, in the story of Niobe,) to a part, have either been condemned in the representation, or have contended without success.

[20]

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.) — 18.15 focus

This, ¹ however, takes place when a wise but a depraved man, such as Sisyphus, is deceived; and a brave but unjust man is vanquished. But this is probable,

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.) — 18 focus

[Est autem omnis tragoedia partim convinctio partim solutio, externa scilicet et quaedam ex internis saepe convinctio, quod autem relicuum solutio.

dico autem convinctionem esse quae a principio usque ad eam partem quae postrema est, ex qua transitus ad felicitatem,

solutionem autem quae a principio transitus usque ad finem, quemadmodum in Lynceo Theodectis convinctio quae ante acta sunt et pueri captio,

solutio autem quae ab accusatione capitis usque ad finem.] [Tragoediae autem species quattuor sunt: tot enim etiam partes dictae sunt.

alia implicata, cuius totum est peripetia et agnitio;

alia pathetica, ut Aiaces et Ixiones;

alia moralis, ut Phthiotides et Peleus ;

quartum autem, ut Phorcides et Prometheus et quot in Orco.

praecipue igitur enitendum est ut omnia habeas, sin minus, maxima et plurima, praesertim ut nunc calumniantur poetas: nam cum in unaquaque specie boni poetae exstiterint, unumquemque in eo quo ipse excellit ab uno superari postulant.

iustum vero etiam tragoediam aliam et eandem dicere non fortasse ob fabulam : immo hoc, quarum eadem convinctio et solutio.

multi autem convinctione bene facta male solvunt.

decet autem utrumque

semper cum plausu excipi.] Oportet autem, quod saepe dictum est, meminisse nec committere ut tragoedia epica fiat compositio. epicam autem dico quae multis fabulis constet, ut si quis Iliadis totam fabulam tractaret.

illic enim propter longitudinem partes aptam magnitudinem accipiunt, sed in scenicis fabulis multum praeter exspectationem discedunt.

signum autem, quot excidium Ilii totum tractaverunt, et non ex parte [, ut Euripides Niobam, ac non ut Aeschylus], aut non stant aut tur.

male certant, quandoquidem etiam Agatho in hoc uno non stetit, sed peripetiis et simplicibus factis quod volunt mirifice consectantur: tragicum enim hoc est et humanum sensum tangit.

est autem hoc, cum prudens quidem sed pravitate infectus decipitur, sicut Sisyphus, et fortis quidem sed iniustus vincitur.

est autem id verisimile, quemadmodum Agatho dicit: nam verisimile est fieri multa etiam praeter similitudinem yeri.

atque chorum existimare debet unum ex actoribus, et partem esse totius, et una agere non ut apud Euripidem sed ut apud Sophoclem.

apud relicuos autem quae canuntur non magis ad fabulam quam ad aliam tragoediam pertinent; quapropter exodia canunt, posteaquam primus haec fecit Agatho. quamquam quid interest utrum exodia canas an orationem ex alia fabula alii inseras vel episodium totum?

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 18.15 focus

& l'on peut ſe convaincre de cette verité par le mauvais ſuccez qu'ont eu tous ceux qui ont mis, par exemple, toute la ruine de Troye dans une ſeule piece, & qui n'ont pas traitté ce ſujet là par parties, comme Euripide a traitté ſa Niobe ou ſa Medée, ou comme Eſchyle. Car ou ils ont vû tomber leurs pieces, ou ils ont été toûjours vaincus.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 18 focus

Vttala Tragedia conſiſte in due parti. Vna è, che fichiama Nodo. Et l'altra fi chiama. Scioglimen to.¹

Le coſe, che ſono fuori d'eſſa Tragedia, & parte di quelle, che le fono dentroj, moltevolte ſono cotenute ſotto la parte del nodo ; & tutto il reſto viene ſotto la parte dello ſcioglimento.

Io chiamo Nodo effer' quel la parte, che da principio dura infino à quel punto, doue fi fa il trapaſſamento nella felicità, o nella miferia.

Scioglimento dico eſſer quell'altra, che dura dal principio di queſto trapaſſamento infino alla fine;come ap parifce nel Linceo di Teodette, doue le coſe ſeguiteui, & la preſa del figliuolo vanno ſotto il Nodo:& l'ac cufa della morte infino all'ultimo della Fauola vanno ſotto lo Scioglimento.

SS Vattro fono le le forti della Tragedia, che tante anchora ſono ſtate chiamate le fue parti;²

delle quali quella ſi chiama intrecciata, doue Pimportanza d'eſſa e la Peripetia, & la Ricognitione.

L'altra è ſtata chiamata Affettuofa, come è la Tragedia detta gli Aiaci, & la detta gli Ifsioni.

Laterza ela morale, com'è la Tiotide, & come è Peleo.La quarta, come le Forcide, & come Prometheo; & tutte le altre, che fono appreſſo agli inferi.

Di tutte queſte forti fi debbono sforzare i Poeti d'eſſete abbodanti, & fenon di tutte, almeno delle principali, & delle piu che ſi puo;&& maſsimamente ne' tempi noftri, che gli huomini ſon pronti à taſſare i Poeti come queglische hauen do conoſciuto gli antichi Poeti buoni in tutte queſte parti, paia loro ragioneuole, che in ciascuna d'effe diſperse i Poeti debbino effere hoggi eccellenti.

Ma pafſando ad unaltra coſa, forſe non è ragioneuole, che dal la Fauola ſia chiamata la Tragedia una medefima, ô di uerfa;

ma queſta differenza debbe pigliarſi dal nodo, & dallo ſcioglimento d'efla:che nel vero alcuni Poeti, fono, che fanno il nodo bene, & fciolgonlo male.

Ma e fi debbe dall'una, & dall'altra parte eſcitarſi fauo re;& guardarſi maſsimamente, che il ſuggetto del Poe ma Heroico noi non lo mettiamo in ſuggetto Tragicolo chiamo fuggetto da Poema Heroicoquello, che cofitiene affar Fatole, com come ſe vn metteſſe tutto quel 1o della Iliade in una Tragedia;

perché quiui per la lun ghezza d'eſſo Poema v'hanno le parti grandezza conueniente:& nelle Fauole elle vi riuſcirebbono più lun ghe, che non richiede quella impreſa.

Segno e dició, che tutti quegli, che hanno finto in vna Fauola tutto l'eccidio di Troia, & non qualche parte e'ello (& ciò fu offeruato da Euripide nella Niobe, & nella Medea;

& non da Eſchilo) queſti tali, dico, ô e' fono deriſi nel Ior Poema;ò eſsi gareggiano infelicemente. Che inue ro Agatone per queſta ſola coſa caſcò, auuenga che fimili Poeti fi nella Peripetie, ſi nelle Fauole ſcempie conſeguiſchino il fine, che e' ſi ſono propoſti, marauiglioſamente:

concioſia, che egli appariſca il ſuggetto loro & Tragico,& molto humano.

Et queſto interuie ne, quando vn'huomo ſaggio, ma cattiuo (come fù Sififo) reſta ingannato; & quando vn' huomo forte, ma ingiusto, reſta abbattuto:

perchè tal caſo ha del verifimile, nel modo che dice Agatone, cioè, che egli è ve rifimile molte cofe accadere, che non fieno verifimili.

Debbeſi ſtimare, che il Choro fia vno degli Iſtrioni, & che e' ſia vna particella del tutto, & debbe fare le fue at tioni non come vſa Euripide, ma come vſa Sofocle:& agli altri ſieno piutoſto concedute le coſe, che s'appartengono à quella Fauola, che à vnaltra Tragedia.Onde è vſato, che è cantino coſe anneſſe alla materia.

Il principio della qual coſa dette Agatone. Che egli è inuero qualche differenza à cantare coſe congiunte alla Fauola, ò paſſare d'una in altra materia conuenentemente;ò dire l'intero Epiſodio. Quanto alle altre parti adunche ſe n'è detto à baſtanza. Reſtaci à dire hora del la Locutione, & del Diſcorſo. LA BOETICA

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.) — 18 focus

Est autem omnis tragoediae una quidem pars nexus, altera vero solutio.

ea quidem quae sunt extra, et aliqua eorum quae intra, saepenumero sunt nexus, reliquum vero est solutio.

dico antem autem nexum esse eum qui a principio est usque ad eam partem quae postrema est, ex qua transit in prosperam fortunam vel adversam,

solutionem vero, quae est a principio transitus usque ad finem, ut in Lynceo Theodectis nexus sunt ea quae gesta sunt et pueri sum- ptio sumptio, at solutio, quae est ab obiectione mortis usque ad finem.

tragoediae species sunt quattuor: tot enim etiam partes dictae sunt.

una quidem implexa, cuius totum est peripetia et agnitio;

altera vero affecta, ut Aiaces et Ixiones;

tertia morata, ut Phthiotides et Peleus; quarta, ut Phorcides et Prometheus, et quaecunque apud inferos.

ac omnia quidem maximopere conandum est ut habeantur: sin autem, maxima et plurima, praesertim ut nunc criminationem obiiciunt poetis. cum enim bonì fuerint secundum unamquanque partem poetae, unum superare singulos in proprio bono dignum existimant.

iustum autem est et tragoediam aliam et eandem dicere nihil fortasse ob fabulam.

hoc vero intelligitur in iis quarum eadem plicatio et solutio est. multi qui bene plicarunt, solvunt male.

ac ambo semper cum plausu excipi oportet. et oportet, quod dictum est, saepe in memoriam revocare, et non efficere ut tragoedia sit epopoeica constitutio. dico epopoeicam, quae multas fabulas continet, ut si quis totam fabulam Iliadis conficiat.

ibi enim propter longitudinem partes assumunt convenientem magnitudinem. in dramatibus vero multum praeter existimationem accidit.

signum vero est, quod quicunque expugnationem Ilii totam fecerunt et non secundum partem, ut Euripides Hecubam et non ut Aeschylus,

vel labuntur vel male certant, siquidem Agathon in hoc solo lapsus est. in peripetiis autem et in simplicibus rebus assequuntur quod volunt,

per admirabile: tragicum enim hoc et gratum hominibus.

est autem hoc, quando sapiens quidem sed cum improbitate deceptus fuerit, ut Sisyphus, et fortis quidem sed iniustus superatus sit.

atque hoc verisimile est, ut Agathon dicit: verisimile enim est multa fieri etiam praeter verisimile.

et existimandum est chorum esse unum de histrionibus et partem totius, ac simul contendere, non ut apud Euripidem, sed ut apud Sophoclem. quae vero conceduntur aliis, magis sunt fabulae et tragoediae alterius.

quamobrem embolima canunt, cum primus Agathon rem talem inceperit. atqui quid interest, si quis embolima canat, vel dictionem ex alio in aliud accommodet?

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.) — 18 focus

Est autem omnis tragodie hoc quidem colligatio hoc autem solutio, que quidem extrinsecus quedam eorum que intrinsecus sepe colligatio, quod autem reliquum solutio.

Dico autem colligationem quidem esse eam que a principio usque ad partem que extrema est ex qua transit in eufortunium, solutionem autem esse eam que a principio transitionis usque ad finem ;

sicut in Lykei Theodecti; colligatio anteacta et pueri sumptio et iterum que ipsorum utique ab accusatione mortis usque ad finem. —

Tragodie autem species sunt quatuor, tot enim et partes dicte sunt,

hec quidem complexa, cuius totum est peripeteia et anagnorisis,

hec autem passionalis, velut que Aiaces et Ixyones,

hec vero moralis, velut que Fthiotides et Pileus;

quarta autem , velut que Forkides et Prometheus et quecumque in Aido. —

Maxime quidem igitur omnes oportet temptare habere, si autem non, maximas et plurimas, aliterque et ut nunc calumpniantur poetas ; factis enim secundum unamquamque partem bonis poetis, unumquemque in proprio bono volunt unum superexcedere.

Iustum autem et tragodiam aliam et eandem dicere nichil minus fabula, hoc autem, quorum eadem complicatio et solutio.

Multi autem complectentes bene solvunt prave ;

oportet autem ambo semper coadiuvare. —

Oportet autem, ut dictum est sepe, memorari et non facere epopoiicam consistentiam tragodiam. Epopoiicam autem dico quod multarum fabularum, velut si quis eam que Iliadis totam facit fabulam.

Ibi quidem enim propter longitudinem sumunt partes decentem magnitudinem, in drama- tibus autem multum preter existimationem evenit.

Signum autem; quicumque quidem Sinili totam poetizaverunt et non secundum partem, sicut Euripedes Niobem, et non sicut Eschylus; aut excidunt aut prave agonizant; quoniam et Agathon decidit in hoc solo. —

In peripetiis autem et in simplicibus rebus coniecturant que volunt mirabiliter.

Tragicum enim hoc et philanthropon ; est autem hoc, quando sapiens quidem cum nequitia seductus fuerit, sicut Sisyfus, et Andreius quidem, iniustus autem victus est.

Est autem hoc verisimile sicut Agathon dicit; verisimile enim fieri multa et preter verisimilitudinem. —

Et chorum autem unum oportet suscipere ypocritas et partem esse totius et coagonizari, non sicut Euripidi, sed sicut Sophocleo.

Reliquis autem data magis fabule quam alterius tragodie sunt ; propter quod embolima ducunt ante incipientem Agathonem huius. Et quidem quid differt aut embolima canere aut sl seriem ex alio in aliud coaptet aut episodium totum ?

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.) — 18 focus

‏وكل مديح فشى منها حل وشى ما رباط اما اشيا التى من خارج والافراد من داخل فى بعض الاوقات فالرباطات التى من الابتدا الى هذا الجزو

‏وهى تلك التى هى اقليه ومنها يكون العبور اما النجاح والفلاح واما الى لا نجاح ولا فلاح واما الانحلال فهو كان من اول العبور الى اخره

‏كحال رباط ثاوداقطس فى اوعى اما الارتباط فالتى تقدمت فكتبت واخذ الطفل وايضا فالتى علٮها واما الانحلال فذاك الذى هو من اوعى الى الموت والى الانقضى

‏وانواع المدايح اربعة انواع وهذا كله قيل انه احرايضا

‏فاحها مقترن مولف والاحر الاداره والتقليب الذى فى الكل والاستدلال

‏والاخر هى انفعالية بمنزلة

‏افثوطيدس وفيلوس ايضا

‏والرابع فامور فوقيداس وافروميثوس وما قيل لهما وهو ان التى فى الجحيم

‏هى ممتحنة مجربة فى كل شى وان لم يكن هكذى فهى لا محالة فى اشيا عظام وكٮيرة وانهم يتهمون وٮٯسمون الشعرا على جهة اخرى كما الان وذلك انه لما كان فى كل جزو وحيد شعرا جياد حداق هم يوهلون كل انسان لخيره الخاص

‏وقد ينبغى الا يكون هم يوهلون كل انسان للخير الخاص به وقد كان يجب الا يكون لا مديح اخر ولا هذا ان يقال للخرافة وهذا اذا كان موجودا ڡٮالٮڡيه وحله هما باعيانهما

‏وكثيرين عند ما الفوا واقرنوا يحلون حلا حسنا

‏واما على جهة ردية ان امسكا كليهما ٮالتسديد

‏وقد يجب ان نتذكر مما قد قيل مرات كثيرة ولا تفعل ٮركٮں المديح المسمى افوفيوايقون واعنى بايفوفيايقون الوزن الكثير الخرافات مثل ان يعمل انسان الخرافة التى من ايليادا كلها

‏وذلك ان الاجزاء هنالك تاخذ بسبب الطول العظم اللايق والاولى واما فى القٮاٮ فيكون الٮظير خارج عن الشى كثيرا

‏والدليل هو هذا وهو ان بمبلغ الزياده التى لايليون عملوها بجملتها لا بالاجزا كما عمل اوريفيدس ٮيارى وليس كما عمل اسكٮوٮوس من انهم اما ان يقعون واما ان يجاهدون جهادا رديا

‏من قبل ان هذا من الخيرات وقع فى الارادات وفى الامور البسيطة يستدلون ويتعرفون حقيقة هذه التى يريدون ويحبون على طريق الزمز من قبل ان هذا هو مديحى ومن شان محبة الانسان

‏وهذا موجود متى انخدع حكيم بمنزلة سيوسيفوس مع الرذيلة وغلب الشجاع من الحاير

‏وهذه هى بالحقيقة ايضا كما يقول فى الخير ايضا بالحقيقة وقد يكون كثيرة خارجة عن الحق

‏وللصف الذى فى الجحيم من هولا المنافقين ويكون جزو للقول وان يجاهده مع لا على انه مع اوريفيدس لكن كما محادن مع سوفقلس

‏وكثير من التى ٮٮڡٮا ليس فيها شى اخر اكثر من الخرافة او من المدح ولذلك انما ٮٮڡا الدخيلة واول من بدا بذلك اغاثن الشاعر على لا فرق بين ان ٮٮفيا بالدخيلات وبين ان يولف قول من اخرى الى اخرى

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 18 focus

‏وهى تلك التى هى اقليه ومنها يكون العبور اما النجاح والفلاح واما الى لا نجاح ولا فلاح واما الانحلال فهو كان من اول العبور الى اخره كحال رباط ثاوداقطس فى اوعى اما الارتباط فالتى تقدمت فكتبت واخذ الطفل وايضا فالتى علٮها واما الانحلال فذاك الذى هو من اوعى الى الموت والى الانقضى

‏وانواع المدايح اربعة انواع وهذا كله قيل انه احرايضا

‏فاحها مقترن مولف والاحر الاداره والتقليب الذى فى الكل والاستدلال والاخر هى انفعالية بمنزلة افثوطيدس وفيلوس ايضا والرابع فامور فوقيداس وافروميثوس وما قيل لهما وهو ان التى فى الجحيم

‏وقد ينبغى الا يكون هم يوهلون كل انسان للخير الخاص به وقد كان يجب الا يكون لا مديح اخر ولا هذا ان يقال للخرافة

‏وهذا اذا كان موجودا ڡٮالٮڡيه وحله هما باعيانهما

‏وكثيرين عند ما الفوا واقرنوا يحلون حلا حسنا واما على جهة ردية ان امسكا كليهما ٮالتسديد

‏وقد يجب ان نتذكر مما قد قيل مرات كثيرة ولا تفعل ٮركٮں المديح المسمى افوفيوايقون

‏واعنى بايفوفيايقون الوزن الكثير الخرافات مثل ان يعمل انسان الخرافة التى من ايليادا كلها

‏وذلك ان الاجزاء هنالك تاخذ بسبب الطول العظم اللايق والاولى واما فى القٮاٮ فيكون الٮظير خارج عن الشى كثيرا

‏وهذا موجود متى انخدع حكيم بمنزلة سيوسيفوس مع الرذيلة وغلب الشجاع من الحاير

‏وهذه هى بالحقيقة ايضا كما يقول فى الخير ايضا بالحقيقة وقد يكون كثيرة خارجة عن الحق

‏وكثير من التى ٮٮڡٮا ليس فيها شى اخر اكثر من الخرافة او من المدح ولذلك انما ٮٮڡا الدخيلة واول من بدا بذلك اغاثن الشاعر

‏على لا فرق بين ان ٮٮفيا بالدخيلات وبين ان يولف قول من اخرى الى اخرى

Commentary

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

15. mvp-aristotle-comment-674

ὅσοι πέρσιν Ἰλίου ὅλην ἐποίησαν. We do not know to whom Aristotle is referring; it is just possible that Agathon may have been one of the number. For the tragedies entitled Ιλίου πέρσις (or simply Πέρσις) see on 23, 1459 b6 .

15. mvp-aristotle-comment-675

Ἀγάθων. Aristotle's sense of the importance of Agathon is shown by his many quotations from him ( Bon. Ind. 4 b5 ), as well as by the present and other references in the Poetics ( 9, 1451 b 21 ; 15, 1454 b14 ). The context (-21) implies that the pathos in Agathon's situations was not always of the most legitimate kind; and in the next paragraph (29) he is said to have set a bad precedent in the treatment of the Chorus. But whatever his artistic shortcomings may have been, we have evidence enough even in Aristophanes of his success with his own generation. There is a good deal of point, therefore, in what Aristotle is saying in support of his rule ( μὴ ποιεῖν ἐποποικὸν σύστημα τραγῳδίαν), that

‘even Agathon failed’

when he neglected it.

15. mvp-aristotle-comment-676

ἐν τούτῳ μόνῳ,

‘in this, and in this alone’

—a pregnant use of μόνος like that in De somno2, 455 a27

διὸ καὶ πᾶσιν ὑπάρχει τοῖς ζώοις καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἁφὴ μόνη πᾶσιν.

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

18. mvp-aristotle-comment-443

18.15 18. Et l'on peut se convaincre de cette verité par le mauvais fuccez qu'ont eu tous ceux qui ont mis, par exemple, toute la ruine de Troye dans une seule piece, & qui n'ont pas traité ce fujet-là par parties.]¹

19. mvp-aristotle-comment-444

18.15 19. Comme Euripide a fait ſa Niobe on ſa Medée, ou comme Efchyle.]²

20. mvp-aristotle-comment-445

18.15 20. Car ou ils ont vû tomber leurs pieces, ou ils ont été vaincus.]³

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

154. mvp-aristotle-comment-154

NOTE 154. P. 102.

18.15 As EURIPIDES, BUT NOT ÆSCHYLUS, HAS DONE &c.

This passage affords a good specimen of the distressing ambiguity that prevails so remarkably throughout this work. It fairly admits of two different constructions, and two different senses. It may be thus:

οσοι περσιν Ιλιου ολην εποιησαν και μη κατα μερος, (ωσπερ Ευριπιδης Νιοβην, η Μηδειαν, και μη ωσπερ Αισχυλος,) εκπιπτουσιν

κ. τ. αλ. Or thus:

οσοι περσιν Ιλιου ολην εποιησαν, και μη κατα μερος (ωσπερ Ευρ. Ν. η Μ. [sc. κατα μερος εποιησε,] και μη ωσπερ Αισχ. [sc. ολην εποιησε.]) εκπιπ.

κ. τ. αλ.—In the first of these ways, the censure will fall on Euripides; in the other, on Æschylus. Victorius contends for the first, but his reasons, though plausible, seem not decisive. The whole, as he observes, turns upon this—whether the

ωσπερ

refers to the whole sentence—

ολην εποιησαν και μη κατα μερος

,—or, only to the words immediately preceding, i. e.

κατα μερος

. On the whole, the last construction, I think, offers itself most naturally; and it seems rather favoured, too, by the similar application of

μη ωσπερ

, to the Poet censured, presently after; where, speaking of the Chorus, he says it should

συναγωνιζεσθαι, ΜΗ ΩΣΠΕΡ παρ Ευριπιδη, αλλ' ΩΣΠΕΡ παρα Σοφοκλει

.—But this, after all, is one of those passages, where the

"æquato examine lances"

are so nicely balanced, that a commentator might continue in suspense for ever, if the necessity of going on did not oblige him to turn the scale by a touch of his own hand. ¹

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

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-127

Ritter, cap. 18 § 5

ὅσοι πέρσιν Ἰλίου ὅλην ἐποίησαν: qui eversionem Iliacae urbis totam tragoediae argumentum fecerunt. varia illa quae acciderunt, cum Ilium devastaretur, una tragoedia comprehendi salva lege dramaticae unitatis non possunt, quam ob causam eae fabulae displicuerunt quae id praestare conarentur. ceterum de certo tragoediae cuiusdam nomine ( Πέρσις Ἰλίου) ne cogitemus, vel collocatio verborum ( πέρσις Ἰλίου) impedit. carmen illud epicum Arctini et Leschis (v. ad c. 23, 4) non πέρσις Ἰλίου, sed Ἰλίου πέρσις 1) vocatur, eodemque modo tragoedia appellanda erit, si quidem unquam eo titulo tragoedia exstitit, vid. Commentar. ad c. 23, 4. καὶ μὴ κατὰ μέρος [, ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδης Νιόβην, καὶ μὴ ὥσπερ Αἰσχύλος]: haec est constans co- 1) Conf. c. 23, 4. Pausan. X, 25 et 27. Proculi Chrestom. excerpta apud Gaisfordium ad Hephaest. p. 483., alii,dicum scriptura, unde qui discessere huius loci auctorem et doctiorem et prudentiorem fecerunt quam re vera fuit. Aristotelem non scripsisse verba uncis circumdata plura sunt quae ostendant. Euripidi fabula tribuitur quam non conscripsit; eadem ad devastationem Ilii a vero auctore memoratam nihil pertinet; Euripides laudatur quod fabulam Niobiam κατά μέρος tractaverit, Aeschylus reprehenditur quod eadem solertia non usus sit. haec ego ne antiquo quidem interpolatori tribuo, quippe in ipso verborum contextu nimis absurda sunt, sed ex nota marginali nata esse puto. scilicet cum in extremo codicis antiqui versu collocata essent verba illa καὶ μὴ κατὰ μέρος, aliquis in margine adscripsit ὥσπερ Εὐριπίδης Νιόβην, intelligens κατὰ μέρος ἐποίησε, illisque καὶ μὴ ὥσπερ Αἰσχύλος adiectis significavit Aeschylum Niobae fabulam deterius in rem suam convertisse. iam, si pro Euripidis nomine interim Sophoclis admiserimus, quae in ipso operis contextu et sensu carent et disputationis ordinem turbant, ea hanc si minus veram at tolerabilem sententiam offerunt, Sophoclem (Euripidem) in Nioba sua fabulae Niobiae particulam, Aeschylum eandem totam (in trilogia) pertractandam sibi sumpsisse. sed nihilo minus Euripidem de loco per scribentis errorem benigne concesso non movendum esse censeo. qui coniecturis hanc difficultatem tollere conati sunt, operam me iudice perdiderunt. Valla convertit Hecubam, non Niobam, unde Tyrwhittus Εκάβην sumpsit, sed ne Hecuba quidem ad Ilii eversionem pertinet, sed ad illa quae secuta sunt eversionem, ut omittam sic iniuste laudari fabulam illam pessimam et duplice argumento vitiosam, neque adesse quo referantur καὶ μὴ ὥσπερ Αἰσχύλος. Aldus ex coniectura vel sua vel alius dedit νιόβην ἢ μήδειαν, quibus loci difficultas magis etiam augetur. alii alia tentaverunt. ἢ ἐκπίπτουσιν ἢ κακῶς ἀγωνίζονται: aut exiguntur aut male certant, h. e. aut fabulam peragere non possunt aut ita certant ut nonnisi secundo tertiove loco nominentur. conf. c. 17, 1. ἐπεὶ καὶ ᾿Αγάθων ἐξέ - πεσεν ἐν τούτῳ μόνῳ: Agatho in tragoedia quadam ase edita ( Ἰλίου πέρσιν inscriptam fuisse neque hinc neque alio indicio constat) totam excidii urbis Troiae historiam videtur comprehendisse, verbi causa illa quae Priamo indigna acciderunt, quae Cassandra et Astyanax aliique perpessi sunt, quae Ulixes et Aiax et Agamemno perpatraverunt. ex verbis ἐξέπεσεν ἐν τούτῳ μόνῳ ne colligas Agathonem vicisse in ceteris suis fabulis omnibus: quippe potuit in nonnullis κακῶς ἀγωνίζεσθαι. ἐν δὲ ταῖς περιπετείαις - ὧν βούλονται θαν - μαστῶς: si rerum conversiones ( αἱ περιπέτειαι) sunt eiusmodi ut simplicibus factis ( ἁπλοῖς πράγμασιν) eveniant, quod fit ubi necessario vel probabiliter accidunt, poetae tragici propositum suum optime consequuntur. intelligit igitur eas περιπετείας quae ἁπλοῖς πράγμασι, non συστήματι πολυμύθῳ, continentur, atque haec ipsa ἁπλᾶ πράγματα non μύθῳ πεπλεγμένῳ sed συστήματι πολυμύθῳ opposita cogitari debent. noli igitur confundere ἁπλᾶ πράγματα cum ἁπλῇ πράξει sive ἁπλῷ μύθῳ (vide c. 10 et 11) neque statuere Aristotelem contra loqui c. 13, 2., ubi pronuntiat pulcherrimae tragoediae fabulam ( μύθον) implexam esse, non simplicem. - τραγικὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ φιλάνθρωπον : tragicum hoc est, quia eiusmodi facta timorem miserationemque movent. nam simplicia cum naturae convenienter fieri soleant, similia cuivis accidere possunt. inde timor in nobis et simul aliorum miseratio nascitur; sin minus, certe sensus humanus tangitur.

Aristotle Poetics 18.15

ed. Henry James Pye

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Commentary

NOTE 154. P. 102.

Ritter, cap. 18 § 5

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