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So that in the objects of imitation, Sophocles is the same kind of imitator with Homer for they both imitate persons of dignity; and in the manner of imitation with Aristophanes for they both effect it by agents [B] and performers. From the circumstance of imitating by persons acting, some say the name of Drama is derived; and on this account the Dorians claim the invention both of Tragedy and Comedy; (for the people of Megara¹²

claim the honor of Comedy; the natives

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 (5)

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) (Aristotle, Poetics. Immanuel Bekker, editor, Aristotelis Opera, volume 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1837.) — 3 focus

Ἔτι δὲ τούτων τρίτη διαφορὰ τὸ ὡς ἕκαστα τούτων μιμήσαιτο ἄν τις.

Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μιμεῖσθαι ἔστιν ὁτὲ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλοντα ἢ ἕτερόν τι γιγνόμενον, ὥσπερ Ὅμηρος ποιεῖ, ἢ ὡς τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ μεταβάλλοντα, ἢ πάντας ὡς πράττοντας καὶ ἐνεργοῦντας τοὺς μιμουμένους.

Ἔν τρισὶ δὴ ταύταις διαφοραῖς ἡ μίμησίς ἐστιν, ὡς εἴπομεν κατ᾿ ἀρχάς, ἐν οἶς τε καὶ ἃ καὶ ὥς.

Ὥστε τῇ μὲν ὁ αὐτὸς ἂν εἴη μιμητὴς Ὁμήρῳ Σοφοκλῆς, μιμοῦνται γὰρ ἄμφω σπουδαίους, τῇ δὲ Ἀριστοφάνει· πράττοντας γὰρ μιμοῦνται καὶ δρῶντας ἄμφω. Ὅθεν καὶ δράματα καλεῖσθαί τινες αὐτά φασιν, ὅτι μιμοῦνται δρῶντας.

Διὸ καὶ ἀντιποιοῦνται τῆς τε τραγῳδίας καὶ τῆς κωμῳδίας οἱ Δωριεῖς, τῆς μὲν κωμῳδίας οἱ Μεγαρεῖς, οἵ τε ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς δημοκρατίας γενομένης, καὶ οἱ ἐκ Σικελίας (ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἦν Ἐπίχαρμος ὁ ποιητής, πολλῷ πρότερος ὢν Χωνίδου καὶ Μάγνητος), καὶ τῆς τραγῳδίας ἔνιοι τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ, ποιούμενοι τὰ ὀνόματα σημεῖον.

Οὗτοι μὲν γὰρ κώμας τὰς περιοικίδας καλεῖν φασίν, Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ δήμους, ὡς κωμῳδοὺς οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ κωμάζειν λεχθέντας, ἀλλὰ τῇ κατὰ κώμας πλάνῃ ἀτιμαζομένους ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως· καὶ τὸ ποιεῖν αὐτοὶ μὲν δρᾶν, Ἀθηναίους δὲ πράττειν προσαγορεύειν.

Περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν διαφορῶν, καὶ πόσαι καὶ τίνες τῆς μιμήσεως, εἰρήσθω ταῦτα.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 3 focus

ἔτι δὲ τούτων τρίτη διαφορὰ τὸ ὡς ἕκαστα τούτων 20 μιμήσαιτο ἄν τις.

καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μιμεῖσθαι ἔστιν ὁτὲ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλοντα, ἢ ἕτερόν τι γιγνόμενον ὥσπερ Ὅμηρος ποιεῖ ἢ ὡς τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ μεταβάλλοντα, ἢ πάντας ὡς πράττοντας καὶ ἐνεργοῦντας † τοὺς μιμουμένους † .

ἐν τρισὶ δὴ ταύταις διαφοραῖς ἡ μίμησίς ἐστιν, 25 ὡς εἴπομεν κατ’ ἀρχάς, ἐν οἷς τε καὶ ἃ καὶ ὥς.

ὥστε τῇ μὲν ὁ αὐτὸς ἂν εἴη μιμητὴς Ὁμήρῳ Σοφοκλῆς, μιμοῦνται γὰρ ἄμφω σπουδαίους, τῇ δὲ Ἀριστοφάνει, πράττοντας γὰρ μιμοῦνται καὶ δρῶντας ἄμφω. ὅθεν καὶ δράματα καλεῖσθαί τινες αὐτά φασιν, ὅτι μιμοῦνται δρῶντας.

διὸ καὶ 30 ἀντιποιοῦνται τῆς τε τραγῳδίας καὶ τῆς κωμῳδίας οἱ Δωριεῖς (τῆς μὲν γὰρ κωμῳδίας οἱ Μεγαρεῖς οἵ τε ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς παρ’ αὐτοῖς δημοκρατίας γενομένης καὶ οἱ ἐκ Σικελίας, ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἦν Ἐπίχαρμος ὁ ποιητὴς πολλῷ πρότερος ὢν Χιωνίδου καὶ Μάγνητος· καὶ τῆς τραγῳδίας ἔνιοι 35 τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ) ποιούμενοι τὰ ὀνόματα σημεῖον·

αὐτοὶ μὲν γὰρ κώμας τὰς περιοικίδας καλεῖν φασιν, Ἀθηναίους δὲ δήμους, ὡς κωμῳδοὺς οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ κωμάζειν λεχθέντας ἀλλὰ τῇ κατὰ κώμας πλάνῃ ἀτιμαζομένους ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως· 1448b 1 καὶ τὸ ποιεῖν αὐτοὶ μὲν δρᾶν, Ἀθηναίους δὲ πράττειν προσαγορεύειν.

περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν διαφορῶν καὶ πόσαι καὶ τίνες τῆς μιμήσεως εἰρήσθω ταῦτα.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 3 focus

Ἔτι δὲ τούτων τρίτη διαφορὰ τὸ ὡς ἕκαστα τούτων
μιμήσαιτο ἄν τις.

καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ
μιμεῖσθαι ἔστιν ὁτὲ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλοντα ἢ ἕτερόν τι γιγνόμενον
ὥσπερ Ὅμηρος ποιεῖ, ἢ ὡς τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ μεταβάλλοντα,
ἢ πάντα ὡς πράττοντας καὶ ἐνεργοῦντας τοὺς
μιμουμένους.

ἐν τρισὶ δὴ ταύταις διαφοραῖς ἡ μίμησίς ἐστιν,
ὡς εἴπομεν κατ᾽ ἀρχάς, ἐν οἷς τε καὶ ἃ καὶ ὥς.

ὥστε τῇ
μὲν ὁ αὐτὸς ἂν εἴη μιμητὴς Ὁμήρῳ Σοφοκλῆς, μιμοῦνται
γὰρ ἄμφω σπουδαίους, τῇ δὲ Ἀριστοφάνει, πράττοντας γὰρ
μιμοῦνται καὶ δρῶντας ἄμφω.
ὅθεν καὶ δράματα καλεῖσθαί
τινες αὐτά φασιν, ὅτι μιμοῦνται δρῶντας.

διὸ καὶ
ἀντιποιοῦνται τῆς τε τραγῳδίας καὶ τῆς κωμῳδίας οἱ Δωριεῖς
(τῆς μὲν γὰρ κωμῳδίας οἱ Μεγαρεῖς οἵ τε ἐνταῦθα ὡς
ἐπὶ τῆς παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς δημοκρατίας γενομένης καὶ οἱ ἐκ Σικελίας,
ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἦν Ἐπίχαρμος ὁ ποιητὴς πολλῷ πρότερος
ὢν Χιωνίδου καὶ Μάγνητος· καὶ τῆς τραγῳδίας ἔνιοι
τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ) ποιούμενοι τὰ ὀνόματα σημεῖον·

αὐτοὶ
μὲν γὰρ κώμας τὰς περιοικίδας καλεῖν φασιν, Ἀθηναίους
δὲ δήμους, ὡς κωμῳδοὺς οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ κωμάζειν λεχθέντας
ἀλλὰ τῇ κατὰ κώμας πλάνῃ ἀτιμαζομένους ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως·
καὶ τὸ ποιεῖν αὐτοὶ μὲν δρᾶν, Ἀθηναίους δὲ πράττειν προσαγορεύειν.

περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν διαφορῶν καὶ πόσαι καὶ
τίνες τῆς μιμήσεως εἰρήσθω ταῦτα.

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.) — 4 focus

[7] 24 διεσπάσθη δὲ κατὰ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἤθη ἡ ποίησις· 25 οἱ μὲν γὰρ σεμνότεροι τὰς καλὰς ἐμιμοῦντο πράξεις καὶ τὰς τῶν τοιούτων, οἱ δὲ εὐτελέστεροι τὰς τῶν φαύλων, πρῶτον ψόγους ποιοῦντες, ὥσπερ ἅτεροι ἕτεροι ὕμνους καὶ ἐγκώμια.

[8] τῶν μὲν οὖν πρὸ Ὁμήρου οὐδενὸς ἔχομεν εἰπεῖν τοιοῦτον 29 ποίημα, εἰκὸς δὲ εἶναι πολλούς, ἀπὸ δὲ Ὁμήρου ἀρξαμένοις ἔστιν, οἷον ἐκείνου ὁ Μαργίτης καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα.

[9] 31 ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον [ἰαμβεῖον]¹ ἦλθε μέτρον, διὸ καὶ ἰαμβεῖον καλεῖται νῦν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ μέτρῳ τούτῳ ἰάμβιζον ἀλλήλους. καὶ ἐγένοντο τῶν παλαιῶν οἱ μὲν ἡρωικῶν οἱ δὲ ἰάμβων ποιηταί.

[10] 34 ὥσπερ δὲ καὶ τὰ σπουδαῖα μάλιστα ποιητὴς Ὅμηρος ἦν (μόνος γὰρ οὐχ ὅτι εὖ ἀλλὰ ἀλλ' ὅτι ἀλλ' ἔτι [ὅτι] καὶ μιμήσεις δραματικάς δραματικῶς ἐποίησεν), οὕτως καὶ τὰ τῆς κωμῳδίας σχήματα πρῶτος ὑπέδειξεν, οὐ ψόγον ἀλλὰ τὸ γελοῖον δραματοποιήσας· 1449a ὁ γὰρ Μαργίτης ἀνάλογον ἔχει, ὥσπερ Ἰλιὰς καὶ ἡ Ὀδύσσεια πρὸς τὰς τραγῳδίας, οὕτω καὶ οὗτος πρὸς τὰς κωμῳδίας.

[11] 2 παραφανείσης δὲ τῆς τραγῳδίας καὶ κωμῳδίας οἱ ἐφ᾽ ἑκατέραν τὴν ποίησιν ὁρμῶντες κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν οἱ μὲν ἀντὶ τῶν ἰάμβων κωμῳδοποιοὶ ἐγένοντο, οἱ δὲ ἀντὶ τῶν ἐπῶν τραγῳδοδιδάσκαλοι, διὰ τὸ μείζονα μείζω καὶ ἐντιμότερα τὰ σχήματα εἶναι ταῦτα ἐκείνων.

[12] 7 τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐπισκοπεῖν εἰ ἄρ᾽ ἔχει εἰ ἄρα ἔχει παρέχει ἤδη ἡ τραγῳδία τοῖς εἴδεσιν ἱκανῶς ἢ οὔ, αὐτό τε καθ᾽ αὑτὸ †κρίνεται ἢ ναὶ† κρῖναι² καὶ πρὸς τὰ θέατρα, ἄλλος λόγος.

9 γενομένη δ᾽ οὖν γενομένης οὖν οὖν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς αὐτοσχεδιαστική αὐτοσχεδιαστικῆς, καὶ αὐτὴ καὶ ἡ κωμῳδία...

[13] 15 καὶ πολλὰς μεταβολὰς μεταβαλοῦσα ἡ τραγῳδία ἐπαύσατο, ἐπεὶ ἔσχε τὴν αὐτῆς ἑαυτῆς φύσιν. καὶ τό τε τῶν ὑποκριτῶν πλῆθος ἐξ ἑνὸς εἰς δύο πρῶτος Αἰσχύλος ἤγαγε καὶ τὰ τοῦ χοροῦ ἠλάττωσε καὶ τὸν λόγον πρωταγωνιστὴν παρεσκεύασεν, τρεῖς δὲ καὶ σκηνογραφίαν Σοφοκλῆς.

[14] 19 ἔτι δὲ τὸ μέγεθος ἐκ μικρῶν μύθων καὶ λέξεως ἡ λέξις ἐκ λέξεως³ γελοίας διὰ τὸ ἐκ σατυρικοῦ σατυριακοῦ μεταβαλεῖν ὀψὲ ἀπεσεμνύνθη.

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.) — 3 focus

Ἔτι δὲ τούτων τρίτη διαφορὰ τὸ ὡς ἕκαστα τούτων μιμήσαιτο ἄν τις.

καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μιμεῖ¹ σθαι ἔστιν ὁτὲ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλοντα ἢ ἑτερόν τι γιγνόμενον [, ὥσπερ Ὅμηρος ποιεῖ,] ἢ ὡς τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ μεταβάλλοντα, ἢ πάντας ὡς πράττοντας καὶ ἐνεργοῦντας τοὺς μιμουμένους.

ἐν τρισὶ δὴ ταύταις διαφοραῖς ἡ μίμησίς ἐστιν, ὡς εἴπομεν κατ᾿ ἀρχάς, ἐν οἷς τε καὶ ἃ καὶ ὥς.

ὥστε τῇ μὲν ὁ αὐτὸς ἂν εἴη μιμητὴς Ὁμήρῳ Σοφοκλῆς, μιμοῦνται γὰρ ἄμφω σπουδαίους, τῇ δὲ Ἀριστοφάνει· πράττοντας γὰρ μιμοῦνται καὶ δρῶντας ἄμφω. [ὅθεν καὶ δράματα καλεῖσθαι τινες αὐτά φασιν, ὅτι μιμοῦνται δρῶντας.

διὸ καὶ ἀντιποιοῦνται τῆς τε τραγῳδίας καὶ τῆς κωμῳδίας οἱ Δωριεῖς, τῆς μὲν κωμῳδίας οἱ Μεγαρεῖς, οἵ τε ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῖς δημοκρατίας γενομένης, καὶ οἱ ἐκ Σικελίας (ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἦν Ἐπίχαρμος ὁ ποιητής, πολλῷ πρότερος ὢν Χωνίδου καὶ Μάγνητος), καὶ τῆς τραγῳδίας ἔνιοι τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ, ποιούμενοι τὰ ὀνόματα σημεῖον.

οὗτοι μὲν γὰρ κώμας τὰς περιοικίδας καλεῖν φασίν, Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ δήμους, ὡς κωμῳδοὺς οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ κωμάζειν λεχθέντας, ἀλλὰ τῇ κατὰ κώμας πλάνῃ² ἀτιμαζομένους ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως· καὶ τὸ ποιεῖν αὐτοὶ μὲν δρᾶν, Αθηναίους δὲ πράττειν προσαγορεύειν.]

περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν διαφορῶν, καὶ πόσαι καὶ τίνες τῆς μιμήσεως, εἰρήσθω ταῦτα.

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 3 focus

A third difference in these arts is the manner in which one may represent each of these objects.

20 For in representing the same objects by the same means it is possible to proceed either partly by narrative and partly by assuming a character other than your own—this is Homer’s method—or by remaining yourself without any such change, or else to represent the characters as carrying out the whole action themselves.

These, as we said above, are the three differences which form the several species of the art of representation, the means, the objects, and the manner.

It follows that in one respect Sophocles would be the same kind of artist as Homer, for both represent good men, and in another respect he would resemble Aristophanes, for they both represent men in action and doing things. And that according to some is the reason why they are called dramas, because they present people as doing¹ things.

And for this reason the Dorians claim as their own both tragedy and comedy—comedy is claimed both by the Megarians here in Greece , who say that it originated in the days of their democracy, and by the Megarians in Sicily ,² for it was from there the poet Epicharmus³ came, who was much earlier than Chionides and Magnes; and tragedy some of the Peloponnesians claim. Their evidence is the two names.

Their name, they say, for suburb villages is κῶμαι—the Athenians call them Demes—and comedians are so called not from κωμάζειν, to revel, but because they were turned out of the towns and went strolling round the villages( κῶμαι). 1448b 1 Their word for action, they add, is δρᾶν, whereas the Athenian word is πράττειν.

TSo much then for the differences, their number, and their nature.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 3 focus

〈اختلاف ضروب الشعر باختلاف طريقة المحاكاة〉

وأيضاً الثالث لهذه الفصول ومنها هو أن نشبه بكل واحد واحد من هذه. وذلك أن فى هذه أيضاً التشبيهات والحكايات هى هى بأعيانها: أما أحياناً فمن حيث يوعدون التشبيه إما بشىء آخر يكون، كما كان يفعل أوميروس، أو إن كان مثله الذى لا خلاف فيه أيضاً.

وجميع الذين يعملون ويفعلون الذين يشبهون ويحاكون يأتون بتشبيههم وحكايتهم كما قلنا منذ الابتداء بهذه الفصول والأصناف الثلاثة، وبهذه فمن الضرورة حتى يكون أما ذاك فهو يشبه ويحاكى واحد بعينه أما بأوميروس سوفقلس: وذلك أن كليهما يشبهان ويحاكيان الأفاضل، وأما هذا فيشبهونه ويحاكونه شيعة أرسطوفانس، من قبل أنهم كأنهم ويعملون ويفعلون كاثنينهما.

ومن ها هنا قال قوم إن هذه تلقب أيضاً دراماطا، من قبل أنهم يتشبهون بالذين يعملون. ولذلك صار أهل ادرياس هم متمسكون بالمديح والهجاء. أما الهجاء بحسب ما ظن 〈أهل ميغارا وكذلك〉 فهذه التى ها هنا كما أنه ما كان قبلهم ولاية الجماعة والتدبير، والتى كان الذين من سيقلييا يقولون إنها موجود〈ة〉، كما كان يفعل افيخارموس الشاعر وهو الذى كان أقدم كثيراً من كيونيدس وماغنس، من حيث كانا أعطيا الرسوم عندما كانا يستعملان الاقرار من أسماء المديح التى فى فالوفونيسوس وذلك أنه أما ذانك 〈فقد〉 لقبا القرى 〈بلقب〉 قوماس، وأما ديموسوس فلقب أهل أثينية المهجوين من قبل أنهم كانوا ممتهنين مستخفـ〈ـاً〉 بهم من أهل القرى.

أما أصناف التشبيه والحكاية وفصولها وكميتها وأيما هى، فهى هذه التى قيلت.

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.) — 3 focus

There is still a third difference—the manner in which
each of these objects may be imitated.

For the medium being the same, and the objects the same,
the poet may imitate by narration—in which case he can
either take another personality as Homer does, or speak in
his own person, unchanged—or he may present all his
characters as living and moving before us.

These, then, as we said at the beginning, are the three
differences which distinguish artistic imitation,—the
medium, the objects, and the manner.

So that from one point of view, Sophocles is an imitator
of the same kind as Homer—for both imitate higher types
of character; from another point of view, of the same kind
as Aristophanes—for both imitate persons acting and
doing.

Hence, some say, the name of 'drama' is given to such
poems, as representing action. For the same reason the
Dorians claim the invention both of Tragedy and Comedy.
The claim to Comedy is put forward by the Megarians, not
only by those of Greece proper, who allege that it
originated under their democracy, but also by the
Megarians of Sicily, for the poet Epicharmus, who is much
earlier than Chionides and Magnes, belonged to that
country. Tragedy too is claimed by certain Dorians of the
Peloponnese. In each case they appeal to the evidence of
language.

The outlying villages, they say, are by them called κῶμαι,
by the Athenians δήμοι: and they assume that Comedians
were so named not from κωμάζειν, 'to revel,' but because
they wandered from village to village (κατὰ κώμας), being
excluded contemptuously from the city. They add also
that the Dorian word for 'doing' is δρᾶν, and the
Athenian, πράττειν.

About the differences, then, of imitation, their number
and nature, let this suffice.

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 3 focus

A third difference in these arts is in the manner in
which each kind of object is represented.

Given both the
same means and the same kind of object for imitation, one
may either (1) speak at one moment in narrative and at
another in an assumed character, as Homer does; or (2) one
may remain the same throughout, without any such change;
or (3) the imitators may represent the whole story dramatically,
as though they were actually doing the things described.

As we said at the beginning, therefore, the differences in
the imitation of these arts come under three heads, their
means, their objects, and their manner.

So that as an imitator Sophocles will be on one side akin
to Homer, both portraying good men; and on another to
Aristophanes, since both present their personages as acting
and doing. This in fact, according to some, is the reason for
plays being termed dramas, because in a play the personages
act the story.

Hence too both Tragedy and Comedy are
claimed by the Dorians as their discoveries; Comedy by the
Megarians-by those in Greece as having arisen when Megara
became a democracy, and by the Sicilian Megarians on the
ground that the poet Epicharmus was of their country, and
a good deal earlier than Chionides and Magnes; even Tragedy
also is claimed by certain of the Peloponnesian Dorians.

In
support of this claim they point to the words 'comedy' and
'drama.' Their word for the outlying hamlets, they say, is
κῶμαι, whereas Athenians call them δήμοι—thus assuming
that comedians got the name not from their κωμάζειν or
revels, but from their strolling from hamlet to hamlet, lack of
appreciation keeping them out of the city.
Their word also for 'to
act,' they say, is δρᾶν, whereas Athenians use πράττειν.

So much, then, as to the number and nature of the points
of difference in the imitation of these arts.

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.) — 3.4 focus

so that Sophocles is, in one respect, an imitator of the same kind with Homer, as elevated characters are the objects of both; in another respect, of the same kind with Aristophanes, as both imitate in the way of action; whence, according to some, the application of the term DRAMA [i. e. action] to such Poems.

[4]

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.) — 3.4 focus

Hence, Sophocles will in one respect be the same imitator as Homer, for both of them imitate elevated characters ; and in another the same as Aristophanes, for both of them imitate persons engaged in acting; ¹ [2 whence also it is said that certain persons call their works dramas, because they imitate those who are engaged in doing something. On this account the Dorians lay claim to the invention of tragedy and comedy; of comedy indeed the Megarians, as well those who are natives of Greece, as being invented by them at the time when their government was a democracy, as those of Sicily.

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.) — 3 focus

Etiam tertia horum differentia quomodo singula horum imitetur aliquis.

nam eisdem et eadem imitari licet nunc quidem renuntiando sive aliam personam induit [sicut Homerus facit] sive idem manet neque mutat, aut ita ut omnes agendo et operando imitentur.

tribus igitur his differentiis imitatio obnoxia est, ut ab initio diximus, per quae et quae et quomodo.

quamobrem ab una idem imitator Sophocles est qui Homerus, quippe ambo graves imitantur, ab altera qui Aristophanes: agentes enim et operantes ambo imitantur.

[unde etiam δράματα appellari ea quidam dicunt, quod imitantur δρῶντας. ideo etiam tragoediam et comoediam sibi vindicant Dorienses, comoediam quidem Megarenses, tum qui hic, quo scilicet tempore populare imperium apud eos fuerit, tum qui ex Sicilia (inde enim erat Epicharmus poeta, multo prior Chonide et Magnete), et tragoediam nonnulli eorum qui in Peloponneso, ex nominibus indicium facientes.

hi enim xouas pagos se vocare dicunt, Athenienses autem δήμους; quippe comoedos non a κωμάζειν dictos esse, sed quod per κώμας vagarentur ab urbanis contempti; et ποιεῖν ipsos appellare δρᾶν,

Athenienses autem πράττειν.] iam de differentiis, quot et quae in imitando sint, haec dicta sunto.

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 3.4 focus

De ſorte qu'au ſecond égard Sophocle reſſemble à Homere dans ſon imitation, car ils imitent tous deux les gens les plus conſiderables; & au troifiéme il reſſemble à Ariſtophane, parce que comme luy il imite des perſonnages, & qu'il les imite en agiſſant. C'eſt de là meſme qu'on a ſoûtenu que les pieces de Theatre devoient eſtre appellées dramatiques, du mot drame, qui ſignifie action.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 3 focus

Aggiungeciſi anchora vna terza differenza, & queſta conſiſte nel modo dello imitare; perchè dalli medefimi, ſi poſſono imitare le medeſime coſe.

Alcunauolta imitando vno che racconti, ò che ſi veſta la perſona d'altri; come vſa Homero. O' uero imi tando vn medefimo, & che non ſi ſcambi con altri. Ο' veramente faccendo l'imitatione tutta con gli agenti, & co' negotianti. Sta adunche l'imitatione, ficome nel principio dicémo, in tre differenze, cioè, Con che, Che cofe, & In che modo.

Onde conſeguita per vna ragione, che Sofocle ſia il medefimo imitatore, ch'è Homero;perchè amendue imitano huomini ſaggi. Et per vna altra fia il medesimo, che Ariſtofane; perchè amendue imitano agenti, & negotiati.

Onde alcuni fono, che ta li ſpetie di poeſie chiamano Atti, che in Greco fon det τι πράματα. Perchè e'vi s'imita gli agéti, che in greco fon detti Αρῶν ασ. Di qui naſce ancora, che i Dorienfi s'attribuiſcono il poema della Tragedia, et della Comedia, Quello della Comedia s'attribuiſcono quegli di Mega ra; fi li nati, dico, quiui nel tempo, ch'egli haueuono il popolare ſtato: Et ſi quegli, che vennero di Sicilia.

Onde fu Epicarmo Poeta, che viſſe molto innanzi à Con nide, & à Magnete. Et quello della Tragedia s'attribui ſcono certi, che habitano nelle Moree. Et che ciò ſia vero, ne traggono queſto inditio dal nome; Conciofia che e' dichino, che appreſſo di loro i borghi ſi chiamaſ fero κώμαι. Et appreſſo degli Athenieſi ſi chiamaſſero δήμοι: come ſe i Comedi non fuſsin'detti da κωμάζει, che vuol dire laſciuire;ma fuſsin'detti dall'andar vagabon di pe borghi.

I quai borghi eran' detti κώμαι, per eſſere hauuti in difpregio nelle Città. Dipiù eſsi chiamauano queſto nome di Fare col vocabolo greco dậy. Et gli Athenieſi col vocabolo πράττειν. Delle differenze adun che, che appartengono alla imitatione, & quante;

& di che natura elle ſieno, baſtine quello, che è detto infin' qui.

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.) — 3 focus

Praeterea vero in his tertia differentia est, ut singula haec imitaretur aliquis.

etenim in iisdem et eadem imitari licet interdum quidem exponentem vel aliud quippiam factum, ut Homerus facit, vel ut eundem et non se immutantem; vel omnes ut agentes et molientes aliquid, quos imitantur. iam vero in tribus his differentiisimitatio est, ut dicebamus in principio, tum in quibus, tum quae, tum quomodo.

quare in una quadam parte idem erit imitator cum Homero Sophocles, imitantur enim ambo bonos, in altera vero cum Aristophane, molientes enim aliquid et agentes ambo imitantur.

quamobrem sibi vindicant eo tragoediam et comoediam Dorienses, comoediam quidem Megarenses, et qui hic sunt, tanquam in ipsorum democratia natam, et qui sunt ex Sicilia:

inde enim Epicharmus poëta multo prius quam Chonnides et Magnetes. et tragoediam aliqui eorum qui sunt in Peloponneso, ducentes a nominibus signum: hi enim comas pagos appellare se dicunt, Athenienses vero demos, quasi comoedi non a xwμdev dicti sint, sed nominati ab errore per pagos ex urbe.

et facere ipsi quidem ostendunt se dicere Spav, Athenienses vero páτTv. ac de differentiis quidem imitationis,

et quot et quae sint, tam multa dicta sint.

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.) — 3 focus

Adhuc autem horum tertia differentia per quomodo singula horum imitetur utique aliquis.

Et enim in eisdem et eadem imitari est aliquando quidem enuntiantem aut alterum aliquid gerentem sicut Homerus facit, aut ut eundem et non transmutantem, aut omnes ut actitantes et operantes imitantes. —

In tribus itaque hiis differentiis imitatio est, ut diximus secundum principia, in quibusque et quomodo. —

Quare hac quidem idem utique erit imitator Homero Sophocles, imitantur enim ambo studiosos; hac autem Aristofani, agentes enim imitantur et actitantes ambo.

Unde et dramata (idest actitamina) vocari ipsa quidam aiunt quia imitantur actitantes. — Propter quod et contrafaciunt tragodiamque et komodiam Doriees (komodiam quidem enim Megarei et qui hic ut in ea que apud ipsos democratia facta, et qui ex Sicilia; inde enim fuit Epikharmus poeta multo prius ens Khonido et Magnite, et tragodiam quidam eorum qui in Peloponiso) facientes nomina.

Signum autem: isti quidem enim 'komas' perioikidas (idest ambulatoria circa domos) vocare aiunt, Athenienses autem 'demos', ut komodos non a 'komazare' dictos, sed ea que per komas (idest vicos) seductione dehonoratos ex municipio, et poein ipsi quidem 'dran' (idest actitare), Athenienses autem 'prattin' (idest agere) appellant.

De differentiis quidem igitur, et quot et que imitationis, dicta sint hec.

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.) — 3 focus

‏وايضا الثالث لهذه الفصول ومنها هو ان تشبه بكل واحد واحد من هذه

‏وذلك ان فى هذه ايضا التشبيهات والحكايات هى هى باعيانها اما احيانا فمن حيث يوعدون التشبه اما بشى اخر يكون كما كان يفعل اوميروس او ان كان مثله الذى لا خلاف فيه ايضا وجميع الذين يعملون ويفعلون الذين يشبهون ويحاكون

‏ياتون بتشبيههم وحكايتهم كما قلنا منذ الابتدا بهذه الفصول والاصناف الثلاثة

‏وبهذه فمن الضرورة حتى يكون اما ذاك فهو مشبه ومحاكى واحد بعينه اما باوميروس سوفقلس وذلك ان كليهما يشبهان ويحاكيان الافاضل واما هذا فيشبهونه ويحاكونه شيعة ارسطوفانس من قبل انهم كانهم ويعملون ويفعلون كاٮٮٮٮهما ومن هاهنا قال قوم ان هذه تلقب ايضا دراماطا من قبل انهم يتشبهون بالذين يعملون

‏ولذلك صار اهل ادرياس هم متمسكون بالمديح والهجا اما بالهجا بحسب ما ظن فهذه التى هاهنا كما انه ما كان قبلهم ولاية الجماعة والتدبير والتى كان الذين من سيقلييا يقولون انها موجود كما كان يفعل افيخارمس الشاعر وهو الذى كان اقدم كثيرا من كيونيدس وماغنس [من حيث كانا اعطيا الرسوم]

‏عند ما كانا يستعملان الاقرار من اسما المديح التى فى فالوفونيهوس وذلك ان [انه] اما ذانك لقبا لقرى قومانس واما ديموسوس فلقب اهل اثينية المهجوين من قبل انهم كانوا ممتهنين مستخف بهم من اهل القرى

‏اما اصناف التشبيه والحكاية وفصولها وكميتها وايما هى فهى هذه التى قيلت

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 3 focus

‏وايضا الثالث لهذه الفصول ومنها هو ان تشبه بكل واحد واحد من هذه

‏ياتون بتشبيههم وحكايتهم كما قلنا منذ الابتدا بهذه الفصول والاصناف الثلاثة

‏ومن هاهنا قال قوم ان هذه تلقب ايضا دراماطا من قبل انهم يتشبهون بالذين يعملون

‏اما اصناف التشبيه والحكاية وفصولها وكميتها وايما هى فهى هذه التى قيلت

Notes on the current edition

Poetics

1. The words ἑτέρως δὲ, seem wanting to make this passage clear.

2. Undoubtedly δρῶντες and πράτιοντες.

Commentary

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

1. mvp-aristotle-comment-71

1. mvp-aristotle-comment-72

1448a19 τούτων τρίτη διαφορά : τούτων τῶν λεχθεισῶν μιμήσεων in a7 .

1. mvp-aristotle-comment-73

ἕκαστα τούτων : the objects with the possibilities of difference described in chap. 2. Though the objects of the poetic imitations are properly persons, the neuter is used as a more general way of designating them. It reappears in the formula (repeated from 1, 1447 a 17 ) ἐν οἷς τε καὶ ἃ καὶ ὥς in a 25 .

1448a20

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-74

τὰ αὐτὰ μιμεῖσθαι The subject understood with μιμεῖσθαι is τὸν μιμούμενον; and the participles which follow in 21-22 are in apposition to that. In a 23 , however, where Aristotle is dealing with the Drama, he has to put the participles in the plural ( ὡς πράττοντας), and the subject is definitely mentioned as τοὺς μιμουμένους.

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-75

1448a21 ὁτὲ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλοντα κτέ. The amended reading (ἢ) ὁτὲ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλοντα ὁτὲ δὲ ἕτερόν τι γιγνόμενον is anticipated in Goulston's paraphrase. As Aristotle began by speaking of the objects imitated in the neuter, he describes the imitator as identifying himself with 'something else' ( ἕτερόν τι). The statement is on the same lines as that in Plato Rep. 392 D—394 D , which distinguishes between three forms of διήγησις: (1) simple narration, (2) imitative or dramatic narration, and (3) the mixed manner, which we see in Homer. Aristotle's ἀπαγγέλλοντα recalls Plato's δι᾿ ἀπαγγελίας αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιητοῦ. Plato uses μιμεῖσθαι only for the dramatic mode, whereas Aristotle uses it in a much wider sense. Aristotle's general view of the Epic is that it comes under the head of narrative, as distinct from dramatic, imitation ( 5, 1449 b 11 ). Homer is said to reduce the element of narrative to a minimum, taking every opportunity of making his personages come forward and speak for themselves, just as though they were characters in a play.

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-76

1448a22 ὡς τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ μεταβάλλοντα : another instance of parallelismus antitheticus (see on 1, 1447 a 18 ) ; it is the converse in sense of De caelo 2. 6, 288 a 31

εἴτε... ἀλλοιοῖτο καὶ μὴ διαμένοι τὸ αὐτό

. The antithesis is between what the poet says in propria persona and what he says in an assumed character.

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-77

1448a23 ἢ πάντα ὡς πράττοντας καὶ ἐνεργοῦντας τοὺς μιμουμένους πάντα, the correction of Casaubon, is in apposition to the τὰ αὐτά in 20, and serves to distinguish the Drama from the Epic, which is at best only partially dramatic. If πάντας be retained, it has to be taken with τοὺς μιμουμένους as the object. However, τὰ αὐτά is too important logically to be ignored. In this third participial clause the participles are in the plural, and the grammatical subject ( τοὺς μιμουμένους) is expressed. The explanation is probably that Aristotle is thinking for the moment of the actors rather than of the poet himself. A play is conceived to be something which 'they act', i.e., with a plurality of imitators concerned in it: comp. 6, 1449 b 26

δρώντων

; b 31

πράττοντες ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν

; 1450 a 21

πράττουσιν

. The use of the present of μιμεῖσθαι as a passive is not impossible, but there is no clear instance of it. In 15, 1454 b 26 , where Aristotle wants a present passive, he uses a periphrasis, ὁ τὴν μίμησιν παρέχων.

1448a24

3. mvp-aristotle-comment-78

ἐν τρισὶ δὴ ταύταις κτέ. Comp. 1, 1447 a 16

διαφέρουσι δὲ ἀλλήλων τρισίν κτέ.

. The preposition here denotes the sphere within which the poetic imitation works. ταύταις is the real subject and preparative to the enumeration ἐν οἷς τε καὶ ἃ καὶ ὡς.

1448a25

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-79

ὥστε τῇ μὲν κτἑ. is a sort of corollary to what was said in chap. 2 and the opening section of chap. 3. Aristotle is now viewing plays in their relation to the authors, and the actors are ignored. In chap. 6 there are several instances of his passing unconsciously from the one point of view to the other.

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-80

1448a27 πράττοντας γὰρ μιμοῦνται The dramatic poet makes his personages appear on the stage and go through a semblance of action. The difference between Aristotle's language here and in 23 is to be noted: the dramatic poet μιμεῖται πράττοντας; the actor μιμεῖται ὡς πράττων.

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-81

1448a28 δρῶντας This reminds Aristotle of a current explanation of the word drama, ὅτι μιμοῦνται δρώντας, and leads to a digression on the Dorian claim to the discovery of the Drama. They support this by an appeal to language, maintaining that κωμῳδία and the general term δράμα are of Dorian origin. This passage is the source of corresponding statements in the grammarians, such as Anon. De Comoedia

τὴν κωμῳδίαν ηὑρῆσθαί φασιν ὑπὸ Σουσαρίωνος

. — Diomedes 486 P.

Comoedia dicta ἀπὸ τῶν κωμῶν

1448a31

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-82

οἱ Μεγαρεῖς On the Megarian Comedy see Meineke, FCG. I p. 18 . The Megarian claim is noted by the anonymous commentator on Eth. N. 4. 6, 1123 a 24 . Aristotle says nothing about Susarion here or in chap. 5.

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-83

1448a32 τῆς παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς δημοκρατίας Megara is said to have expelled the tyrant Theagenes about B.C. 600.

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-84

1448a32 οἱ ἐκ Σικελίας , the Megarians of Megara Hyblaea—literally, the Megarians 'on the Sicilian side'. For this use of the preposition comp. Pol. 8. 7, 1341 a 28

οἱ ἐκ φιλοσοφίας

, 'those on the philosophic side'.

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-85

1448a33 Ἐπίχαρμος In 5, 1449 b 6 he and Phormis are said to have been the first to discard the Comedy of personalities ; so that from this point of view he was the forerunner of the New Comedy, i. e. of what Aristotle regards as Comedy proper. Plato had already given him the premier place in Comedy: Theaet. 152 E

τῶν ποιητῶν οἱ ἄκροι τῆς ποιήσεως ἑκατέρας, κωμῳδίας μὲν Ἐπίχαρμος, τραγῳδίας δὲ Ὅμηρος

. The Sicilian origin of Comedy is often asserted by post-Aristotelian writers: Theocritus Ep. 17. 1

ὁ τὰν κωμῳδίαν εὑρὼν Ἐπίχαρμος

; Solinus 5. 13

Hic [scil. in Sicilia] primum inventa comoedia

; Themistius Or. 27, 406 Dind.

καὶ κωμῳδία τὸ παλαιὸν ἤρξατο μὲν ἀπὸ Σικελίας· ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἤστην Ἐπίχαρμός τε καὶ Φόρμις ... κάλλιον δὲ Ἀθήναζε συνηυξήθη

; Prol. de Comoedia 3 = Kaibel CGF. p. 7

Ἐπίχαρμος· οὗτος πρῶτος τὴν κωμῳδίαν διερριμμένην ἀνεκτήσατο πολλὰ προσφιλοτεχνήσας

; Suidas s.v. Ἐπίχαρμος

εὗρε τὴν κωμῳδίαν ἐν Συρακούσαις ἅμα Φόρμῳ

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-86

1448a34 Χιωνίδου καὶ Μάγνητος From this mention of them here, as also from the allusion to them further on, in 5, 1449 b 3 , it is clear that Aristotle knows of no Attic writers of Comedy earlier than Chionides and Magnes ; and even these apparently are mere names to him. Magnes is expressly described by Suidas as a much younger man than Epicharmus:

ἐπιβάλλει δ᾿ Ἐπιχάρμῳ νέος πρεσβύτῃ

. Suidas' statement that Epicharmus was producing comedies at Syracuse six years before the Persian war (i. e. in B.C. 485) is of some importance, as showing that Epicharmus was conceived to be coeval with a generation at Athens anterior to Chionides and the regular drama which began with him. There is no very serious difference, therefore, between Suidas and Aristotle as to the priority of Epicharmus.

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-87

καὶ τῆς τραγῳδίας = τῆς δὲ τραγῳδίας. Vahlen illustrates the change of construction by Soph. el. 11, 171 b 8

συλλογισμὸς ἐριστικὸς καὶ σοφιστικός ἐστιν εἷς μὲν ὁ φαινόμενος συλλογισμός ... καὶ ὅσοι μὴ ὄντες κτέ.

, where καὶ ὅσοι seems to stand for ἕτεροι δὲ ὅσοι.

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-88

ἔνιοι , i. e. the Sicyonians: Herod. 5. 67

τά τε δὴ ἄλλα οἱ Σικυώνιοι ἐτίμων τὸν Ἀδρηστον καὶ δὴ πρὸς τὰ πάθεα αὐτοῦ τραγικοῖσι χοροῖσι ἐγέραιρον

. Themistius Or. 27, 406 Dind.

καὶ τραγῳδίας εὑρεταὶ μὲν Σικυώνιοι, τελεσιουργοὶ δὲ Ἀττικοὶ ποιηταί

. — Suidas s.v. Θέσπις

τραγικὸς ἑκκαιδέκατος ἀπὸ τοῦ πρώτου γενομένου τραγῳδιοποιοῦ ᾿Επιγένους τοῦ Σικυωνίου τιθέμενος

1448a36

6. mvp-aristotle-comment-89

περιοικίδας : Pol. 6. 5, 1320 b 6

ἀεὶ γάρ τινας ἐκπέμποντες τοῦ δήμου πρὸς τὰς περιοικίδας ποιοῦσιν εὐπόρους

. As understood at Athens the term κώμη meant a quarter of the city, as distinct from the outlying townships ( δῆμοι): Plato Laws 746 D

φρατρίας καὶ δήμους καὶ κώμας

. — Isocrates 149 A

διελόμενοι τὴν μὲν πόλιν κατὰ κώμας τὴν δὲ χώραν κατὰ δήμους

6. mvp-aristotle-comment-90

1448a37 κωμῳδούς ἀπὸ τοῦ κωμάζειν. The connexion is indirectly implied in the juxtaposition of the two words in the law cited in Demosthenes 21. 10

ἡ πομπὴ καὶ οἱ παῖδες καὶ ὁ κῶμος καὶ οἱ κωμῳδοὶ καὶ οἱ τραγῳδοί

6. mvp-aristotle-comment-91

1448b1 καὶ τὸ ποιεῖν κτέ. The argument comes practically to this: Plays confessessly represent actions: now if they had been originally an Athenian invention, one would expect them to have been called πράγματα rather than δράματα; πράττειν being the ordinary Athenian word for to act. That Aristotle does not accept this view of δρᾶν and πράττειν is indirectly shown by his own use of the words. He has just said (a27) πράττοντας καὶ δρῶντας, and in his definition of Tragedy ( 6, 1449 b 26 ) his word is δρώντων, though he might easily have said πραττόντων.

1448b3

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-92

τῆς μιμήσεως is the genitive after τῶν διαφορῶν. Vahlen illustrates the order by Plato, Phil. 17 C

ἐπειδὰν λάβῃς τὰ διαστήματα ὁπόσα ἐστὶ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῆς φωνῆς

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

1. mvp-aristotle-comment-56

3.1 A troisième difference conſiſte en la manière dont on fait ces imitations.]¹

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-57

3.2 Soit en faiſant un récit, ou en joüant ſoy-même quelqu'autre perſonnage.]²

3. mvp-aristotle-comment-58

3.4 Que j'expliqueray par ces trois mots avec quoy, quoy & comment.]³

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-59

3.4 De ſorte qu'au ſecond égard Sophocle reſſemble à Homere dans ſon imitation.]⁴

5. mvp-aristotle-comment-60

3.4 Et au troiſième il reſſemble à Ariſtophane.]⁵

6. mvp-aristotle-comment-61

3.4 C'eſt pourquoy on a ſoûtenu que les pieces de theatre ont été appellées dramatiques, du mot drame, qui ſignifie action.]⁶

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-62

3.5 Car les Megariens de ce pays.]⁷

8. mvp-aristotle-comment-63

3.5 Soûtenant qu'elle eſt née dans leur état populaire.]⁸

9. mvp-aristotle-comment-64

3.5 Les Megariens de Sicile l'ont auſſi revendiquée.]⁹

10. mvp-aristotle-comment-65

3.5 Parce que le Poëte Epicharmus plus ancien que Chionides, & que Magnes étoit Sicilien.]¹⁰

11. mvp-aristotle-comment-66

3.5 Et quelques Doriens du Peloponeſe.]¹¹

13. mvp-aristotle-comment-67

3.6 Ce qui prouve, diſent-ils, que la Comedie n'a pas été ainſi appellée du mot Comazein, comme le prétendent les Atheniens.]¹²

14. mvp-aristotle-comment-68

3.6 Parce que les premiers Comediens, n'étant pas receus dans la Ville.]¹³

15. mvp-aristotle-comment-69

3.7 Ils ſoûtiennent auſſi qu'au lieu que les Atheniens diſent Prattein, pour dire, faire, ils diſent chez eux Dran.]¹⁴

16. mvp-aristotle-comment-70

3.7 Cela ſuffit pour les differences de l'imitation, leur nombre & leur nature.]¹⁵

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

18. mvp-aristotle-comment-18

NOTE 18.

3.2 P. 68. EITHER IN NARRATION, AND THAT, AGAIN, EITHER, &C.

It may safely be pronounced, that the original here, either is not as Aristotle left it, or, was carelessly and ambiguously written. As the ambiguity, however, does not affect the general sense of the passage, it is scarcely worth while to engage in a minute discussion of the comparative merits of the two different constructions, which have been adopted by different commentators and translators. The learned reader knows, or may see, what has been said on both sides. I have preferred that construction, which has always appeared to me to result most obviously and naturally from the words of the original.—

ἐν τοις αυτοις, και τα αυτα μιμεισθαι ἐσιν, ότε μεν ΑΠΑΓΓΕΛΛΟΝΤΑ ( ἑτερον τι γιγνομενον, ώσπερ Ομηρου ποιει, ὡς τον αυτον, και μη μεταβαλλοντα,) η παντας ὡς ΠΡΑΤΤΟΝΤΑΣ και ἐνεργεντας τις μιμεμένες

In the other, and most usual way of taking this passage, the mixture of mere narration, and dramatic imitation, in the Epic species, is expressed by the words,

ότε μεν ἀπαγγελλοντα, ἕτερον τε γιγνομενον

. But it seems not likely, that Aristotle would thus oppose the word

ἀπαγγελλοντα

, to

ἕτερον τε γιγνομενον

; because the term,

ἀπαγγελια

, is constantly applied by him, throughout the treatise, to the narrative species in general: it is opposed, not to the dramatic part of the Epic, but to the drama itself.

Απαγγελια

and

διηγησις

, are used by him as synonymous terms, and are both applied to the whole of the Homeric, or dramatic, Epic Poem.¹ On the other hand, the words—

ΕΤΕΡΟΝ τι γιγνομενου

—seem evidently opposed to

ὡς ΤΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ και μη μεταβαλλοντα

, and should, therefore, be joined with them, not with

ἀπαγγελλοντα

.—Lastly, in this way of understanding the passage, Aristotle divides the different manners of imitation, as he might naturally be expected to divide them, into those which characterize the two great and principal species, of which he means to treat—the NARRATIVE and the DRAMATIC. The two different modes of the former, i, e. the pure narrative, and the dramatic narrative, are, with more propriety than in the other construction, (in bis view of the subject, at least,) flung into a subdivision.

In either construction, however, Aristotle agrees with Plato in enumerating three kinds of Poetry, the purely dramatic, the purely narrative, and the mixed.² But the generality of the commentators seem, too hastily, to have taken it for granted, that Aristotle must therefore necessarily enumerate them in the same manner; and they have, accordingly, moulded the flexible and ambiguous construction of this passage, exactly upon the division of Plato .³

I was glad to find myself supported here by the judgment of the accurate Piccolomini , whose version coincides with mine.—

In UN MODO, per via di narratione, e questo, ò ponendo se steslo alle volte il Poeta in persona d'altri, come få Homero, over conservando sempre la propria persona non mutata mai. Nel ALTRO MODO poi, introducendo persone à trattare et negotiare, come se le stesse persone che sono imitate, fuffero.

With respect to the imitation here expressly allowed by Aristotle to subsist even in mere narration, without the intermixture of any thing dramatic, see Diff. I. p. 26 . I agree perfectly with Mr. Winstanley , that his emendations are not necessary.

19. mvp-aristotle-comment-19

NOTE 19.

3.4 P. 69. ELEVATED CHARACTERS

Gr. ΣΠΟΥΔΑΙΟΥΣ. The adjective

Σπουδαιοι

, and its opposite,

Φαυλος

, are words of considerable latitude. They, each of them, comprehend a number of different, though related, ideas, for which we have not, that I know of, any common word. Propriety itself, therefore, requires of a translator that, which, at first view, seems contrary to propriety—that he should render each of those words differently in different places. To have translated

σπεδαίες

here,

"good,"

"virtuous,"

as it may generally be translated, would only have been giving an English word with a Greek idea, which none but readers of Greek would have affixed to it.

The Greeks appear to have applied the word,

ΣΠΟΥΔΑΙΟΝ

, to whatever was, on any account,

ἀξιων σπεδης

—whatever was respectable, important, admirable, serious, valuable, &c. as opposed to

ΦΑΥΛΟΝ

, which was applied, not to vice only, but to whatever was contemptible, trifling, light, ordinary, ridiculous—or, as we say in familiar English, good for nothing. ⁴ Hence the various senses of both these words in the Greek writers, according as they were applied to persons, and things, that were the objects of esteem, or contempt, on different accounts. Sometimes, therefore,

σπεδαίο

may be rendered by

"good;"

sometimes by

"serious, earnest,"

&c.—Sometimes, as in this passage, and in the definition of Tragedy, by

"elevated,"

"important,"

&c.⁵

Some kind of virtue, in the extended sense given to the word

ΑΡΕΤΗ

by the ancient writers on morals, was, indeed, always implied in the epithet

Σπεδαι

; but it included such good qualities, and endowments, as we do not usually call virtues; or, at least, such as we never include in our idea of a virtuous man: as, wisdom, courage, eloquence, &c.⁶—Thus Aristotle himself;

το δε ΣΠΟΥΔΑΙΟΝ είναι, εστι το ΤΑΣ ΑΡΕΤΑΣ ἐχειν

.⁷ And what are these virtues?—they are

"all laudable habits."

—

των ἐξεων τας ΕΠΑΙΝΕΤΑΣ, ΑΡΕΤΑΣ λεγομεν

.⁸

The subject of Criticism is necessarily connected, in some degree, with that of Ethics; and unless we understand well the moral language of any writer, we cannot be competent judges of his criticism.

20. mvp-aristotle-comment-20

NOTE 20.

3.5 P. 69. IN SUPPORT OF THESE CLAIMS THEY ARGUE FROM THE WORDS THEMSELVES.

Ποιεμενοι τα ὀνοματα σημειον

.—The participle,

ποιεμενοι

, should be applied, I think, to all the Dorians—not confined, as in Dacier's translation, to those of Peloponnesus. See Goulston's version, which appears to me to be right.

Aristotle begins by saying expressly, that the Dorians, in general, laid claim to both Tragedy and Comedy, on account of the term

ΔΡΑΜΑ

, which was a Doric word:—

∆ΙΟ

(i. e. from the term

Δραματα

, just before mentioned,)

ἀντιποιενται της τε Τραγωδίας και της Κωμωδίας ΟΙ ΔΩΡΙΕΙΣ

—He then mentions the peculiar claims of the Megarians to Comedy, and of the Dorians of Peloponnesus to Tragedy; throwing in, parenthetically, some other arguments on which the former also founded their title to the invention of Comedy: after which, he returns, at the word

ποιεμένοι

, to shew, how these people concurred in arguing from the etymology of the words themselves; all of them, from the word

δραμα

, as it was common to Tragedy and Comedy, and they, who laid claim to Comedy, both from that, and also from the derivation of the word

Κωμωδια

The construction, in this way, is, I confess, somewhat parenthetical and embarrassed; but the reader, who is accustomed to the style of Aristotle, will not, I believe, consider this as affording alone any sufficient presumption against the explanation here given.

Commentary on the Poetics (Henry James Pye, 1792) (OCR draft) (Henry James Pye's 1792 English commentary, aligned to the Kassel reference edition.) focus

3.1. mvp-aristotle-comment-6 3.7

THESE, AS WE SAID AT FIRST, ARE THE THREE DIFFERENCES OF IMITATION.

ARISTOTLE, having given examples of the different circumstances by which the varieties of imitations were diftinguished, proceeds now to shew that imitations, differing from each other in one of these circumstances, may be alike in another. It is remarkable that he gives no instance of this partial resemblance arifing from the means of imitation being the fame; which is the more to be regretted as fuch an inftance must have thrown more light on what is faid of the epopee in the first chapter, and shewn more particularly in what respect Homer's poems resembled the Mimes of Sophron and Xenarchus, the Dialogues of Socrates, and the Hippocentaur of Chæremon. CHAP.

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

1. mvp-aristotle-comment-15

Ritter, cap. 3 § 1

9. Tertia artium poeticarum differentia ex vario imitandi modo et ratione nascitur. ὑτὲ μὲν ἀπαγγέλλοντα - ἢ πάντας ὡς πράττοντας καὶ ἐνεργοῦντας τοὺς μιμουμένους: omnis poeticae imitationis modus in duo genera dividitur, unum narrandi, agendi alterum. prius, h. e. genus narrativum, duas habet species, sive narrantem inducit poeta alterum sive ipse narrandi partes in se suscipit. secundi generis ea natura est, ut qui imitantur ipsi agant ipsique personas eorum quos imitantur sustineant. huius alterius generis explicatio incipit a verbis ἢ πάντας ὡς πράττοντας, ubi ἢ particula licenter admissa est, cum ὁτὲ δὲ post ὑτὸ μὲν lectores exspectarent. structurae facilitas insuper impeditur illatis illis ὥσπερ Ὅμηρος ποιεῖ post ἕτερόν τι γιγνόμενον. Homerus imitationem ita instituit, ut dum plurima per alios enarrantur, multa tamen etiam ab ipso referantur, ut c. 24, 7. agnoscit laudatque Aristoteles. falso igitur Homerum omnia per alios enuntiare h. 1. monetur. porro vide mihi neque alterius ex priore genere speciei neque ipsius secundi generis exemplum afferri, sed exempla reservari donec tota res in universum satis exposita videretur; considera paucis interiectis versibus iterum provocari ad Homerum, ut idem poeta brevissimo intervallo bis in auxilium adhibeatur, quod saneabhorret a more veri Aristotelis. dicendum restat unde importunum additamentum venerit. interpolator cuius tot per hunc librum vestigia deprehenduntur, cum ex c. 24. didicisset Homerum per alios plurima referre, ille temperare sibi non potuit, quo minus iam hic quamvis loco non apto illam Homeri prae ceteris poetis epicis praestantiam significaret. - ceterum monendum puto, ne quis hoc loco abuti velit ad poesis in tria genera (epicum et lyricum et dramaticum) divisionem ab Aristotele profectam hinc eruendam et commonstrandam. non enim hoc nunc agit ut poesin universam in genera sua dividat, sed in duobus poesis generibus (epico et dramatico) diversam imitandi rationem explicare voluit, sane triplex illa poesis divisio in nonnullis huius libri locis Aristoteli obversata est ante animum (conf. Commentar. ad c. 1, 2), sed nullo loco eam aperte proposuit.

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-16

Ritter, cap. 3 § 2

et 3. πράττοντας - δρῶντας ἄμφω: expositis tribus illis quibus diversitates artium nituntur, iam post haec argumentum hactenus pertractatum apte concludit verbis illis (§. 4) περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν διαφορῶν, καὶ πόσαι καὶ τίνες τῆς μιμήσεως, εἰρήσθω ταῦτα. quae media inseruntur (§. 3), ea ab argumento adhuc explicato alienissima, per se levissima, ex parte absurda simul et falsa, damnanda et Aristoteli abiudicanda existimavi. videamus. primum ab eo loco qui modo pertractatus est aliena haec esse, ultro mihi concedent qui intellexerint afferri iam nihil nisi inutiles et inanes etymologias, quae a verbo δρῶντας profectae fuse proferuntur, ipsum autem Aristotelem inde ab operis initio usque ad c. 4, 12. non modo ab huiusmodi nugis sed etiam ab enarrandis rebus, qualis est ista Doriensium tragoediam comoediamque sibi vindicantium commemoratio, religiose abstinere adeoque in afferendis exemplis parcissimum esse. absurda sunt ὅθεν καὶ δράματα καλεῖσθαί τινες αὐτά φασιν, ὅτι μιμοῦνται δρῶντας. vide, auctor incertus haerebat an re vera δρᾶμα dictum sit a δρᾶν, et rem scilicet tam dubiam in medio relinquens aliorum hominum sententiam protulisse contentus est. quae absurda simul et falsa dixi, ea suntP ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἦν Ἐπίχαρμος ὁ ποιητής, πολλῷ πρότερος ὢν Χωνίδου καὶ Μάγνητος. primum inepta haec sunt, cum qui paulo ante δράματος nomine confisi sibi vindicare comoediam tragoediamque dicuntur, iidem statim argumenta ex historia sumpta proferunt quae, si vera essent, comoediae inventionem Siculis Doriensibus certissime vindicarent. scilicet Epicharmum, antiquissimum apud Dorienses comoediae hoc nomine dignae auctorem, multo prius vixisse quam Chonidem (Chionidem), antiquissimum apud Athenienses comoediarum scriptorem ¹), hic edocemur. sed de Chionide Suidas (cf. Eudocia p. 436) haec rettulit: Χιωνίδης ᾿Αθηναῖος, τῆς ἀρχαίας κωμῳδίας, ὃν καὶ λέγουσι πρωταγωνίστην γενέσθαι τῆς ἀρχαίας κωμῳδίας, διδάσκειν δὲ ἔτεσιν ὀκτὼ πρὸ τῶν Περσικῶν, hoc est Olympiad. 73, 1. idem Suidas accurate indicavit quando Epicharmus comoedias docere adgressus sit s. v. Ἐπίχαρμος : ἦν δὲ πρὸ τῶν Περσικῶν ἔτη ἕξ, διδάσκων ἐν Συρακούσαις· ἐν δὲ ᾿Αθήναις Εὐέτης καὶ Εὐξενίδης καὶ Μύλος ἐπεδείκνυντο, h. e. Olympiad. 73, 3. quae testimonia, quamvis ab auctore parum locuplete prolata, tantae sunt auctoritatis, quantae essent si apud fidissimum scriptorem legerentur. nam ipsa eorum condicio ac forma probat puro ex fonte (ex didascaliis ut videtur) profecta esse. neque illud quisquam infitiabitur, utriusque poetae, Chionidis et Epicharmi, primum certamen vel tempus quo fere coeperunt comoedias docere, illis in locis significari 2). quo tempore Epicharmus Syracusanos arte sua delectabat, tunc Athenis comoediis certabant Euetes et Euxenides et Mylus, et 1) Neque nos ipsi neque ignotus ille qui haec interposuit de antiqua illa comoedia lyrica hic loquimur, sed de fabula ad quendam perfectionis gradum perducta. illud quoque nemo infitiabitur, Epicharmum et Chionidem cum Magnete tamquam an- *tiquissimos verae comoediae auctores ab hoc scriptore perhiberi. 2) Scriptor de comoedia anonymus (ap. Kusterum p. XII) cum scribit γέγονε (Epicharmus) κατὰ τὴν οἱ Ὀλυμπιάδα, tempus quo ille comoedias docere Syracusis coepit designat planequecertabant quidem post 3) Chionidem, cum is πρωταγωνίστης τῆς ἀρχαίας perhibeatur 4). itaque semidoctus hic interpolator immane quantum decipit lectores magni nominis specie praefulgens, cum scribit Epicharmum fuisse multo ante Chionidem : nam illud πολλῷ πρότερος ὢν hoc vult significare, Epicharmum saltem quinquaginta amplius annis Chionide priorem vixisse. neque illud statuere tuto licet, Epicharmum, antequam Syracusas commigraret, Megaris in Sicilia ubi per aliquot temporis fuit comoedias spectandas praebuisse, propterea quod nemo veterum scriptorum id tradidit, immo omnes hanc eius gloriae sedem Syracusas agnoscunt. at vero hic ipse locus, sive Aristotelius sive ab interpolatore insertus, nonne ostendere videtur quod tu negas? non est ita, sed is nihil narrat nisi Epicharmum Megaris oriundum fuisse. novus hic est et turpis error Aristotele plane indignus. nam si Epicharmum Megarensem fuisse cum aliqua veri specie narrari potest et a nonnullis narratur, quod Megaris aliquamdiu versatus et fortasse in civium numerum receptus est, tamen nonnisi negligentissimus vel indoctus auctor scribere potest Megaris oriundum fuisse ( ἐκεῖθεν ἦν) eum, quem natum esse in insula Co et plurimum vitae tempus Syracusis degisse constet. conf. Müller Doriens. II. p. 352. Grysarius de Doriens. comoed. p. 87 sqq. si vera essent quae semidoctus interpolator effutivit, verae comoediae inven- Suidae consentit. ribus usum esse. eo minus dubium est utrumque bonis aucto- 3) Meinekius hisce falsi Aristotelis verbis a vero seductus Euetem et Euxenidem et Mylum s. Myllum Chionide priores aetate posuit in Quaestion. scen. specim. I. sub initium: non debebat. 4) Nihil moror quod vir eruditissimus, Grysarius de Doriensium comoedia p. 145 sqq., Odofredum Müllerum (Doriens. II. p. 352) secutus, ratione subducta coniecit, Epicharmum Syracusas venisse demum Olymp. 74, 2., cum Gelo Megarensium urbe deleta incolas transferret Syracusas: nam luculenta testimonia incerta ratione a nobis instituenda everti non possunt.tor Epicharmus celebrandus esset, sed Aristoteles ipse tantum abest ut Epicharmum pro inventore comoediae venditet, ut nonnisi mythica argumenta ( μύθους) ab illo primum adhibita esse rettulerit c. 5, 3. vitiis quae adhuc exposuimus cetera consimilia sunt. vide quaeso quomodo celeberrimus comoediarum scriptor designetur, Ἐπίχαρμος ὁ ποιητής, quasi alii Epicharmi tam illustres exstiterint, ut poeta ab iis distinguendus esset, aut ipse tam obscurus fuerit, ut poetam eum fuisse lectoribus in memoriam revocandum esset. ac si ille nimis dilucide Epicharmum designare voluit, cur scripsit ὁ ποιητής, non ὁ κωμωδιοποιός ? porro ne id quidem mirabimur, a tali scriptore Chionidem et Magnetem tamquam aequales proponi, quamquam Magnetem Epicharmo (magisque adeo Chionide) aliquanto iuniorem, Cratino autem priorem fuisse veteres testantur. vid. Suid. s. v. Μάγνης: ἐπιβάλ λει δ' Ἐπιχάρμῳ νέος πρεσβύτῃ. conf. Aristophanes Equit. 517 sqq. Meinekius Quaestion. scen. I. p. 9 sqq. postremo interpolator ne nomen quidem Chionidis, nisi codices h. 1. omnes peccarunt, recte scribere potuit: libri enim fluctuant inter Χωνίδου et Χωνύδου et Χονύδου, quod nomen unde deductum sit dici nequit. rectius haud dubie Suidae codices et Athenaei (III. p. 119 E. IV. p. 137 E. XIV. p. 638 D) et grammaticus ab Hermanno editus in libro de Emendanda ratione Gr. gr. p. 324. hunc poetam Χιωνίδην vel Χιονίδην appellant. conf. Meinekius 1. ind. p. 8. not. iam quaedam ad singulos paragraphi 3. locos adnotabimus. ὅθεν καὶ δράματα: vinculum quo prioribus haec adnectantur laxum sane est ac paene nullum. forte praecesserat μιμοῦνται δρῶντας: eo interpolator excitatus est ut doctrinam suam grammaticam ostentaret adiectis illis ὅθεν καὶ δράματα cet. neque vero memoratu indignum videatur quod et haec enuntiatio et quae paulo post subsequitur eodem fere modo adiungitur: ὅθεν καὶ δράματα καλεῖσθαι.. φασιν, et statim διὸ καὶ ἀντιποιοῦνται cet. nonne haec woher auch et daher auch mediocrem grammaticum et sua alienis importune inserentem coarguere videntur? scilicet interpolatorem fere semper pluribus vestigtis deprehendimus, quorum haec obscure relicta, illa solide expressa sunt. οἵ τε ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῖς δημοκρατίας γενομένης: Megarenses qui hic, Graeciae sunt interioris Atticisque finitimi, quibus cognomentum οἱ Νυσαῖοι, de tempore, quo illa popularis dominatio apud Megarenses exstiterit, erudite disputavit Meinekius in Quaest. scen. I. p. 3 sq., etiam Grysarius de Doriensium comoed. I. p. 4 sqq. quippe Meinekius ex Plutarchi Quaest. Gr. 18. p. 295 D. et, 49. p. 304 E (vol II. p. I. pag 210 et 247 apud Wyttenb.) docuit brevi post expulsum Megaris Theagenem tyrannum, h. e. circa Olymp. 45 vel 46., effrenatam populi dominationem ibi exortam esse. illius temporis comoediam lyricam fuisse hic verbo monere sufficiat. de Susarione comico, qui Tripodisci Megarensium vico natus et sub Olymp. 50. Icariam Atticorum transgressus comoedias fecit egitque, hic noster nihil videtur inaudisse. de illo conferendus est Müller in Doriens. II. p. 350. Meinekius Quaest. scen. I. 3 sqq. καὶ τῆς τραγῳδίας ἔνιοι τῶν ἐν Πελοποννή σῳ: Sicyonii Epigenem tragicum Thespide sive sedecim sive duabus aetatibus priorem celebrabant. vid. Suidas s. v. Θέσπις. conf. Mülleri Dorienses II. p. 367. sed de Epigene hic noster certe non cogitavit: quippe statim narrat Peloponnesios ad dicta sua probanda nominibus uti. ὡς κωμῳδοὺς - ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως : interpolator ipse magis inclinavit ut κωμῳδοὺς a verbo κωμάζειν dictos esse crederet: Dorienses contra a κώμαις nomen deduxisse tradit. neutra etymologia vera est. conf. nota ad c. 4, 12. illud quoque verum non est, pro κώμαις ab Atheniensibus dici δήμους: immo κῶμαι sunt vici (urbis partes), δῆμοι pagi (ruris partes), quamquam hoc discrimen non semper observatur. vid. Phot. v. κώμη et κωμήτης. Aristophan. Nub. 965. Lysistr. 5.

Aristotle Poetics 3.4

ed. Henry James Pye