Poetics. Aristotle. ed. Henry James Pye. London. 1792.
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.
Poetics
1. mvp-aristotle-comment-93
1.
mvp-aristotle-comment-94
1448b4
ἐοίκασι
Setting aside the antiquarian questions raised in chap. 3, Aristotle asserts that the birth of poetry was due to large natural causes. The origin of poetry generally (
γεννῆσαι μὲν ὅλως) is attributable to the imitative instinct in all men. The origin of the two great kinds of poetry (
διεσπάσθη δὲ b24), of which Tragedy and Comedy were the ultimate developments, is attributable to the personal tendencies and differences of character in the individual poets (
τὰ οἰκεῖα ἤθη b24).
1.
mvp-aristotle-comment-95
1448b5
αἰτίαι δύο
The two causes are those mentioned in the immediate context,
τὸ μιμεῖσθαι (b5) and
τὸ χαίρειν τοῖς μιμήμασι (b8). These Aristotle regards as two distinguishable facts in human nature.
τὸ χαίρειν τοῖς μιμήμασι, instead of coming in as a mere afterthought after
τὸ μιμεῖσθαι, involves a different idea, and relates to a different class of persons—the public interested in works of art, as distinct from the artists who produce them.
1448b7
μιμητικώτατον
:
Probl. 30. 6, 956 a 14
Διὰ τί ἀνθρώπῳ πειστέον δὴ μᾶλλον ἢ ἄλλῳ ζῴῳ; ... ἢ ὅτι μιμητικώτατον;.
μανθάνειν γὰρ δύναται διὰ τοῦτο. Vahlen illustrates this use of the neuter singular by
De somn. 3, 457 b 24
καταπίπτουσι ... οἱ ἄνθρωποι, μόνον γὰρ ὀρθὸν τῶν ζῴων, and
Pol. 1. 2, 1253 a 16
τοῦτο γὰρ πρὸς τἆλλα ζῷα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἴδιον, τὸ μόνον ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ ... αἴσθησιν ἔχειν.
2.
mvp-aristotle-comment-96
1448b8
μαθήσεις
:
Quintilian 10. 2, 1
Neque enim dubitari potest quin artis pars magna contineatur imitatione. nam ut invenire primum fuit estque praecipuum, sic ea quae bene inventa sunt utile sequi.
1448b9
3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-97
σημεῖον
A
σημεῖον is that which proves or confirms a proposition; an
αἴτιον, something that explains or gives a reason for it. Aristotle defines a
σημεῖον in
An. pr. 2. 27, 70 a 7
σημεῖον δὲ βούλεται εἶναι πρότασις ἀποδεικτικὴ ἀναγκαία ἢ ἔνδοξος.
3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-98
ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων
: 're ipsa'.
τῶν ἔργων here is often rendered by 'works of art'.
3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-99
1448b10
γὰρ αὐτὰ λυπηρῶς ὁρῶμεν
:
Rhet. 1. 11, 1371 b 4
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ μανθάνειν τε ἡδὺ καὶ τὸ θαυμάζειν, καὶ τὰ τοιάδε ἀνάγκη ἡδέα εἶναι οἷον τό τε μεμιμημένον ... καὶ πᾶν ὃ ἂν εὖ μεμιμημένον ᾖ, κἂν μὴ ἡδὺ αὐτὸ τὸ μεμιμημένον· οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ τούτῳ χαίρει, ἀλλὰ συλλογισμός ἐστιν ὅτι τοῦτο ἐκεῖνο, ὥστε μανθάνειν τι συμβαίνει. —
De part. an. 1. 5, 645 a 11
καὶ γὰρ ἂν εἴη παράλογον καὶ ἄτοπον, εἰ τὰς μὲν εἰκόνας αὐτῶν [i.e. τῶν ζῴων τῶν μὴ κεχαρισμένων] θεωροῦντες χαίρομεν ὅτι τὴν δημιουργήσασαν τέχνην συνθεωροῦμεν.
3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-100
1448b12
ἀτιμοτάτων
:
De anima 1. 2, 404 b 3
ἐν ἅπασι γὰρ ὑπάρχειν αὐτὸν [i.e. νοῦν] τοῖς ζώοις, καὶ μεγάλοις καὶ μικροῖς καὶ τιμίοις καὶ ἀτιμοτέροις. —
De part. an. 1. 5, 645 a 15
.
1448b13
4.
mvp-aristotle-comment-101
καὶ τοῦτο
. For the conjunction comp.
13, 1453 a 17
σημεῖον δὲ καὶ τὸ γιγόμενον. —
De somno 3, 456 a 28
σημεῖον δὲ τούτων καὶ τὰ ὑπνωτικά. —
Meteor. 2. 8, 367 a 11
τεκμήριον δ᾿ ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ γιγνόμενον.
1448b16
5.
mvp-aristotle-comment-102
θεωροῦντας μανθάνειν
: comp.
Rhet. 1. c.
, and
Plato Rep. 475 D
οἱ ... φιλοθεάμονες πάντες ἔμοιγε δοκοῦσι τῷ καταμανθάνειν χαίροντες τοιοῦτοι εἶναι. Our pleasure in the contemplation of a picture or other work of imitative art is explained here to be the natural concomitant of an intellectual act, the discovery or recognition on our part of the meaning of the picture.
1448b17
6.
mvp-aristotle-comment-103
οὐχ ᾗ
.
οὐχὶ for
οὐχ ᾗ is found in
Kb in
Eth. N. 8. 12, 1161 b 1, 18
and in
D (the Marcianus) in
An. post. 1. 23, 84 b 8
.
1448b20
7.
mvp-aristotle-comment-104
κατὰ φύσιν δὲ ὄντος ἡμῖν τοῦ μιμεῖσθαι
What Aristotle is now considering is the evolution of the poet ; and he tells us that the imitative aptitude of the poet is only a higher and more developed form of that natural aptitude for imitation which is common to all mankind.
7.
mvp-aristotle-comment-105
καὶ τῆς ἁρμονίας καὶ τοῦ ῥυθμοῦ
seem to be added as an afterthought, in recognition of the historical connexion between music and poetry. Except in its lyric forms, however, poetry was now no longer combined with music ; in Aristotle's view, also, even metre is at the most only one of its accidents (
1, 1447 b 11
).
7.
mvp-aristotle-comment-106
1448b22
ἐξ ἀρχῆς
is much the same thing as
ἐν ἀρχῇ. The antithesis between
ἐξ ἀρχῆς πεφυκότες and
προάγοντες will be not unlike that in
Metaph. A 2, 982 b 13
ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν τὰ πρόχειρα τῶν ἀπόρων θαυμάσαντες, εἶτα κατὰ μικρὸν οὕτω προϊόντες.
7.
mvp-aristotle-comment-107
αὐτά
: loosely used for 'their work' or 'performances'; it anticipates what is termed in the next line 'their improvisations'.
προάγειν is here (and again in
4, 1449 a 13
) a transitive verb. The meaning of the word in the present context is to 'advance', or 'carry a stage further', as may be seen from the parallel in
Soph. el. 33, 183 b
οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὰς ἀρχὰς εὑρόντες παντελῶς ἐπὶ μικρόν τι προήγαγον· οἱ δὲ νῦν εὐδοκιμοῦντες ... οὕτως ηὐξήκασιν.
7.
mvp-aristotle-comment-108
1448b23
αὐτοσχεδιασμάτων
On the verb
αὐτοσχεδιάζειν = 'to speak off-hand, without premeditation or previous study'. The fact is described in the
Homeric Hymn to Hermes 54
θεὸς δ᾿ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄειδεν, ἐξ αὐτοσχεδίης πειρώμενος. The phallic-song, in which Aristotle finds the germ of Comedy, was sometimes described as an
ᾠδὴ αὐτοσχέδιος.
1448b24
8.
mvp-aristotle-comment-109
διεσπάσθη δὲ
corresponds with the
γεννῆσαι μὲν ὅλως in b4.
κατὰ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἤθη: comp.
Plato Rep. 396 C sqq.
.
8.
mvp-aristotle-comment-110
1448b25
τὰς καλὰς ... πράξεις καὶ τὰς τῶν τοιούτων
As Düntzer and Bernays have shown, this is not a tautology, as the actions of those who are
καλοὶ (τῶν τοιούτων) are not always
καλαὶ πράξεις; comp.
Plato Rep. 396 C
μάλιστα μὲν μιμούμενος τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἀσφαλῶς τε καὶ ἐμφρόνως πράττοντα, ἐλάττω δὲ καὶ ἧττον ἢ ὑπὸ νόσων ἢ ὑπὸ ἐρώτων ἐσφαλμένον ἢ καὶ ὑπὸ μέθης ἢ τινος ἄλλης ξυμφορᾶς.
8.
mvp-aristotle-comment-111
1448b27
ψόγους
has the same same concrete sense of 'invectives' in
Plato Laws 829 C
ἐγκώμιά τε καὶ ψόγους ποιεῖν. The earliest, as well as the most eminent representative of this kind of literature, was Archilochus, the
ψογερὸς Ἀρχίλοχος βαρυλόγοις ἔχθεσιν πιαινόμενος of Pindar (
Pyth. 2. 100
).
8.
mvp-aristotle-comment-112
ὕμνους καὶ ἐγκώμια
:
Plato Rep. 607 A
ὕμνους θεοῖς καὶ ἐγκώμια τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς. —
Etym. Gud. s. v. ὕμνος
Ὕμνος ἐγκωμίου διαφέρει καθὸ ὁ μὲν ὕμνος ἐπὶ θεοῦ λέγεται τὸ δὲ ἐγκώμιον ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπου. On hymns and encomia as very primitive forms of Greek poetry see Bergk, Gr. Litt. 1 p. 423.
1448b29
9.
mvp-aristotle-comment-113
εἰκὸς δὲ εἶναι πολλούς
, scil.
τοιούτους; comp. Goulston's version, 'verisimile autem est, qui talia condiderint, extitisse multos'. Aristotle says this because he thinks that even in those days the baser sort (
οἱ εὐτελέστεροι b26) were probably in a majority ; he has no romantic illusions as to the superiority of the men of an earlier age (
Pol. 2. 8, 1269 a 5
). On the pre-Homeric poets, to whom Aristotle refers, comp.
Sextus Emp. Adv. math. 1. 204
οὐχ ὑπὸ πάντων ὁμολογεῖται ποιητὴς ἀρχαιότατος εἶναι Ὅμηρος· ἔνιοι γὰρ Ησίοδον προήκειν τοῖς χρόνοις λέγουσιν, Λίνον τε καὶ Ὀρφέα καὶ Μουσαῖον καὶ ἄλλους παμπληθεῖς: see also Bernhardy Gr. Litt. 1 p. 308. Aristotle, however, was quite aware that the writings which bore the names of these legendary poets were not really by them (
H. A. 6. 6, 563 a 18
; see Bernays, Dialoge d. Aristot. p. 95).
1448b30
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-114
ἐκείνου ὁ Μαργίτης
:
Eustratius on Eth. N. 6. 7, 1141 a 14 (p. 320 30 Heylb.)
παράγει . . . καί τινα ποίησιν Μαργίτην ὀνομαζομένην Ὁμήρου. μνημονεύει δ᾿ αὐτῆς οὐ μόνον αὐτὸς Ἀριστοτέλης ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ Περὶ ποιητικῆς ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἀρχίλοχος καὶ Κρατίνος καὶ Καλλίμαχος ἐν τῷ ἐπιγράμματι καὶ μαρτυροῦσιν εἶναι Ὁμήρου τὸ ποίημα. On the Margites, which Aristotle thus attributes to Homer, see Kinkel, EGF. p. 64. This statement in the Poetics does not throw any light on the question of the original form of the Margites, whether the iambic lines in it were a primitive part of the poem, or subsequently added by Pigres (see Goettling, Op. Acad. p. 167, and Hiller, N. Jahrb. f. Phil. 1887 p. 13 for a discussion of it) ; it stands in a parenthesis, and must not be taken in any direct connexion with the
ἐν οἷς... ἰαμβεῖον ἦλθε μέτρον that follows.
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-115
καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα
refers to writings more or less like the Margites by post-Homeric poets—not to other minor poems of a light order attributable to Homer himself, as Bergk (Gr. Litt. 1 p. 775) suggests.
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-116
ἐν οἷς
=
ἐν δὲ τούτοις, scil.
τοῖς ψόγοις, the relative beginning a new sentence, as in
24, 1459 b 12
οἷς ἅπασιν. —
Phys. 8. 3, 253 b 12
πρὸς οὓς . . οὐ χαλεπὸν ἀπαντῆσαι. —
Metaph. Θ 3, 1046 b 33
οἷς τὰ συμβαίνοντα ἄτοπα οὐ χαλεπὸν ἰδεῖν. —
Λ 8, 1074 b 8
ὧν εἴ τις χωρίσας αὐτὸ λάβοι μόνον τὸ πρῶτον.
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-117
1448b31
κατὰ τὸ ἁρμόττον
:
17, 1455 b 10
κατὰ τὸ εἰκός. —
Rhet. 1. 1, 1355 a 22
and
9, 1367 b 12
κατὰ τὸ προσῆκον (opposed to
παρὰ τὸ προσῆκον). —
Eth. N. 4. 6, 1123 a 20
παρὰ τὸ δέον. The reading of the Aldine (and of Parisinus 2038),
καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον, has been accepted by
Bon. Ind. 357 b 48
.
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-118
1448b32
ἦλθε
: the verb has the same sense in
Eth. N. 5. 8, 1133 a 20
ἐφ᾿ ὃ τὸ νόμισμα ἐλήλυθε. —
Pol. 1. 9, 1258 a 6
τὸ ἕτερον εἶδος τῆς χρηματιστικῆς διὰ τοῦτ᾿ ἐλήλυθεν.
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-119
1448b33
ἰαμβεῖον καλεῖται
:
Strabo 422 Cas.
ὁ μὲν (scil. ὁ δάκτυλος) ὕμνοις ἐστὶν οἰκεῖος ὁ δ᾿ ἴαμβος κακισμοῖς. —
Proclus Chrestom. 7, p. 346 Gaisf.
τὸν ἴαμβον τάττεσθαι μὲν ἐπὶ λοιδορίας τὸ παλαιόν· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἰαμβίζειν κατά τινα γλῶσσαν λοιδορεῖν ἔλεγον ... ἔοικε δὲ ὁ ἴαμβος τὸ μὲν παλαιὸν ἐπὶ τῶν εἰς ψόγον καὶ ἔπαινον γραφομένων ὁμοίως λέγεσθαι ἐπεὶ δέ τινες ἐπλεόνασαν ἐν ταῖς κακολογίαις τὸ μέτρον, ἐκεῖθεν τὸ ἰαμβίζειν εἰς τὸ ὑβρίζειν ὑπὸ τῆς συνηθείας ἐκπεσεῖν. —
Schol. Hephaest. 6, p. 182 Gaisf.
ἐκλήθη δὲ ἴαμβος, ἀφ᾿ οὗ τὸ μέτρον παρονομάζεται ἰαμβικόν, ἐπείπερ οἱ ὑβρίζειν καὶ λοιδορεῖν τινὰς βουλόμενοι τούτῳ ἐχρῶντο τῷ μέτρῳ· ἰαμβίζειν γὰρ ἔλεγον οἱ παλαιοὶ τὸ ὑβρίζειν. —
Suetonii Reliq. p. 19 Reiff.
Iambus est carmen maledicum appellatum est autem παρὰ τὸ ἰαμβίζειν, quod est maledicere.
1448b34
11.
mvp-aristotle-comment-120
τῶν παλαιῶν
. The reference is apparently to Homer and Archilochus, as the first and greatest representatives of the two great directions in poetry; comp.
Velleius Paterc. 1. 5
Neque quenquam alium, cuius operis primus auctor fuerit, in eo perfectissimum praeter Homerum et Archilochum reperiemus.
Dio Chrysost. Or. 33, p. 5 R.
δύο γὰρ ποιητῶν γεγονότων ἐξ ἅπαντος τοῦ αἰῶνος, οἷς οὐδένα τῶν ἄλλων συμβάλλειν ἄξιον, Ὁμήρου τε καὶ Ἀρχιλόχου, τούτων Ὅμηρος μὲν σχεδὸν πάντα ἐνεκωμίασε Ἀρχίλοχος δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐναντίαν ἦκε [fort. ἠξε], τὸ ψέγειν. Their pre-eminence is implied in the juxtaposition of the two names in
Heraclitus fr. 119 (42 Diels)
τόν τε Ὅμηρον ἔφασκεν ἄξιον ἐκ τῶν ἀγώνων ἐκβάλλεσθαι καὶ ῥαπίζεσθαι καὶ Ἀρχίλοχον ὁμοίως.
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-121
τὰ σπουδαῖα
: [no further note in snippet].
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-122
ποιητής
: comp.
Plato Apol. 18 B
τὰ μετέωρα φροντιστής.
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-123
1448b35
οὐχ ὅτι εὖ
, scil.
ἐποίησεν. Homer 'wrote well', as a master of the art of poetic expression (comp.
24, 1459 b 16
;
1460 b 1
) ; his poems are 'imitations', or pictures of human life, which distinguishes them from those of Empedocles and others (comp.
1, 1447 b 15
) ; and they are moreover 'dramatic imitations', i. e. not unlike those in the Drama (comp.
24, 1460 a 5
). In this way, then, Aristotle intimates that Homer not only dealt with the same kind of subject as Tragedy (
τὰ σπουδαία), but also anticipated the dramatic manner.
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-124
1448b36
σχήματα . . . ὑπέδειξεν
, 'marked out for us the great outlines of Comedy'.
σχῆμα has the same sense in
5, 1449 b 3
, and in
Plato Laws 5, 737 D
σχήματος ἕνεκα καὶ ὑπογραφῆς. For the use of
ὑπέδειξε comp.
Rhet. 3. 2, 1404 b 25
ὅπερ Εὐριπίδης ποιεῖ καὶ ὑπέδειξε πρῶτος. —
Ath. Pol. 41
Ἀριστείδης μὲν ὑπέδειξεν, Ἐφιάλτης δὲ ἐπετέλεσεν. —
Isocrates 268 C
ταῦτα πράττοντες καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὑποδεικνύοντες.
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-125
1448b37
οὐ ψόγον ἀλλὰ τὸ γελοῖον δραματοποιήσας
The sense is that, when Homer passed from
σπουδαία to
φαῦλα, his treatment of the latter was more akin to that in the comic poets than to that in the
ἰαμβοποιοί; Margites with him was only ridiculous—not vicious or held up to obloquy as vicious, as a writer of
ψόγοι would have made him. A
ψόγος dwells on some serious vice of character; whereas Comedy, as Aristotle conceives it, deals only with those lesser faults which we are able to laugh at (see on
5, 1449 a 33
). This view of the Margites is not quite in harmony with that in
4, 1448 b 30
, where it is regarded as a
ψόγος, the first known instance of the kind. With
οὐ ψόγον Vahlen supplies
ποιήσας from the
δραματοποιήσας that follows. This is legitimate enough, but hardly necessary, as
δραματοποιεῖν, 'to write, or describe, as a dramatist would' (see on
22, 1458 b 9
) is just as applicable to
ψόγον as it is to
τὸ γελοῖον (comp. Tyrwhitt's rendering 'non vituperium sed ridiculum dramatice exprimens'). The meaning Aristotle attaches to it may be seen from
μιμήσεις δραματικὰς ἐποίησεν in b35 (v. ad loc.).
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-126
1448b38
ὥσπερ Ἰλιὰς καὶ ἡ Ὀδύσσεια
Vahlen illustrates this insertion of the article before
Ὀδύσσεια by
De resp. 17, 478 b 28
ἔστι δὲ θάνατος καὶ ἡ φθορὰ πᾶσιν ὁμοίως τοῖς μὴ ἀτελέσιν, and
Rhet. 3. 13, 1414 b 13
ἔσται οὖν ... διήγησις ἕτερον καὶ ἡ ἐπιδιήγησις καὶ προδιήγησις, and a number of other passages in Aristotle (comp. also Riddell, Digest of Idioms § 240 G). On the other hand Spengel would restore the article before
Ἰλιὰς on account of its appearance in the parallel in
26, 1462 b 8
ὥσπερ ἡ Ἰλιὰς ἔχει πολλὰ τοιαῦτα μέρη καὶ ἡ Ὀδύσσεια (comp. also
24, 1459 b 14
ἡ μὲν Ἰλιὰς ... ἡ δὲ Οδύσσεια). There is as a rule nothing exceptional or anomalous in Aristotle's usage in reference to the article with the titles of books. He is apt to omit it, just as Athenaeus does, when the title is given in the actual form which it would have as the heading of a MS. (comp. Apollonius Synt. 1, 26), after the preposition
ἐν. The Poetics supply a number of examples of this usage, e.g.
16, 1455 a 2
ἐν Ἀλκίνου ἀπολόγῳ. —
24, 1460 a 35
τὰ ἐν Ὀδυσσείᾳ ἄλογα. —
14, 1454 a 1
ἐν Ἀντιγόνη. —
16, 1455 a 4
ἐν Χοηφόροις. —
24, 1460 a 31
ἐν Ἠλέκτρᾳ. — 32
ἐν Μυσοῖς. —
25, 1461 a 21
ἐν Ορέστῃ. In
24, 1460 a 30
, however, the traditional text omits the article with a title in the nominative; for it is clear that
Οἰδίπους in this place means the
Oedipus Tyrannus, in the same way as with us 'Hamlet' may mean the play, not the person. In many places in which the article is omitted, the title is used in a general sense as a common noun; thus in
Soph. el. 24, 180 a 21
δός μοι Ιλιάδα means 'give me an Iliad' (i. e. a copy of the Iliad). Instances of this in the Poetics are
8, 1451 a 20
Ἡρακληίδα Θησηίδα, 'a Heracleid, a Theseid'. —
24, 1459 b 15
Ὀδύσσειαν, 'an Odyssey'. —
23, 1459 a 3
Ἰλιάδος καὶ ᾿Ὀδυσσείας, 'a poem like the Iliad or Odyssey'. — b 4
Κυπρίων, 'a poem like the
Κύπρια'. I am inclined to think, therefore, that Spengel was right in suggesting
ὥσπερ (ἡ) Ιλιάς in the present passage; and also that in
24, 1460 a 30
the true reading must be
ὥσπερ (ὁ) Οἰδίπους.
1449a3
13.
mvp-aristotle-comment-127
ἑκατέραν τὴν ποίησιν
recalls the distinction drawn in
4, 1448 b 24
between the two great forms of poetry, the higher and the lower.
13.
mvp-aristotle-comment-128
κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν
:
4, 1448 b 24
κατὰ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἤθη.
13.
mvp-aristotle-comment-129
1449a4
ἀντὶ τῶν ἰάμβων κωμῳδοποιοὶ ἐγένοντο
Vahlen compares
De part. an. 2. 13, 657 b 34
ἀντὶ ταύτης τῆς φυλακῆς πάντα σκληρόφθαλμά ἐστιν, and
Herod. 7. 62
ἀντὶ τῶν πίλων μιτρηφόροι ἦσαν.
13.
mvp-aristotle-comment-130
1449a7
ἔχει... τοῖς εἶδεσιν ἱκανῶς
Aristotle assumes that Tragedy has by this time attained to its natural form (
15
ἔσχε τὴν αὐτῆς φύσιν); but he declines to consider the question whether there is still a possibility of improvement in the treatment of its various formative constituents. The suggestion that the
εἴδη here meant are the same as the
μέρη distinguished in
chap. 6
, from another point of view, is due to Madius.
εἶδος in the sense of a formative constituent is perhaps unique in Aristotle, but there are certainly a few instances of it in
Plato Rep. iv
, where the three faculties in the soul are sometimes described as
εἴδη (
434 D
,
439 E
,
440 B
) and sometimes as
μέρη (
442 B, C
). The alternative interpretation is to take
εἴδη in the logical sense of 'species'. This view, though not improbable in itself (comp.
18, 1455 b 32
), is hardly reconcileable with the use of
εἴδη in
6, 1450 a 13
as a designation for the
μέρη with which the chapter is dealing.
13.
mvp-aristotle-comment-131
αὐτό τε καθ᾿ αὑτὸ κρῖναι
The conjunction serves to connect
κρῖναι with
ἐπισκοπεῖν, the second clause being complementary to the first (comp.
6, 1450 b 3
). Similarly in
De anima 3. 3, 427 b 15
φαντασία γὰρ ἕτερον καὶ αἰσθήσεως καὶ διανοίας· αὐτή τε οὐ γίγνεται ἄνευ αἰσθήσεως, καὶ ἄνευ ταύτης οὐκ ἔστιν ὑπόληψις, the second clause (
αὐτή τε κτέ.) is explanatory of the first.
κρῖναι has been taken as an infinitive of limitation by Vahlen, who quotes
H. A. 9. 38, 622 a 20
τῶν δ᾿ ἐντόμων ἐργατικώτατον ζῴων ἐστί, σχεδὸν δὲ καὶ πρὸς τἆλλα συγκρίνεσθαι πάντα, τό τε τῶν μυρμήκων γένος καὶ τὸ τῶν μελιττῶν. As far as I can see, an infinitive of limitation would not be quite in place in a passage like the present. For the antithesis between
καθ᾿ αὑτὸ and
πρὸς τὰ θέατρα comp.
Top. 5. 1, 128 b 16
ἀποδίδοται δὲ τὸ ἴδιον ἢ καθ᾿ αὐτὰ καὶ ἀεὶ ἢ πρὸς ἕτερον καὶ ποτέ. —
Cat. 6, 5 b 16
οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτὸ καθ᾿ αὑτὸ μέγα λέγεται ἢ μικρόν, ἀλλὰ τῷ πρὸς ἕτερον ἀναφέρεσθαι.
κρίνειν has an indirect question after it in
Metaph. A 4, 984 b 31
τούτους μὲν οὖν πῶς χρὴ διανείμαι ἐξέστω κρίνειν ὕστερον.
1449a9
γενομένης δ᾿ οὖν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς αὐτοσχεδιαστικής
=
γενομένη δ᾿ οὖν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς αὐτοσχεδιαστική. Having begun with
γενομένης αὐτοσχεδιαστικῆς, scil.
τῆς τραγῳδίας, Aristotle sees that the same is true of Comedy, and adds a parenthesis to show that; after which he says in
13
ηὐξήθη, just as though
γενομένη... αὐτοσχεδιαστική had begun the clause. For another instance of a gen. abs. in lieu of a nominative see
17, 1455 a 3
. A parenthetical addition of very similar form is found in
5, 1449 b 12
, and also in
Metaph. Θ 10, 1051 b 11
.
ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς is used adverbially in the same sense as
ἐξ ἀρχῆς. Several of the recent editors and translators, however, take
ἀρχῆς and
αὐτοσχεδιαστικῆς together as meaning an 'improvisational beginning'. This certainly simplifies matters, but it may be doubted whether
ἀρχὴ αὐτοσχεδιαστική would naturally bear that meaning.
14.
mvp-aristotle-comment-132
1449a11
τῶν ἐξαρχόντων
ἐξάρχειν τὸν διθύραμβον, ἢ τὰ φαλλικά, dicebantur qui choro utrivis canendo praeiverunt; qui, ut verisimile est, ab initio poetae ipsi fuerunt, says Tyrwhitt, quoting Archilochus (
fr. 77 Bergk
ὡς Διωνύσοι᾿ ἄνακτος καλὸν ἐξάρξαι μέλος οἶδα διθύραμβον). By the
ἐξάρχων here Aristotle means the poet-composer, who supplied both words and air, and taught them to the chorus—not as is sometimes supposed, the
κορυφαῖος, who was only one of the chorus.
ἐξάρχειν διθύραμβον is practically a synonym for
διδάσκειν διθύραμβον, the expression in Herodotus i. 23. It is clear that Aristotle has in his own mind a general view of the historical development of early Greek poetry, but he tells us as little as possible about it. The intention of the Poetics is to give us a theory of the Epic and of the Drama, not a treatise on the history and archaeology of the Drama. Tragedy began when the author of the dithyramb came forward with an 'improvisation', i. e. with a
ῥῆσις or spoken statement, which he improvised in the interval between the two halves of the song of the chorus. The allusion in
τῶν ἐξαρχόντων in the text is probably to Thespis, whom he is known to have mentioned in a fragment preserved by Themistius
Or. 26, 382 Dind.
οὐ προσέχομεν Ἀριστοτέλει ὅτι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὁ χορὸς εἰσιὼν ᾔδεν εἰς τοὺς θεούς, Θέσπις δὲ πρόλογόν τε καὶ ῥῆσιν ἐξεῦρεν;. The 'prologue and speech' introduced by Thespis may be identified with the improvisations of the actor-poet, which transformed the Dithyramb into Tragedy.
14.
mvp-aristotle-comment-133
1449a12
φαλλικά
Photius Lex.
Φαλλικόν· ποίημα αὐτοσχέδιον ἐπὶ τῷ φαλλῷ ἀδόμενον. — Hesychius
Φαλλικόν· ὄρχημά τι· οἱ δὲ μέλος· ἄλλοι ᾠδὴν αὐτοσχέδιον ἐπὶ τῷ φαλλῷ ἀδομένην. In these phallus-songs Aristotle sees the origin of Comedy; it arose through the author of the song 'improvising' some scurrilous tale, and becoming in this way the forerunner of the single actor of the earliest form of Comedy.
14.
mvp-aristotle-comment-134
1449a13
προαγόντων
: see on
4, 1448 b 22
.
1449a14
1.
mvp-aristotle-comment-71
4.1
L y a deux cauſes principales, & toutes deux fort naturelles, qui ſemblent avoir produit la Poësie.]
1
2.
mvp-aristotle-comment-72
3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-73
4.
mvp-aristotle-comment-74
5.
mvp-aristotle-comment-75
4.4
C'eſt que les Philoſophes ne ſont pas les ſeuls qui aiment à apprendre, & que cette paſſion eſt égalemeut naturelle à tous les autres hommes.]
5
6.
mvp-aristotle-comment-76
7.
mvp-aristotle-comment-77
4.6
Le plaiſir qu'ils ont alors, ne vient pas de la beauté del'imitation, mais de celle de l'art ou du mélange, & de la vivacité des couleurs, &c.]
7
8.
mvp-aristotle-comment-78
9.
mvp-aristotle-comment-79
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-80
11.
mvp-aristotle-comment-81
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-82
13.
mvp-aristotle-comment-83
14.
mvp-aristotle-comment-84
15.
mvp-aristotle-comment-85
16.
mvp-aristotle-comment-86
17.
mvp-aristotle-comment-87
18.
mvp-aristotle-comment-88
19.
mvp-aristotle-comment-89
20.
mvp-aristotle-comment-90
21.
mvp-aristotle-comment-91
4.12
Il a été auſſi le premier qui a donné, comme un crayon de la Comedie, en changeant en plaiſanteries les railleries piquantes des premiers Poëtes.]
21
22.
mvp-aristotle-comment-92
4.12
En effet ſon Margites a avec la Comedie le même rapport que ſon Iliade & ſon Odyßée ont avec la Tragedie.]
22
23.
mvp-aristotle-comment-93
4.13
Les autres Poëtes qui vinrent après luy, & qui étoient naturellement portez à l'un ou à l'autre de ces deux genres de Poëſie, ſelon qu'ils avoient plus ou moins de force.]
23
24.
mvp-aristotle-comment-94
25.
mvp-aristotle-comment-95
26.
mvp-aristotle-comment-96
27.
mvp-aristotle-comment-97
4.14
Or d'examiner preſentement ſi la Tragedie eſt dans ſa perfection & ſi elle a receu la forme qui luy convient.]
27
28.
mvp-aristotle-comment-98
21.
mvp-aristotle-comment-21
NOTE 21.
4.3
P. 70. THE FIGURES OF THE MEANEST AND MOST DISGUSTING ANIMALS.
Θηρίων τε μορφας των ΑΤΙΜΟΤΑΤΩΝ.—This reading is strongly supported by the arguments of Victorius, the authority of MSS, and the sense and purport of the passage itself, which seems to require instances of mean, or disgusting, rather than of terrible, objects. Thus too
Plutarch
, in the passages referred to by Victorius, which undoubtedly allude to this of Aristotle.—
Γεγραμμένην ΣΑΥΡΑΝ η ΠΙΘΗΚΟΝ, ἰδοντες ήδομεθα και θαυμαζομεν, ουχ ὡς καλον, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ὁμοιον ἐσιᾳ γαρ ἐ δυναται καλον γενέσθαι ΤΟ ΑΙΣΧΡΟΝ κ. τ. αλ. And presently after—
και ΝΟΣΩΔΗ μεν ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΝ, και ΥΠΟΥΛΟΝ,
ὡς ἀτερπες θεαμα, φευγομεν κ. τ. αλ.—See also his
Sympos. Problems. lib. v. Prob. 1.
22.
mvp-aristotle-comment-22
NOTE 22.
4.4
P. 70. TO LEARN IS A NATURAL PLEASURE.
To the same purpose, in his
Rhetoric, lib. i. cap. xi. p. 537. Ed. Duval.
"Επει δε το ΜΑΝΘΑΝΕΙΝ τε ήδυ, και το θαυμάζειν, και τα τοιαυτα, ἀναγκη ήδεα ειναι, το τε μεμιμημενον, ώσπερ ΓΡΑΦΙΚΗ, και ΑΝΔΡΙΑΝΤΟΠΟΙΪΑ, και ΠΟΙΗΤΙΚΗ, και παν ὁ ἀν ἐυ μεμιμημενον , καν μη ή ήδὺ το μιμημα γαρ ἐπι τετῳ χαιρει, άλλα συλλογισμού ἐστι, ὅτι ΤΟΥΤΟ ΕΚΕΙΝΟ· ώστε ΜΑΝΘΑΝΕΙΝ τι συμβαινει."
1
"And as it is by nature delightful to LEARN, to ADMIRE, and the like, hence we necessarily receive pleasure from imitative arts, as PAINTING, SCULPTURE, and POETRY, and from whatever is well imitated, even though the original may be disagreeable; for our pleasure does not arise from the beauty of the thing itself, but from the inference the discovery, that 'THIS IS THAT,' &c. so that we seem to LEARN something."—
Μανθανειν to learn, to know, i. e. merely to recognize, discover, &c. See
Harris, On Music, Painting, &c. ch. iv. note (b)
. The meaning is sufficiently explained by what follows.
Dryden
, who scarce ever mentions Aristotle without discovering that he had looked only at the wrong side of the tapestry, says—
"Aristotle tells us, that imitation pleases because it affords matter for a rea-
2
soner to enquire into the truth or falsehood of imitation," &c.
3
But Aristotle is not here speaking of reasoners, or inquiry; but, on the contrary, of the vulgar, the generality of mankind, whom he expressly opposes to philosophers, or reasoners: and his
συλλογίζεσθαι is no more than that rapid, habitual, and imperceptible act of the mind, that
"raisonnement aussi prompt que le coup d'œil," (as it is well paraphrased by
M. Batteux
,) by which we collect, or infer, from a comparison of the picture with the image of the original in our minds, that it was intended to represent that original.
The fullest illustration of this passage is to be found in another work of Aristotle, his
Rhetoric, lib. iii. cap. x.
,
4
where he applies the same principle to metaphorical language, and resolves the pleasure we receive from such language, into that which arises from the
μαθησις ΤΑΧEIA—the exercise of our understandings in discovering the meaning, by a quick and easy perception of some quality or qualities common to the thing expressed, and the thing intended—to a mirror, for example, and to the theatre, when the latter is is called metaphorically,
"The mirror of human life."
5
In the
Problems, Sect. 19, Prob. V.
the same principle is applied to Music. The Problem is, Why we are more pleased with singing when we are acquainted with the air that is sung, than when it is new to us?—And one of the answers is,
ὅτι ἡδυ το μανθανειν. i. e. to say, this is such a tune, or song, &c. And indeed the pleasure afforded by recognition, is no where, perhaps, more visibly illustrated, than in the raptures and rhythmical agitation of a popular audience, at the return of the leading air, in that species of infallible ear-trap, the
RONDEAU.
I must add, as somewhat amusing, that
Plato
makes use of this principle to prove a dog to be a philosophical animal:
"for, (he argues,)
7
το φιλομαθες και φιλοσοφον, τ'αυτον, the love of knowing, and the love of wisdom, are one and the same thing. Now dogs are delighted with knowing, simply, and disinterestedly; they fawn upon every one whom they know, and bark at the approach of every stranger;
6
and that, without having ever experienced good from the one, or harm from the other."
The philosophy of Aristotle here, though undoubtedly true, as far as it goes, will, I am afraid, to those who examine it, hardly appear to be perfectly satisfactory, or to reach the bottom of the subject. It is however to be considered, that what he has said, seems applicable chiefly to rude and unskilful spectators, and should, perhaps, be considered as a description of the effect of a picture or a statue upon children, and the multitude, who are little accustomed to view works of imitative art. And even with respect to them, the principle seems scarcely applicable but to portraits, and individual resemblances, such as may not be instantly recognized. When we look at a picture of that kind, we may not discover, till after a comparison of, at least, a few moments, that it is an imitation of this or that person; but, that it is an imitation of a man, we see at once and where there is not even a momentary ignorance, or doubt, I do not see how any information can be said to be acquired by the spectator, nor how, on the philosopher's own principles, (if I rightly understand him,) the pleasure conveyed by the imitation, can, in any sense, be resolved into that, which the mind receives from the exertion of its own powers in inferring, or discovering, the resemblance.
I say, on Aristotle's own principles, because, in the passage above referred to, where he explains himself more fully in applying the principle to metaphor, he expressly allows, that this pleasure of recognition, is not afforded by proper or common words, since they instantly suggest their meaning and cannot be mistaken.
8
Now a painting, considered as an imitation of a man, a horse, a house, in general, obviously answers in this respect, unless the imitation be grossly imperfect, to the common and familiar word; the one suggesting its original, as readily and immediately, as the other suggests its idea.
9
Among Aristotle's illustrations of this physical principle of the pleasure of self-information, as it might be called, there are two short passages, in particular, which seem to be so explicit with regard to the nature of that pleasure, that I will venture to add to the length of this note by a transcript and translation of them both. They will, I think, satisfy the learned reader that I have not, in the foregoing remarks, misrepresented the philosopher's meaning. After having applied the principle to metaphor, he applies it in like manner to the enthymemes, or arguments, of the orator.
"Διο ἐτε τα ἐπιπολαια των ἐνθυμηματων ευδοκιμει (ἐπιπολαια γαρ λέγομεν τα παντι δηλα, και ῾Α ΜΗΔΕΝ ΔΕΙ ΖΗΤΗΣΑΙ·) ἐτε όσα ειρημενα ἀγνοκμενα ἐστι᾿ ἀλλ᾿ ὅσων, ἡ ἁμα λεγομενων ἡ γνωσις γινεται, και ει μη προτερον ὑπηρχεν, μικρον ύστερίζει ἡ διανοια γίνεται γαρ ῾ΟΙΟΝ ΜΑΘΗΣΙΣ· ἐκεινως δε, οὐδετερον."
10
"For the same reason, we are pleased, neither with superficial arguments, (by which we mean such as are obvious to every one, and require no thought or search in the hearer;) nor with such as we do not understand when we have heard them; but, with those, which the mind apprehends, either while we hear them, (though not at first,) or in the moment after they are delivered:—for by these, we, in a manner, LEARN something: by the others, we learn nothing in either of these ways."
The other passage, in which the nature of the pleasure that Aristotle means is still more expressly marked, is this:
"Παντων δε των συλλογισμων θορυβειται μαλιστα τα τοιαυτα όσα ἀρχομενα ΠΡΟΟΡΩΣΙ, μη τῳ ἐπιπολης ἐἶναι ἁμα γαρ και ΑΥΤΟΙ ΕΦ ΕΑΥΤΟΙΣ ΧΑΙΡΟΥΣΙ προαισθανομενοι και ὅσων τοσετον ὑστεριζεσιν, ὡσθ άμα ειρημενων γνωρίζειν."
"Of all arguments, those are most applauded
11
, of which the audience have no sooner heard the beginning, than they foresee the conclusion;—not, however, from their being trite and obvious; for they are pleased, [not only with the ingenuity of the speaker, but] at the same time, WITH THEMSELVES and their own sagacity. Those arguments, also, afford pleasure, which, the moment after they are delivered, we are no longer at a loss to apprehend."
23.
mvp-aristotle-comment-23
NOTE 23.
4.4
P. 70. IN A MORE TRANSIENT AND COMPENDIOUS MANNER.
Επι βραχυ:—literally,
"for a short time." AS
PLATO
,
Rep. iii. p. 396
,
κατα βραχυ, for a moment—
en passant.
Dacier's
explanation—
Quoi qu'ils ne soient pas tous egalement propres à apprendre,—is, surely, wide of Aristotle's purpose. None of the versions, that I have seen, seem to give the exact idea, except that of
Heinsius
:—
"Quamquam minor BREVIORQUE ad hos perveniat voluptas."
24.
mvp-aristotle-comment-24
NOTE 24.
4.6
P. 70. FROM THE WORKMANSHIP.—
Δια την ΑΠΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΝ—
"neatness"—"finishing," &c. In the following passages of
PLATO
, it is opposed to a slight sketch:—
και αυτων τετων [sc. δικαιοσυνης, σωφροσυνης, &c.] ἐχ ΥΠΟΓΡΑΦΗΝ δει, ώσπερ νυν θεασασθαι, άλλα την τελεωτάτην ΑΠΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΝ μη παριέναι
Rep. vi. p. 504
. So again,
lib. viii. p. 548
, the verb,
ἀπεργαζεσθαι, is opposed to
ὑπογραφειν.
25.
mvp-aristotle-comment-25
NOTE 25.
4.7
P. 70. METRE—A SPECIES OF RHYTHM.
Μορια—parts. The following passage will ascertain the sense of the word in this place, and justify my version. Explaining the different senses in which the word
Mep was used, Aristotle says,
ἔτι, εις το διαιρεθειη ἀν, ἄνευ τε Ποσε, και ταυτα ΜΟΡΙΑ λεγεται τετε διο τα ΕΙΔΗ, το ΓΕΝΟΥΣ φασιν είναι ΜΟΡΙΑ.—
Metaphys. lib. v. cap. 25.
So, in this treatise,
cap. 5.
—
τε Αισχρε ἐστι το Γελοιον ΜΟΡΙΟΝ—
"a part, or species, of the ridiculous."
26.
mvp-aristotle-comment-26
NOTE 26.
4.7
P. 70. THOSE PERSONS, IN WHOM, ORIGINALLY, THESE PROPENSITIES WERE THE STRONGEST, &c.
It is obvious to remark here, that Aristotle, in this deduction of the art from the mimetic and musical instincts, includes verse in his idea of Poetry, which he, at least, considered as imperfect without it. All that he drops, elsewhere, to the disparagement of metre, must be understood only comparatively... An eminent writer has adjusted this matter... in his
Dissertation On the idea of Universal Poetry
.
12
What is there said, of
"the origin and first application of Poetry among all nations," will furnish the best comment I can give, upon the passage which is the subject of this note.
"Poetry is every where of the most early growth, preceding every other sort of composition; and being destined for the ear, that is, to be either sung, or at least recited, it adapts itself, even in its first rude essays, to that sense of measure, and proportion in sounds, which is so natural to us. The hearer's attention is the sooner gained by this means, his entertainment quickened, and his admiration of the performer's art excited. Men are ambi-
tious of pleasing, and ingenious in refining upon what they observe will please. So that musical cadences and harmonious sounds, which nature dictated, are farther softened and improved by art, till Poetry become as ravishing to the ear, as the images, it presents, are to the imagination. In process of time, what was at first the extemporaneous production of genius or passion, under the conduct of a natural ear, becomes the labour of the closet, and is conducted by artificial rules; yet still, with a secret reference to the sense of hearing, and to that acceptation which melodious sounds meet with in the recital of expressive words."
27.
mvp-aristotle-comment-27
NOTE 27.
4.10
P. 71. MARGITES.
The scraps that have been preserved of this Poem, the
Dunciad of
HOMER
, are so few, and so short, that it may be worth while, for the convenience of the reader, to collect them.—
Μεσαων θεράπων και ἐκηβολε Απολλωνα,
13
—a line as likely to be found in one kind of Poem as in another... The other fragments are a little more interesting, as they give some idea of the hero of the Poem.
ΤΟΝΔ᾽ ἐτ᾿ ἀν σκαπτηρα θεοι θεσαν, ἐτ᾿ ἀροτηρα, Ουτ᾿ ἄλλως τι σοφον πασης δ ήμαρτανε τέχνης.
Preserved by Aristotle, Eth. lib. vi. cap. 7
Πολλ᾿ ἡπιστατο ἐργα, κακως δ ήπιστατο παντα.
Plato, Alcib. Secund. p. 147. Ed. Serrani.
28.
mvp-aristotle-comment-28
NOTE 28.
4.12
P. 71. HIS MARGITES BEARS THE SAME ANALOGY TO COMEDY, AS HIS ILIAD AND ODYSSEY TO TRAGEDY.
Whenever Aristotle speaks of
COMEDY, we must remember, that he speaks of the Old, or Middle Comedy, which was no other than what we should call farce, and to which his definition of Comedy was adapted:
μιμησις φαυλοτέρων; that is, as he explains himself,
"an imitation of RIDICULOUS characters."
14
—This remark is necessary to explain what is here said of the
Margites.
A Poem, which, as far we can form any idea of it, celebrated the blunders and absurdities of an idiot, cannot well be conceived to have been analogous to any thing, that would now be denominated a Comedy. It seems to verge to the very bottom of the dramatic scale;
"jusq' au bouffon; celui-ci sera l'extrême de la Comedie, le
plus bas degré de l'echelle, opposé au terrible qui est à l'autre bout."
15
The
Bourgeois Gentilhomme of Moliere is certainly farce, however excellent in its way. But Mons. Jourdain is a very Ulysses, compared with Margites.
29.
mvp-aristotle-comment-29
NOTE 29.
4.14
P. 72. BY SUCH SUCCESSIVE IMPROVEMENTS AS WERE MOST OBVIOUS.
Ὅσον ἐγινετο φανερον αυτης—literally,
"so much of it as was manifest." I doubt of the reading: but, taking it as it stands, I have given what appears to me to offer itself as the most natural and simple meaning of the expression, if not the only one that it will reasonably bear.
4.1.
mvp-aristotle-comment-7
4.2
THOSE THINGS WHICH WE VIEW WITH PAIN IN THEMSELVES, WE LIKE TO SEE REPRESENTED AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE; SUCH AS THE FIGURES OF THE MOST SAVAGE WILD BEASTS, AND OF DEAD BODIES.
I CANNOT agree here with Mr. Twining in the reason he gives for prefering with Vittorio ἀτιμοθάτων, to ἀγριοζάτων,–' the sense of the passage • itself:-which (he says) seems to require instances of mean and dif- • gusting rather than of terrible objects;' since a dead body with which it is joined certainly comes under the last circumstance, and was a usual exhibition in ancient tragedy. For we should recollect that Aristotle, though he draws the allufion from painting, must still be supposed to keep his eye on the subject he is treating of, poetic, and more especially, tragic imitation; which could never be confidered in any light as an amusement, if the terrible scenes which it produces did not come under the cafe of the illustration here brought from painting, pleasing as an imitation though disagreeable in reality; disagreeable, not from producing mean and difgusting objects, but from awakening too strongly the pafsions by affecting and terrible ones. The author of the Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful, justly observes, when danger or pain press too nearly they are incapable of giving any delight, and are simply terrible, but at certain distances, and
POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. ' and with certain modifications, they are delightful, as we every day experience [A]. It must, however, be confessed, that the following remark of the fame judicious critic, is strongly in favor of Mr. Twining and Vittorio. When the object represented in painting or poetry is such as we should • have no defire of seeing in reality, then I may be sure that its power * in poetry or painting is owing to the power of imitation, and to no 'cause operating in the thing itself. So it is with most of the pieces ' which the painters call still life. In these a cottage or a dunghill, the • meanest and most ordinary furniture of the kitchen are capable of giving us pleasure. But when the object of the painting or poem is • such as we should run to see if real, let it affect us with what odd fort ' of sense it will, we may rely upon it that the power of the poem or ، ، picture is more owing to the nature of the thing itself than to the mere effect of the imitation, or to a confideration of the skill of the imitator, however excellent [B].' In the letters of Mr. Jackson of Exeter, we find an observation something fimilar as to painting. ' A deep road, a puddle of water, a bank ' covered with docks and briars, and an old tree or two, are all the cir- ، * cumstances in many a fine landscape. As clowns and half-ftarved cattle are the figures a landscape-painter chuses for his pictures; fo rough-looking fellows, wrapped up in sheets and blankets, are chofen by the history painter to express the greatest personages, and in the ، [A] Part i, sect. vii. See also part iv. sect. vii. [B] Part i. sect. xvi. P ' most
• most dignified actions of their lives [c].' Nearly the same observa- ' tion is made by M. Marmontel [D]. From this circumstance in painting, however, I have often heard a false conclufion drawn; and because the various tints of autumnal decay afford a better subject to a painter than the luxuriant charms of summer, it is not uncommon to hear that season preferred as being really more beautiful. The poet knows better; for one poetical description of autumn, there are a thousand of spring (E). As well might a real [c] Letter VI. [D] See Encyclopedie, Art. Interêt. fituation [E] 'To the appearance of spring, the imagination joins that of the seasons which are to • follow; to the tender buds that are perceived by the eye, the imagination adds, flowers, • fruit, shades, and sometimes the mysteries they may conceal. It brings into one point of ⚫ view the scenes that are to fucceed, and sees things less as they are than as it wishes them to be. On the contrary, in autumn we can only contemplate the scene before us. If we › wish to anticipate the spring, our course is stopped by winter, and our frozen imagination • expires among snows, and fogs.' EMILIUS, Vol. I. 1. 1. • Yet in these presages rude, • 'Midst her pensive solitude, • Fancy with prophetic glance • Sees the teeming months advance; • The field, the forest, green, and gay, • The dappled flope, the tedded hay, • Sees the reddening orchard blow, • The harvest wave, the vintage flow: • Sees June unfold his gloffy robe • Of thousand hues o'er all the globe; • Sees Ceres grasp her crown of corn, And plenty load her ample horn.' WARTON. In
POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. situation of distress be preferred to tranquility, because it excites the feeling more in imitation. In regard to imitation as effected by the fine arts in general, I perfectly agree with Metaftafio, that to render an imitation pleasing, (especially of a terrible object, or of an object that does not of itself interest us,) it is necessary that the means of imitation should be apparent [F]. This appears in painting from the [G] greater excellence allowed to a good picture, compared with those representations of letters, newspapers and deal boards, which sometimes really deceive the eye; and in fculpture, from the great fuperiority of a fine statue, to a piece of colored wax work. Even in personal mimicry, it seems that the resemblance In painting we confine ourselves to the individual scene; in poetry we go more to cause and effect. For as Mr. Gilpin observes, the business of the poet is only to excite ideas, ⚫ that of the painter to represent them. The pencil fixes the scene in the happy moment; and ' the fading tints of autumn become perennial; but the idea excited by the poet connects the falling leaf and the disagreeable impression of decay with it, and anticipates the dreary scenes ' of winter.' [F] That which is called an imitation has always something in it that is not in the original. If the prototype and transcript be exactly alike; if there be nothing in the one which is not ' in the other, we may call the latter a representation, a copy, a draught, or a picture of the * former, but not an imitation. BEATTIE ON POETRY AND MUSIC, Part i. chap. v. p. 94. [G] Deception, which is so often recommended by writers on the theory of painting, ⚫ instead of advancing the art, is, in reality, carrying it back to its infant state. The first essays of painting were certainly nothing but mere imitations of individual objects, and • when this amounted to a deception the artist had accomplished his purpose.' NOTE BY SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS ON MR. MASON'S TRANSLATION OF FRESNOΥ. P2 may
may be too striking, as in the story of the person who was hissed for not imitating the squeaking of a pig, so naturally as his competitor, though it proved to be the animal itself, which he had concealed under his coat. The fame circumstance will be found in theatrical imitation [H]. An actor who has really a defect, will never represent such a defect well on the stage. In Hill's Actor [1] there is a very just observation on this. • There are some characters in which a representation of old age is necessary, but even in these it is better that it should be a pre- • tended than a real age we fee. The stage is the scene of reprefenta- ، ، tion, not realities. Mr. Foote pleases more in Fondlewife than an old man possibly could: and the reason is evident: we wish to fee the representation of a ridiculous, not of a pitiable old fellow. We expect to be entertained with the follies of age, not disgusted with its in- • firmities. The poet can feparate these perfectly in the character that ' he draws; and when a person of real judgment is to represent it, he ، also can feparate all that is contemptible, from what is the object [к] [H] This does not apply to excellence, as human nature is always inadequate to our idea of poetical perfection. [1] Chap. x. page 166. [K] See Ariftotle's idea of comedy, at the beginning of chapter v.. In the Dictionnaire d'Anecdotes, Art. ACTEUR, the following story is told, on what founda tion I know not. The authority quoted is a book entitled l'Anné. Litteraire. ' An actor, • after having for thirty years played with success, in several parts, had the misfortune to lame • himself, and ever afterwards limped. In spite of this misfortune, as his paffion was for tragedy, ⚫ he concluded that from this accident he was the fittest person in the world to play Richard the Third, whom Shakespear, the author of the tragedy, had represented as lame. Our actor • flattered himself with the most brilliant success. He presented himself to the audience with • the greatest confidence. But when he came to repeat these words, " the dogs bark at me « as I halt by them," there was a general laugh, and he was obliged to quit the stage.' of
POETRY OF ARISTOTLE. ' of compaffion, and shew it singly.' I remember an instance of a French gentleman, who spoke English with the accent of his country, performing the Frenchman in Lethe, on a private theatre, with very indifferent effect. Irish and Scotch characters, it is true, are often well represented by persons of those countries, but such actors are all able to speak good English in other parts, and know how far to carry the imitation. I conceive a Scotchman, or an Irishman, whose conversation was always strongly marked by their respective dialects, would succeed no better than the French gentleman I have mentioned. To apply this to the illustration of Aristotle. Certainly the picture of a dead body will in general give no disgust, or excite no painful horror, however well executed: but a dead body might be so formed in wax-work, as absolutely for a moment to deceive the eye, and then, even if the deception were declared before its exhibition, I doubt if the spectator would receive any other pleasure than what might arise from the accuracy of the workmanship. But even in a picture, if circumstances in themselves really disgusting are added, horror will rather be excited than pleasure, as in the (L) print of a robber entering a vault to plunder it, and some engravings from Holben's celebrated picture of Death's Dance, which I have seen. The fame thing is incident also to poetry, as in a little poem on the death of a lady, which begins, ' In yonder grave my Helen lies.' The effect produced on the mind, by the different degrees of exactness in picturesque imitation, may perhaps be illustrated by the common [L] See Beattie on Poetry and Music, Part i. chap. vi. page 124, note. looking-
looking-glass, the plano-convex mirror on a black foil, and the camera obfcura. The looking-glass is the exact representation, or rather reflection of nature, without any apparent alteration in the objects, (for the reverfing them is not observed ;) and a landscape seen in it, however fine, only gives the fame pleasure as when seen through a window, except from the frame, which, if the glass is not too large, both from its artificial boundary, and confining the eye to a part of the view, will give the landscape something more of a picturesque character, than when the objects are seen without it. (M) The plano-convex mirror pleases more, as having more the appearance of an imitation produced by art, and objects in themselves infignificant and mean, acquire a beauty from this, and afford delight. But the camera-obfcura gives by far the greatest pleasure, as having every property of a picture, except that it possesses the superior advantage of expreffing motion, as well as color and figure. And I am inclined to imagine, that even an affecting or terrific object seen in it, would in some measure partake of that alleviation which Aristotle ascribes to artificial imitation. As painting imitates entirely by natural means, (I mean as opposed to symbols) it is able to imitate the most exactly of any art except colored statuary; but as its means of imitation are always apparent, the imitation can never be too exact to please, except in objects that are in themselves loathsome and disgusting. The fame may be faid of statues in stone or [M] I have not the least doubt of this being the cause why we fee fome scenes in the planoconvex mirror with greater pleasure than in nature. I am surprised it did not occur to Mr. Gilpin, who is sensible of the effect, but is at a loss to account for it. REMARKS ON FOREST SCENERY, Vol. II. p. 224. If he had shewn it to the first countryman he met, in all probability he would have solved the doubt at once, by telling him it looked like a picture. metal, ง
III POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. metal, where the material, the mean of imitation is, I think, yet more apparent; but in coloured statuary, or wax-work, where the imitation may for a short time be concealed, that pleasure is not produced, which is the proper refult of imitative art, and objects of pity and terror may be so accurately represented as to be really painful. The collection of figures in wax-work coloured, dressed, and fitting down at card tables, exhibited some years ago by Mrs. Wright, on first entrance gave exactly the idea of a well dressed assembly, and the impression remained after the illusion ceased. Nothing of this fort is produced by painting or statuary, and yet how different and superior to this surprise is the pleasure we receive from a portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds, or a statue of Banks. As to music I am very ill qualified to treat it scientifically, therefore I hope the musical reader will forgive me if my language is deficient in technical accuracy, provided I make myself understood. But I conceive where it is an imitative art, it imitates sometimes by natural means, and sometimes by compact. Its natural means are the imitation of certain sounds, as the noise of a battle, the finging of birds, the ringing or tolling of bells. Its imitation by compact consists in expreffing forrow by flow movements, anger by quick; high and low, by high and low notes: most of these imitations are rather fanciful than real [N]. The chief energy of music, (to those I mean who, in the words of Shakespear, really have it in their fouls, and with the want of which, many who possess it so as to be tremblingly alive to its effects are upbraided, [N] See Beattie on Poetry and Music, Part 1. Chap. vi. Sect. 1, paffim. because
because they take no delight in the dexterity of a performer's execution of difficult passages ;) I say to those who really feel the energy of mufic, it chiefly arises from the power it possesses of raifing, heightening, or foftening the passions. Nevertheless the influence it derives from the combination of ideas is often mistaken both for imitation and sympathy [o]. Mr. Twining, who I believe is a very good musician, observes that the • best instrumental music,' (and I prefume vocal music where the words are not heard, or not understood, comes under the fame predicament 'expref- ، fively performed,) leaves the hearer to the free operation of his emotions on his fancy, and as it were to the free choice of fuch ideas as are to him ' most adapted to re-act upon and heighten the emotion which occafions ' them.' [P]. That is, in other words, that the effect of musical expreffion depends much on the temper of our own minds, at the time. Now that temper must be greatly influenced by any ideas that a particular strain may raise in us from circumstances that have formerly attended our hearing it [Q]. Will the grenadier march have the fame effect on a warrior [o] 'Such is the secret union when we feel A fong, a flower, a name at once restore • Those long-connected scenes where first they mov'd 'The attention.' AKENSIDE. [P] Differtation on music as an imitative art, page 49. For an application of this to the different kinds of verfification, as confidered particularly congenial with different kinds of poetry, see note Iv. chap. xxiv. [Q] 'There is in fouls a sympathy with sounds; And as the mind is pitch'd, the ear is pleased • With melting sounds or martial, brifk or grave. ، Some
POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. warrior whom it has led on to battle, and a man who was never at a review? But this is not peculiar to musical sounds. A nightingale fings very differently to the perfon who has only heard it in a cage in London, and the lover who has listened to its voice in the woods in the company of his mistress, or fighed to it in her abfence. The cry of a pack of fox hounds in a hollow cover, in which the sportsman hears the finest music, is the mere barking of dogs to the sober citizen. Neither is this fympathy confined to sound, it is equally active in the objects of the other senses. Roufseau says [R], 'I do not know whether to congratulate or pity the man of wisdom, but insensibility, whose bosom was never agi- • tated by the odour of the flowers that adorned the bosom of his • mistress.' From this association of ideas, however, music derives a power very much resembling imitation, and which has a very strong effect on the < Some chord in unison with what we hear ' Is touch'd within us, and the heart replies, • How foft the music of the evening bells < Falling at intervals upon the ear * In cadence sweet! Now dying all away, • Now pealing loud again, and louder still * Clear and fonorous as the gale comes on. * With easy force it opens all the cells Where memory flept; wherever I have heard • A kindred melody, the scene recurs, ' And with it all its pleasures.' COWPER. This kind of recollection resembles imitation in making pleasing objects afford additional pleasure, and in throwing some pleasure over melancholy objects, which last also will be equally destroyed in both if the sensation is too strong. [R] Emilius, Vol. 1. Part 1. paffions.
passions. The RANS DES VACHES, mentioned by Rousseau in his Dictionary of Mufic, though without any thing striking in the composition, has such a powerful influence over the Swiss, and impresses them with so violent a defire to return to their own country, that it is forbidden to be played in the Swiss regiments in the French service, on pain of death. There is also another circumftance relating to music, which makes it in some instances more than imitation. Certain musical instruments are from custom constantly attendant on certain actions, as the organ on religion, and the drum and fife on war and its preparations; therefore when these instruments are heard, our ideas are not raised by association only, but as far as the sense of hearing is concerned an actual deception takes place. If my other senses do not undeceive me when I hear a drum and fife play a march, I conclude soldiers are marching by; and if I hear a choir and an organ, I imagine myself in or near a place of religious worship. The absurd attempt to make the found an echo to the sense,' by mentioning the names of musical inftruments in language, and then accompanying that language with the found of the instruments that are named, is very justly censured by Mr. Jackson of Exeter [s]. There is a ridiculous instance of a musical pun of this kind in a fong of that agreeable compofer, Dibden, in the Padlock, where, while Don Diego is finging Horns! horns! I defy you,' he is accompanied by Frenchhorns. The effect of music when combined with poetry, is also principally eccafioned by association. The notion that the words of a fong and its [s] Preface to his Opera Iv. tune
POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. tune are particularly adapted to each other, often arises from constantly hearing them together. I will not dispute that some movements are more suited to one kind of poetry than another, or deny that an elegy and a drinking song require a different kind of music to accompany them; but undoubtedly the words of a song often stamp a character on the tune which of itself it would never have acquired. Since the popular fong of Hosier's Ghost was written, how many fea songs have been put to the same tune? Would not a person be induced to think from this, that it was particularly adapted to maritime ideas? Yet it was originally composed for a fong on a very different subject, which began 'Welcome, ' welcome, brother debtor.' I am far, however, from meaning to assert that music has not strong powers of exciting our feelings, independent of the subject or the words it accompanies, or any kind of association whatever, and that there is no real difference between a jig and a dirge. A particular instance, something applicable to this, occurs to me. Dr. Armstrong, in his SKETCHES, asks • Who was it that threw out those dreadful wild expressions of • distraction and melancholy in LADY CULROSS'S DREAM, an old composition now I am afraid loft, perhaps because it was almost too • terrible for the ear?' A modern collector of old ballads has however found the WORDS, and tells us he can perceive nothing terrible in them. The natural means of imitation poffefsed by poetry are few and weak, and are solely confined to the versification. Most of the verses quoted as proofs of its power in this respect, make more impression on the imagination than the ear. I am astonished how Mr. Harris [T] could give [T] Discourse on Music, Poetry and Painting, page 73. poetry
poetry the preference to music in its ability to imitate found. I should very much doubt, should the strongest instance of verfification conveying the fenfe by the found, be repeated to a person of however good an ear, who was unacquainted with the language, if he would discover the imitation: but should the music of those two airs of Handel, which begin Hush, ye pretty warbling choir,' and 'Let the merry bells ring ' round,' be played to a person of the most irreligious ears, and the imitation would be instantly obvious. But the powers of imitation by means of compact, which are poffefsed by poetry, are infinite; they are applicable to actions and pafiions, which they can follow through all their various forms and modifications; they can comprehend every being in nature or in art, animate or inanimate; and their nobler objects and extensive field of imitation more than compensate for any inferiority in the particular means [u]. But there is one species of poetical imitation, nearer to nature, and in every respect superior to those effected by any other art; I mean the modern drama well acted. In comedy, and the private life tragedy in profe, the representation is exact, it ceafes to be imitation, it is the thing itself, and therefore, to judge by my own feelings, (I can have no other criterion to judge those of others,) such representations of scenes of terror and deep distress are dreadful, they press too nearly on the mind, the deception is for the time compleat, the horror [v] of the scene is not foftened by the apparent means of imitation so as to be pleasing. I rife from feeing fuch tragedies as George Barnwell, the Fatal Curiosity and [u] See Gerard on Taste, Part 1.. Sect. IV. [v] Encyclopedie, Art. Illusion, by Marmontel. See Note v, Chap. vI.. the
POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. the Gamester, with nearly the same sensation as if I had been actually present at scenes of the fame kind in real life. In the higher tragedy, the blank verse, the [w] exalted perfonages, and the inadequacy of the theatrical [x] apparatus to the objects represented, fufficiently discover the means of imitation, and the most tragical catastrophe will not be always so affecting as to displease. I say not always, because there are, in my opinion, some cafes where the distress may be too forcibly worked up even in the higher tragedy, but this will be examined more at large when we come to confider Aristotle's idea of the proper effect of tragedy, and the most perfect construction of tragic fable [v]. It is however obvious that our theatrical language and apparatus is infinitely more natural than that of the Grecian stage. And perhaps it may admit a doubt, whether even Aristotle, if he had feen a Garrick in Lear, or a Siddons in Isabella, would have given the preference to the unhappy catastrophe, or afferted that a tragedy attained its end by reading as well as in representation [z]. W In [w] It is true, the Bishop of Worcester fays, 'Whatever be the unhappy incidents in the • story of private men, it is CERTAIN they must take faster hold of the imagination, and of < course impress the heart more forcibly when related of the higher characters in life.' Dis- SERTATION ON THE PROVINCES OF THE DRAMA, page 168; and this is corroborated by the quotation of the two concluding lines of the Hippolytus of Euripedes. I have the utmost deference for the opinion of fo elegant a critic and fo pathetic a poet, but the direct contrary is to me so CERTAIN from my own feelings and experience, that I cannot acquiefce in it. 'Amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, fed magis amica veritas.' [x] See note III. on Chap. XI, and note 1. on Chap. xxvI. (Y) See Note VII. Ch. XIII. [z] Chap. xxvI. The means of imitation are as much or more liable to err from being too defective, or too apparent, than from the oppofite quality; and this I take to have been the cafe with
[A] In comedy where the effect is chearful, the complete delufion rather encreases the pleasure; and even in the serious comedy the present anxiety is alleviated by the certainty of a happy catastrophe.
4.2.
mvp-aristotle-comment-8
4.9
MARGITES.
FROM the account given of this fictitious personage by Suidas, and Eustathius, he must have been an absolute ideot, and therefore an improper object of ridicule even in the grossest and lowest kind of farce. But the fragments of the poem itself, which are quoted by Aristotle, Eth. L. vI. ch. viii. and by Plato, Alcibiad. 11. especially the last, give the outline of a character that would not be unfit for modern comedy. [B] • Nor skill to dig or plow, the gods impart; • Unwife in all, he fail'd in every art.'- • Much had he learn'd but all had learn'd amiss.' The character of Mrs. Baynard, in Smollet's novel Humphrey Clinker, is fomething like the hint in the last line, 'She could read, and write, and with the ancient Greek tragedy. In the passage here referred to, it is probable that Ariftotle means to compare the tragedy when read, with the epopee, and not with the fame tragedy acted. [A] Encyclopedie, Art. Illufion. [Β] Τόνδ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ἀρ σκαπλῆρα θεοὶ θέσαν ἔτ᾿ ἀροθῆρα Ουτ᾿ ἄλλως τι σοφόν, πάσης δ᾽ ἡμάρτανε τέχνης- Πολλ᾽ ἠπίςαλο ἔργα κακῶς δὲ ἠπίςαλο πάνια. fing,
POETIC OF ARISTOTLE. 。 ، fing, and play on the harpsichord, and smatter French, and take a hand ' at whift, or ombre, but even these accomplishments she knew by halves, ' and excelled in nothing.* It must be remarked, that though Aristotle says the Margites was in iambics, all the fragments we have are hexameters. But Hephæstion and M. Victorinus, quoted by Mr. Winstanley in a note, both observe that the iambics were mixed with hexameters.
4.3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-9
4.10
AS HOMER THEREFORE WAS THE GREATEST POET ON SERIOUS SUBJECTS, STANDING ALONE IN POINT OF EXCELLENCE, NOT ONLY FROM THE GENERAL MERIT OF HIS IMITATIONS, BUT FROM THE DRAMATIC FORM HE GAVE THEM, SO HE ALSO FIRST TAUGHT THE PROPER SYSTEM OF COMEDY.
SO Lord Shaftesbury, 'He (Homer) paints so as to need no infcription over his figures, to tell what they are or what he intends by them; a few words let fall on any flight occafion from any of the parties he introduces, are fufficient to denote their manners and distinct character. From a finger or a toe he can represent to our thoughts, the frame and • fashion of a whole body. He wants no other help of art to personate ⚫ his heroes, and make them living. There was no more left for tragedy to do after him than to erect a stage, and draw his dialogues and characters into scenes, turning in the fame manner upon one principal • action, or event, with that regard to place, and time, which was suit- • able to a real spectacle. Even comedy itself was adjudged to this great ' master,
master, it being derived from those parodies or mock humours of which ' he had given the specimen (c) in a concealed fort of raillery, inter- ' mixed with the fublime.' ADVICE TO AN AUTHOR, Part 1. Sect. 111.
1.
mvp-aristotle-comment-17
Ritter, cap. 4 § 1
Quae causae genuisse poesin videantur, quaeque eandem in diversas formas sive species (
εἴδη) discreverint. orta est poesis ex conaminibus extemporalibus, cumque alii honestos imitarentur, alii pravos, partim encomia hymnique partim vituperationes exstiterunt, ex quibus initiis paulatim et poemata heroica et iambi prodierunt. interiecto deinde tempore cum ars poetica altius coleretur, pro iambis comoedia successit, pro epicis carminibus tragoedia. haec multas passa mutationes, quarum potissimae Aeschylo auctore et Sophocle invaluerunt, substitit, postquam suam naturam assecuta est.
ἐοίκασι δὲ - φυσικαί: quoniam duae causae ubique ad poesin procreandam, h. e. ad opera artis poeticae excitanda, valuerunt, eas in hominum natura sitas esse (
φυ σικὰς εἶναι vel
φύσει εἶναι) manifestum est.
2.
mvp-aristotle-comment-18
Ritter, cap. 4 § 2
τό τε γάρ μιμεῖσθαι-χαίρειν τοῖς μιμήμασι πάντας: duae illae causae sunt imitandi facultas humano generi innata et voluptas quam ex imitamentis omnes percipiunt. primaria enuntiationis membra duo sunt, prius
τὸ τε γὰρ μιμεῖσθαι σύμφυτον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐκ παίδων ἐστί', alterum
τὸ χαίρειν τοῖς μιμήμασι πάντας. quae parenthesis signo circumdata, ea ad pronuntiatum prius explicandum et adprobandum accesserunt.
μιμήματα opera sunt imitatione quacumque expressa, quae imitamenta a Latinis argenteae aetatis scriptoribus aliquoties appellantur.
3.
mvp-aristotle-comment-19
Ritter, cap. 4 § 3
σημεῖον δὲ τούτου τὸ συμβαῖνον ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων: signum h. 1. memoratum eiusmodi est quo quid verisimile fiat, non unde antecedens pronuntiatum necessario consequatur. vid. Analyt. prior. II, 27. p. 70 a 7.
σημεῖον δὲ βούλεται εἶναι πρότασις ἀποδεικτικὴλ ἀναγκαία ἢ ἔνδοξος. Rhetor. I, 2. p. 1357 b 1.
τῶν δὲ σημείων τὸ μὲν
οὕτως ἔχει ὡς τῶν καθ᾽ ἕκαστόν τι πρὸς τὸ καθόλου,
τὸ δὲ ὡς τῶν καθόλου τι πρὸς τὸ κατὰ μέρος.
τούτων δὲ τὸ μὲν ἀναγκαῖον τεκμήριον,
τὸ δὲ μὴ ἀναγκαῖον ἀνώνυμόν ἐστι κατὰ τὴν διαφοράν.
ἀναγκαῖα μὲν οὖν λέγω ἐξ ὧν γίνεται συλλογισμός. aliud
σημεῖον eiusdem generis recurrit infra §. 14. cf. c. 13. §. 5 et 7. -
ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων:
ἔργα h. 1. vocantur opera imitatione effecta oculisque consideranda. etiam numeri quod efficiunt et concentus eo nomine designatur in Politicis VIII, 5. p. 1340 a 21 et b 7.
δῆλον δὲ ἐκ τῶν ἔρ γων. –
λαμβάνουσι γὰρ τὰ μαρτύρια τῶν λόγων ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων. quae hoc Poeticae loco
ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων, eadem Plutarchus
ἐπὶ τῶν θεαμάτων designavit. lege locum statim transcribendum.
τούτων τὰς εἰκόνας-θεωροῦντες: similia Plutarchus protulit in Quaestion. conviv. V, 1. p. 674 A (vol. III. p. II. pag. 757 ed. Wyttenb.):
καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν θεαμάτων ὅμοια πεπόνθαμεν·
ἀνθρώπους μὲν γὰρ ἀποθνήσκοντας καὶ νοσοῦντας ἀνιαρῶς ὁρῶμεν,
τὸν δὲ γεγραμμένον Φιλοκτήτην καὶ τὴν πεπλασμένην Ἰοκάστην...
ἡδόμεθα καὶ θαυμάζομεν.
4.
mvp-aristotle-comment-20
Ritter, cap. 4 § 4
αἴτιον δὲ καὶ τούτου: causa autem huius ipsius rei (
τοῦ χαίρειν τοῖς μιμήμασι) est quod cet. postquam duas esse artis poeticae causas dixit, imitandi studium et delectationem ex imitamentis consecutam, pergit etiam huius delectationis causam explicare. particula xai indicat eius rei causam iam exponi, quae ipsa alius rei causa modo posita erat. hanc loci sententiam non intellexit qui scripturam a libris M 14 et 16 exhibitam
αἴτιον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο dedit, quasi tertia poeticae artis causa succederet, quas duas esse paulo ante pronuntiatum est. conf. Augustus Matthiae in diurnis Ienens. a. 1805. n. 224.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ βραχύ κοινωνοῦσιν αὐτοῦ: sed breve tempus commercium eius (discendi) continuant. omnes quidem homines ducuntur cupiditate discendi et sciendi (vid. Metaphysica A. 1), sed longe plurimi vulgari contenti eruditione alia negotia gerenda suscipiunt, philosophi totam vitam in discendo consumunt. hac: : de re cum aliis locis Plato disputavit, tum in Gorgia p. 483- 486. conf. Cicer. Tuscul. II, 1.
5.
mvp-aristotle-comment-21
Ritter, cap. 4 § 5
ὅτι συμβαίνει θεωροῦντας μανθάνειν καὶ συλλογίζεσθαι τί ἕκαστον: uberius eandem sententiam prompsit in Rhetoricis I, 11. p. 1371 b 4.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ μανθάνειν τε ἡδὺ καὶ τὸ θαυμάζειν,
καὶ τὰ τοιάδε ἀνάγκη ἡδέα εἶναι οἷον το τε μεμιμημένον,
ὥσπερ γραφικὴ καὶ ἀνδριαντοποιία καὶ ποιητική,
καὶ πᾶν ὃ ἂν εὖ μεμιμημένον ᾖ,
κἂν ᾖ μὴ ἡδὺ αὐτό τε τὸ μεμιμημένον·
οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ τούτῳ χαίρει,
ἀλλὰ συλλογισμός ἐστιν ὅτι τοῦτο ἐκεῖνο,
ὥστε μαν θάνειν τι συμβαίνει. neque tam bene neque tam accurate voluptatis ex imitamentis quae percipitur causam explicuit Plutarchus Quaestion. conviv. V, 1. p. 673 D (III. pag. 756 ap. Wyttenb.):
ὅτι φύσει λογικοὶ καὶ φιλότεχνοι γεγονότες πρὸς τὸ λογικῶς καὶ τεχνικῶς πραττόμενον οἰκείως διακείμεθα καὶ θαυμάζομεν ἂν ἐπιτυγχάνηται.
οὐχὶ μίμημα: haec est constans librorum scriptura quos inspexit Victorius et Bekkerus, eorum quoque quorum notitiam Burgesio (vid. Tyrwhitti ed. p. 241) debemus, neque ab his discedere codices Mediceos equidem quovis pignore contendam, quamquam Winstanleius
οὐ διὰ μίμημα exhibendo et de suis codicibus tacendo Buhlio et Graefenhanio fidem fecit, hoc sumptum esse ex quattuor illis codicibus Mediceis.
οὐ διὰ μίμημα in "quodam excuso" Victorius invenit idemque bene intellexit hoc ad correctorem referendum esse, quamquam et alii editores et ipse Bekkerus eo adquieverunt. sed ita locum legi non posse vel inde manifestum est quod verbum
ποιήσει subiecto suo caret, cui etiamsi
μιμητής vel aliud nomen ultro concedere cogitandoque supplere velis, Graecae tamen linguae ratio postulabit
οὐ διὰ μίμησιν, ut recte monuit Hermannus. sed id quoque quod nititur librorum auctoritate,
οὐχὶ μίμημα, ipsum non sufficit, propterea quod iam subsequentia illa
ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἀπεργασίαν non habent quo referantur. huic quidem incommodo occurrit coniectura Hermanni
ουχ,
ᾗ μίμημα, non, quatenus imitamentum; sed vel sic frustra quaerimus quo
ποιήσει referamus. quae cumreputo, crediderim post
οὐχὶ μίμημα quoddam enuntiationis membrum intercidisse, ac locum sic supplere tentaverim :
οὐχὶ μίμημα,
ᾗ μίμημα,
ποιήσει τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἀπεργασίαν, h. e. non imitamentum faciet delectationem, quatenus est imitamentum, sed per artificium cet.
6.
mvp-aristotle-comment-22
Ritter, cap. 4 § 6
κατὰ φύσιν δὲ ὄντος: quod modo
σύμφυτον dixit, id iam
κατὰ φύσιν ὂν designavit. quod enim natura insitum nobis, idem naturae nostrae consentaneum est.
καὶ τῆς ἁρμονίας καὶ τοῦ ῥυθμοῦ: concentum numerumque hominibus natura insitum esse nondum quidem demonstravit, sed id tum a legentibus ultro sibi concedi sperare potuit, tum alius esse disputationis vidit.
τὰ γὰρ μέτρα ὅτι μόρια τῶν ῥυθμῶν ἐστί,
φανερόν: metra materiam numero suggerunt, quam dum ille moderatur certaeque legi subiungit, eius materiae partes (metra) numeri partes videntur, eaedemque procreari quasi a numero videntur, unde illud
πατήρ μέτρου ῥυθμός. lege quae docte disputavit Boeckhius de Metris Pindari I, p. 5. 18 sqq. conf. Aristot. Rhetor. III, 8. p. 1408 b 28.
ὁ δὲ τοῦ σχήματος τῆς λέξεως ἀριθμὸς ῥυθμός ἐστιν,
ο ὗ καὶ τὰ μέτρα τμητά.
ἐξ ἀρχῆς πεφυκότες - ἐκ τῶν αὐτοσχεδιασμά των: a principio aevum agentes et illa (imitandi studium et numerum atque concentum) potissimum promoventes pое- sin procreaverunt ex subitis conaminibus, h. e. imitandi illam facultatem numeroque et concentui obsequendi studium hominibus insitum cum nonnulli ex primis mortalibus prae ceteris sensim sensimque promoverent, poesis exorta et subitis conaminibus excitata est.
ἐξ ἀρχῆς πεφυκότες sunt homines quidam qui inter primos mortales fuere,
οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς πεφυκότες vel
ἐξ ἀρχῆς οἱ πεφ. sunt primi mortales. articulus igitur recte abest a libris AcNa et M 14 XIV 21 et GLQ, neque nominatim ex ullo codice affertur. sed vide quo eventu recentior interpolator (Italus quidam) in hoc loco concinnando grassatus sit, ut editores tantum non omnes ¹) illum 1) Libenter memoramus et laudamus quod Graefenhanius unus ex novis editoribus ab interpolatore sibi h. 1. cavit.sequerentur, nonnulli alias emendandi vias circumspicerent. nam primum pro
καὶ αὐτὰ (quod inest AcBcNa et M omnibus et GLPQ) edunt Aldinum exemplar secuti
πρὸς αὐτὰ. hoc
πρὸς cum illatum esset,
πεφυκότες consistere per sese non potuit, cum iam non de incertis quibusdam hominibus, sed de certo hominum genere sermo esset; articulo igitur opus erat, ut tandem prodiret quod apud Aldum et plerosque editores legitur,
οἱ πεφυκότες πρὸς αὐτὰ μάλιστα, h. e. qui ad illa instructi potissimum erant.
7.
mvp-aristotle-comment-23
Ritter, cap. 4 § 7
διεσπάσθη δὲ κατὰ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἤθη ἡ ποίησις: secundum proprios mores tam eorum qui imitabantur quam eorum qui imitando exprimerentur duo poesis genera nata sunt, quorum alterum maledicta in viles homines et improbos iecit, alterum laudibus honestos prosecutum est. haec a philosopho probabiliter disputari, non ab rerum scriptore ut rem in facto positam narrari, id ex iis quae continuo (§. 8) sequuntur apparet.
πρῶτον ψόγους,
ὥσπερ ἕτεροι ὕμνους καὶ ἐγκώμια: alii maledictis pravos homines insectabantur, alii laudibus celebrabant viros fortes (
ἐγκώμια) et deos deorumque prolem (
ὕμνους). sane notabile videtur et grave quod Aristoteles agnoscit poesin lyricae similem iam ante Homerum florentem, sed encomia illa antiquissima hymnosque epicae poesi cognata ab eodem cogitari liquet ex iis quae mox (§. 9) proferuntur,
καὶ ἐγένοντο τῶν παλαιῶν οἱ μὲν ἡρωϊκῶν οἱ δὲ ἰάμβων ποιηταί. itaque secundum Aristotelis sententiam haec fuerunt Graecae poesis primordia et incrementa et vicissitudines: ex primis illis et priscis poetis alii maledicta iecerunt, alii laudes decantaverunt, utrique ex tempore; illi interiecto temporis spatio iambos, h. e. ma- Jedicta arte quadam composita nec ex tempore fusa, hi iusta carmina ad claros viros laudandos accommodata, h. e. epopoeias, facere adgressi sunt. tertia tandem artis poeticae immutatio paulo post (§. 10) describitur: quippe illi qui iambos ante confecerant, comoedias scribere, qui carmina epica condiderant, tragoedias docere coeperunt.
8.
mvp-aristotle-comment-24
Ritter, cap. 4 § 8
οἷον ἐκείνου ὁ Μαργίτης,
καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον ἰαμβεῖον ἦλθε μέ τρον: haec postrema
ἐν οἷς –
μέτρον non ad Homeri Margitam sed ad similia poemata illud subsequentia et vituperationes fundentia pertinent, quod ut facilius in oculos incurrat, comma post
Μαργίτης positum est. nam etiamsi in eo Margita, de cuius versibus grammatici inde a saeculo post Christum altero (primus est Hephaestio) loquuntur, aliquot iambos hexametris immixtos fuisse certum videatur, hos ta men Aristoteles aut nondum vidit aut raro dispersos non curavit hoc loco, cum scripsit
ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον ἰαμβεῖον ἦλθε μέτρον, h. e. in quibus etiam metrum iambicum apte prodiit: nam haec non de versibus nonnullis interpositis sed de versuum genere in illis carminibus constanter admisso intelligenda sunt. ipsa verba
ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον ἦλθε östendunt novum illud versuum genus (iambos) post Homerum esse inventum: haec enim scripsit respiciens versus heroos Homeri proprios. dabo aliud quo idem adprobabitur. dicit Aristoteles iambicum metrum inde duxisse nomen, quod eo utentes maledictis sese in vicem proscinderent (
ὅτι ἐν τῷ μέτρῳ τούτῳ ἰάμβίζον ἀλλήλους): sed cum in Margita nulla inessent maledicta (
οὐ ψόγον ἀλλὰ τὸ γελοῖον δραματοποιήσας), ad hoc carmen non possunt pertinere illa
ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον ἰαμβεῖον ἦλθε μέτρον. itaque post Homerum versus iambicos prodisse Aristoteles existimavit. inde consequitur iambos illos, qui herois versibus immixti erant, ab Aristotele in suo Margitae exemplari aut non inventos aut pro interpolatis habitos esse. de versibus iambicis Margitae admixtis veterum testimonia haec ad nos pervenerunt. Hephaestio de Metris p. 112 ed. Gaisford.
μετρικὰ δὲ ἄτακτα ὅσα ἐκ μέτρων μὲν ὁμολογουμένων συνέστηκε τάξιν δὲ καὶ ἀνακύκλησιν οὐκ ἔχει,
οὔτε κατὰ στίχον οὔτε κατὰ συστήματα,
οἷός ἐστιν ὁ Μαργίτης ὁ εἰς Ὅμηρον ἀναφερόμενος,
ἐν ᾧ παρἐσπαρται τοῖς ἔπεσιν (hexametris)
ἰαμβικά,
καὶ ταῦτα οὐ κατ᾽ ἴσον σύστημα. idem p. 120.
τοιοῦτός ἐστι (
ἐκ μέτρων ἀτάκτων)
καὶ ὁ Μαργίτης Ὁμήρου·
οὐ γὰρ τεταγμένῳ ἀριθ-
μῷ ἐπῶν τὸ ἰαμβικὸν ἐπιφέρεται. ad haec scholiasta scripsit
μετὰ γὰρ δέκα στίχους ἐπιφέρει ἴαμβον,
καὶ πάλιν μετὰ πέντε καὶ ὀκτώ. Marius Victorinus p. 2572. ed. Putsch. hoc (iambico) genere versuum, ut supra (p. 2512) diximus, primus usus est Homerus in Margite suo, nec tamen totum carmen ita digestum perfecit: nam duobus pluribusve hexametris ante positis istum subiiciens copulavit. conf. idem p. 2524. et Atilius Fortunatianus p. 2692. exemplum eiusmodi copulationis ex Margita protulit Lindemannus in Lyra I. p. 82. sumptum ex grammatico quodam Latino bibliothecae Berolinensis
ἦλθέ τις εἰς Κολοφῶνα γέρων καὶ θεῖος ἀοιδός,
Μουσάων θεράπων καὶ ἑκηβόλου ᾿Απόλλωνος,
φίλῃς ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν εὔφθογγον λύρην. cetera quae ex Margita afferuntur fragmenta versibus herois inclusa leguntur. Aristot. Ethic. Nicom. VI, 7. p. 1141 a 14.
εἶναι δέ τινας σοφοὺς οἰόμεθα οὐ κατὰ μέρος οὐδ᾽ ἄλλο᾿ τι σοφούς,
ὥσπερ Ὅμηρός φησιν ἐν τῷ Μαργίτῃ τὸν δ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂρ σκαπτῆρα θεοὶ θέσαν οὔτ᾽ ἀροτῆρα οὔτ᾽ ἄλλως τε σοφόν,
πάσης δ᾽ ἡμάρτανε τέχνης. secundi versus alterum hemistichium ab Aristotele non transcriptum cum ceteris servavit Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. I. pag. 281 A. ed. Sylb. (I. p. 329. ed. Potter). falsus Plato in Alcibiade altero p. 147
Β.
οὐ γὰρ δήπου Ὅμηρον ἀγνοεῖν δοκεῖς ὅτι οὐχ οἷόντε ἦν ἐπίστασθαι κακῶς.
ἐκεῖνος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ λέγων τὸν Μαργίτην πολλὰ μὲν ἐπίστασθαι,
κακῶς δέ,
φησι,
πάντα ἠπίστατο. inde Buttmannus hunc versum elicuit
πόλλ' ἠπίστατο ἔργα,
κακῶς δ' ἠπίστατο πάντα. Iam pauca de recta loci scriptura dicenda restant.
κατὰ τὸ ἁρμόττον inest AcBcNa et GLPQ, idemque inesse Mediceis, quamvis tacente Winstanleio et zai pro
κατά exhibente, non est quod dubitemus.
καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον ab Aldo profectum recte dextreque correctum videtur. nam cum in lectione librorum scriptorum articulus ante
ἰαμβεῖον μέτρον desideretur, aut
καὶ τὸ ἁρμόττον aut
κατὰ τὸ ἁρμόττον τὸpro
κατὰ τὸ ἁρμόττον scribi potest. nitate praestat. prior ratio remedii le-
ὅτι ἐν τῷ μέτρῳ τούτῳ ἰάμβιζον ἀλλήλους: a verbo
ἰάπ - τειν (iac - ere) factum est nomen
ἴαμβος, id quod iacitur, h. e. maledictum; inde rursus descendit verbum
ἰαμβίζειν, maledictis incessere. cf. Marius Victorinus p. 2525. appellatur autem iambicum
ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰαμβίζειν, quod Graece significat maledicere et carpere..
9.
mvp-aristotle-comment-25
Ritter, cap. 4 § 9
μόνος γὰρ οὐχ ὅτι εὖ,
ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ μιμήσεις δραματικὰς ἐποίησεν : cum in versu praecedente virtutis praestantiaeque Homeri mentio facta esset, ea hisce interiectis breviter vindicatur: quippe ille epicam imitationem non modo bene instituit, sed etiam dramaticam eius formam unus recte adhibuit, quatenus ipse perpauca exsequitur narrando sed alios enarrantes et loquentes inducit. accuratius hoc exposuit c. 24, 7. aptum vero erat eam Homeri virtutem h. 1. memorare, cum paulo post idem poeta tragoediae comoediaeque formam ostendisse dicatur.
οὐ ψόγον ἀλλὰ τὸ γελοῖον δραματοποιήσας: duo sunt quae hic edocemur; eorum unum ad argumentum Margitae, alterum ad formam eiusdem pertinet. Margitam qui fecit, is non unum aliquem maledictis lacessivit, sed exemplar stulti hominis et multa inepte molientis proposuit; non
τὸ καθ' ἕκαστον pangere voluit, sed missa singulos carpendi consuetudine (
ἀφέμενος τῆς ἰαμβικῆς ἰδέας) secutus est
τὸ καθόλου 2). praeter hoc discimus Margitae non defuisse for- 2) Quam vere hoc ab Aristotele traditum sit, cum ex aliis veterum scriptorum locis tum ex Eustathii commentariis ad Odyss. K. p. 1669, 49. cognoscere licet:
οὕτως ἔγνωμεν καὶ τὸν ἄφρονα Μαργίτην,
τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ μαργαίνειν ὅ ἐστι μωραίνειν·
ὃν ὁ ποιήσας τὸν ἐπιγραφόμενον Ὁμήρου Μαργίτην ὑποτίθεται εὐπόρων μὲν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν γονέων φῦναι·
γήμαντα δὲ μὴ συμπεσεῖν τῇ νύμφῃ,
ἕως ἀναπεισθεῖσα ἐκείνη τετραυματίσθαι τὰ κάτω ἐσκήψατο,
φαρμακόν τε μηδὲν ὠφελήσειν ἔφη,
πλὴν εἰ τὸ ἀνδρεῖον αἰδοῖον ἐκεῖ ἐφαρμοσθείη.
καὶ οὕτως θεραπείαςmam illam dramaticam, qua Homeri Ilias et Odyssea tantopere excellunt. nimirum stultus iste et ineptus cum uxore et matre sua et patre aliisque hominibus colloquendo stultitiae documenta edidit. ceterum Margites pro Homeri carmine habetur a scriptoribus Graecis antiquis, non solum ab Aristotele et ignoto illo Alcibiadis secundi auctore sed etiam a Zenone Stoico. vid. Dio Chrysost. Orat. 53. tom. II. p. 275 ed. Reisk.
γέγραφε δὲ καὶ Ζήνων ὁ φιλόσοφος εἴς τε τὴν Ἰλιάδα καὶ τὴν Ὀδυσσείαν καὶ περὶ τοῦ Μαργίτου. sed grammatici Alexandrini nonnisi duo magna illa poemata vel unam Iliadem Homero relinquentes cum ceteris Margitam quoque ei abiudicaverunt 3), unde factum ut scriptores posterioris aetatis ab illorum iudicio pendentes de huius poematis auctore dubitanter loquerentur, veluti scholiasta Aristophanis ad Aves v. 914.
ἐπεπίστευτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Μαργίτης τοῦ Ὁμήρου εἶναι, Eustathius ad Odyss. K.
ρ. 1669, 50.
ὁ ποιήσας τὸν ἐπιγραφόμενον Ὁμήρου Μαργίτην, alii. Callimachus tamen Homerum carminis auctorem videtur existimasse, quod coniicere forsitan liceat ex iis quae refert Harpocratio s. V.
Μαργίτης:
ἐκάλουν δὲ τοὺς ἀνοήτους οὕτω διὰ τὸν εἰς Ὅμηρον ἀναφερόμενον Μαργίτην,
ὅπερ ποίημα Καλλίχάριν ἐκεῖνος ἐπλησίασεν. conf. Dio Chrysost. Orat. 67. tom. II. p. 362. ed. Reisk. Suidas s. v.
Μαργίτης. Tzetzes Chiliad. IV, 869-871. Histor. VI, 62. 595. ipso
Μαργίτου nomine quoddam hominum genus denotari vix est cur moneamus. ex radice MP vel stirpe MAPI (ea motum quendam inaequabilem videtur significare) nomen
μάργος et
μάργης (insanus vel stultus) nascitur, item verbum
μαργᾶν et
μαργαίνειν (insanire) atque
μαργοῦν (et insanum esse et insanum facere aliquem). a
μάργος fit
μαργίτης, ut ab
ἁγνὸς ἁγνίτης,
λευκός λευκίτης,
μάκαρ μακαρίτης,
πεζὸς πεζίτης,
ψαφαρὸς ψαφαρίτης.
μάργος insanus est, sed
μαργίτης qui insanus vel stultus esse perseverat, h. e. qui omnibus factis dictisque insaniam ostendit. 3) Eustathius ad. II. p. 4, 30.
εἰ δὲ καὶ ἕτερα ποιήματά εἰσιν Ὁμήρου,
οἷον καὶ ὁ Μαργίτης καὶ ἡ τῶν μυῶν καὶ βατράχων μάχη,
ἄλλοι καὶ αὐτὸ ἐξήτασαν πρὸς ἀκρίβειαν.
μάχος θαυμάζειν ἔοικεν. ex ceteris illis grammaticis nonnulli Margitae auctorem in incerto reliquerunt, alii coniectura utique incerta eundem assequi voluerunt. horum fidem sequitur Suidas dum scribit
Πίγρης:
Κάρ,
ἀπὸ ῾Αλικαρνασσοῦ,
ἀδελφὸς ᾿Αρτεμισίας ...
ὃς τῇ Ἰλιάδι παρενέβαλε κατὰ στίχον ἐλεγεῖον οὕτω γράψας μῆνιν ἄειδε θεά Πηληϊάδεω Αχιλῆος,
Μοῦσα,
σὺ γὰρ πάσης πείρατ' ἔχεις σοφίης.
ἔγραψε καὶ τὸν εἰς Ὅμηρον φερόμενον Μαργίτην καὶ Βατραχομυομαχίαν. hanc illi coniecturam ita conceperunt, ut quem in Batrachomyomachia ridiculum tractasse argumentum cognossent, eidem Margitam humane concederent. vere igitur vir ingeniosus Fr. Welckerus huic opinioni nihil tribuendum esse putat in Cyclo epico p. 415., ubi aliam etiam illius coniecturae causam exponit sibi probatam ac Nitzschio in Histor. Hom. I. p. 106. scilicet cum critici illi Pigretem elegos Iliadi inseruisse cognitum haberent, eos propter iambos Margitae intextos huius carminis eundem auctorem esse statuisse. conferenda sunt quae Welckerus in eodem libro p. 184. perdocte, ut solet, de Margita exposuit. coniecturam valde incertam de hoc poemate protulit Wassenberghius ad Vitas Homeri p. 11 sqq..
10.
mvp-aristotle-comment-26
Ritter, cap. 4 § 10
οἱ μὲν ἀντὶ τῶν ἰάμβων κωμῳδοποιοί ἐγένοντο,
οἱ δὲ ἀντὶ τῶν ἐπῶν τραγῳδοδιδάσκαλοι : loquendi brevitatem ita excusare licet et explicare, ut Aristoteli, scribenti
ἀντὶ τῶν ἰάμβων et
ἀντὶ τῶν ἐπῶν, non tam ante animum obversaretur quod re vera posuit,
κωμῳδοποιοί et
τραγῳδοδιδάσκαλοι, quam
ποιηταὶ κωμῳδιῶν et
διδάσκαλοι τραγῳδιῶν. vid. ad c. 1, 7. 8, 3.
11.
mvp-aristotle-comment-27
Ritter, cap. 4 § 11
τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐπισκοπεῖν εἰ ἄρ᾽ ἔχει κτλ. paulo ante (§. 7-10) docuit tum quomodo nata sit et epica poesis et iambica, tum qua ratione pro his ipsis tragoedia invaluerit et comoedia. iam dicit hoc, quaerere utrum tragoedia omnino respondeat (
ἔχει ἱκανῶς) necne formis illis poeticis (
τοῖς εἴδεσιν), h. e. formis quae in poesi adhiberi possunt, ita ut tragoedia omnium poeticae artis generum sit perfectis-.: sima, an species poetica magis perfecta ab ullo mortalium possit excogitari, id alius esse disputationis. non ea est (hoc vulgo existimant) loci sententia, alius esse disputationis, num tragoedia, qua est tragoedia, satis culta sit an non sit: hoc enim certum fuisse Aristoteli ex §. 12. apparet:
καὶ πολλὰς μεταβολὰς μεταβαλοῦσα ἡ τραγῳδία ἐπαύσατο,
ἐπεὶ ἔσχε τὴν αὑτῆς φύσιν. declarat igitur se anquirere iam nolle an nova quadem poesis immutatione novisque
εἴδεσι pro comoedia et tragoedia prolatis perfectius quidquam fieri et excogitari possit quam tragoedia, sed haec ipsa quomodo paulatim culta sit explicaturum se esse.
αὐτό τε καθ' αὑτὸ κρινόμενον καὶ πρὸς τὰ θέατρα: ubi quaeritur utrum tragoedia cultissima sit et perfectissima ex omnibus quot esse possunt poesis genera an alia species magis instructa et perculta proferri possit, quid ibi theatra sibi velint vix intelligas. eiusmodi quaestio nonnisi ita explicari posse videtur, ut illud poesis genus per sese spectetur. frigere igitur illud additamentum videatur. accedit aliud: nam
κρινόμενον ab Aldo propagatum adhuc in nullo codice repertum est, sed pro illo participio
κρίνεται ἢ ναὶ inest in libris AcBc et Get M XIV,
κρίνεται ἦναι Μ 21 et Parisiensi 2938,
κρίνεται εἶναι Na et LQ et M 14 16. codicum vestigia
κρίνεται ἢ ναὶ aperte commendant, quod quo casu ex
κρινόμενον corrumpi potuerit assequi vix licet. donec igitur et iusta auctoritas pro forma
κρινόμενον afferatur et apta huic loco explicatio promatur, hanc meam suspicionem producere locumque nove constituere non temerarium erit:
τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐπισκοπεῖν εἰ ἄρ᾽ ἔχει ἤδη ἡ τραγωδία τοῖς εἴδεσιν ἱκανῶς ἢ οὔ [
αὐτό τε καθ' αὑτὸ κρίνεται;
ἢ καὶ 4)
πρὸς τὰ θέατρα;],
ἄλλος λόγος. vides, mi lector, quo haec tendant. curiosus quidam quae in margine interrogavit, ea in verborum contextum recepta ac deinde ab Italo quodam interpolata videntur. sed dico videntur, ideoque in ipsis ver- 4) Istud vai ante
καὶ per
διττογραφίαν natum conieceris.bis nihil mutandum putavi, sed hanc meam coniecturam lectori expendendam commendo.
12.
mvp-aristotle-comment-28
Ritter, cap. 4 § 12
καὶ ἡ μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐξαρχόντων τὸν διθύραμβον: antiquissimam tragoediae formam non diversam fuisse significat a prisco illo dithyramborum genere, cum chorus satyrorum circa Bacchi aram caprumque ei numini immolatum
τραγωδίαν sive
τραγικὴν ἀοιδὴν (Bocks - gesang) decantando saltaret. haec est enim nativa ac prima
τραγῳδίας significatio. nimirum
τραγωδίας nomen decompositum (
παρασύνθετον) est ex
τραγωδός, unde etiam
τραγῳδέω, plane ut
κωμῳδέω et
κωμῳδία ex
κωμῳδός,
ἀρνῳδέω et
ἀρνῳδία ex
ἀρνῳδός.
τραγωδία est igitur id quod canit tragoedus (
ἀοιδὴ τοῦ τραγῳδοῦ): ipse tragoedus est
ὃς τράγον ἀείδει. quamvis enim prisci illi tragoedi non ipsum caprum sed deum cui caper mactabatur canerent, ab hominibus tamen nomen eis inditum est ab ea re quae oculis potissimum exposita esset 4).
ἐξάρχειν τὸν διθύραμβον hic dictum est de iis qui dithyramborum et canendorum et saltandorum auctores erant et magistri. quoniam
αὐτοσχεδιαστικῶς dithyrambum 4) Varias nominis
τραγωδίας etymologias collectas proposuit vir pereximius Fr. Welckerus in Appendice operis de trilogia Aeschylia editi p. 240. quam ipse ceteris praetulit ab Etymol. Magno acceptam
τραγῳδία ὅτι τὰ πολλὰ οἱ χοροὶ ἐκ σατύρων συνίσταντο,
οὓς ἐκάλουν τράγους –, ea mihi non probatur, propterea quod
τραγωδία non est nomen compositum (
σύνθετον) ex
τράγος et
ᾠδή, sed decompositum (
παρασύνθετον) est ex
τραγωδός. tertia eiusdem nominis explicandi ratio
ὅτι τράγος τῇ ᾠδῇ ἄθλον ἐτίθετο —, ab antiquis auctoribus certatim tradita et magni Bentleii assensu (Opusc. p. 315 sqq.) comprobata, nuper merito repudiata est a Iacobo in Quaestionibus Sophocl. p. 85 et 104., a Welckero l. indic., aliis. id tamen dubitari vix poterit, quin dithyrambi cantores sacris illis peractis hoc laboris praemium tulerint, ut una cum sacerdotibus sacrificii ministris capri mactati carne vescerentur. forsitan inde orta sit fabula ista de hirco in praemium certaminis (
ὡς ἄθλον) proposito.inchoabant, eis neque
γράφειν neque
ποιεῖν neque
συνιστάναι tribui potuit.
ὁ ἐξάρχων et laudes dei et cantandi modos saltandique figuras ita inchoavit, ut ceteri praeeuntem circa Bacchi aram sequerentur. haec ad intellectum verborum Aristotelis dixisse sufficiat: rem illam ipsam ex omnibus quot ad nos venerunt testimoniis veterum scriptorum explicare alius est disputationis, quae nostra aetate acerrime et agitata est et agitatur.
ἡ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν τὰ φαλλικά: ut
φαλλός signum est potentiae genitalis masculi generis animantibus concessae, ita
τὰ φαλλικά carmina sunt ad
φαλλόν in pompa decantata eademque ad Bacchum hanc vim iuvantem celebrandum accommodata. a priscis illis dithyrambis ita diversa fuerunt, ut primum vim genitricem praedicarent, tum ut in pompa, non circa aram, recitarentur. haec comissantium turba (cui nomen
κῶμος) habebat quem
τὰ φαλλικά ex tempore canere atque saltare incipientem (
ἐξάρχοντα) sequeretur. duci ceterisque cantoribus nomen erat
κωμῳδοί, h. e.
τοῦ κώμου ἀοιδοί, Sänger des (schwärmenden) Aufzuges. inde per
παρασύνθεσιν factum est verbum
κωμῳδέω et nomen
κωμῳδία. grassari in tali comissantium turba est
κωμάζειν. –
ἃ ἔτι καὶ νῦν - νομιζόμενα: hos serioris aetatis
φαλλοφόρους vel
ἰθυφάλλους descripsit Semus Delius apud Athenaeum XIV. p. 622 C.
κατὰ μικρὸν ηυξήθη ὅσον ἐγίγνετο φανερὸν αὐτῆς : Thespin aliosque ante Aeschylum tragoediarum scriptores significat. accuratius haec quae ad historiam artis poeticae pertinerent in opere
περὶ ποιητῶν exsecutus videtur.