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The EPOPOEIA imitates by words alone, or by verse; and that verse may either be composed of various metres, or confined, according to the practice hitherto established, to a single species¹.

Poetics. Aristotle. Thomas Twining (Translator). London, UK. 1789.

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Poetics (Thomas Twining, 1789) (OCR draft) (English) (Thomas Twining's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1789 and aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.)

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.) — 1 focus

Περὶ ποιητικῆς αὐτῆς τε καὶ τῶν εἰδῶν αὐτῆς, ἥν τινα δύναμιν ἕκαστον ἔχει, καὶ πῶς δεῖ συνίστασθαι τοὺς μύθους, εἰ μέλλει καλῶς ἕξειν ἡ ποίησις, ἔτι δὲ ἐκ πόσων καὶ ποίων ἐστὶ μορίων, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα τῆς αὐτῆς ἐστὶ μεθόδου, λέγωμεν, ἀρξάμενοι κατὰ φύσιν πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων.

Ἐποποιία δὴ καὶ ἡ τῆς τραγῳδίας ποίησις, ἔτι δὲ κωμῳδία καὶ ἡ διθυραμβοποιητικὴ καὶ τῆς αὐλητικῆς ἡ πλείστη καὶ κιθαριστικῆς, πᾶσαι τυγχάνουσιν οὖσαι μιμήσεις τὸ σύνολον.

Διαφέρουσι δὲ ἀλλήλων τρισίν· ἢ γὰρ τῷ γένει ἑτέροις μιμεῖσθαι, ἢ τῷ ἕτερα, ἢ τῷ ἑτέρως καὶ μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον.

Ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ χρώμασι καὶ σχήμασι πολλὰ μιμοῦνταί τινες ἀπεικάζοντες, οἱ μὲν διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας, ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς, οὕτω κἀν ταῖς εἰρημέναις τέχναις, ἅπασαι μὲν ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ, τούτοις δ᾿ ἢ χωρὶς ἢ μεμιγμένοις,

οἷον ἁρμονίᾳ μὲν καὶ ῥυθμῷ χρώμεναι μόνον ἥ τε αὐλητικὴ καὶ ἡ κιθαριστική, κἂν εἴ τινες ἕτεραι τυγχάνωσιν οὖσαι τοιαῦται τὴν δύναμιν, οἷον ἡ τῶν συρίγγων.

Αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ῥυθμῷ μιμοῦνται χωρὶς ἁρμονίας οἱ τῶν ὀρχηστῶν· καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι διὰ τῶν σχηματιζομένων ῥυθμῶν μιμοῦνται καὶ ἤθη καὶ πάθη καὶ πράξεις.

Ἡ δὲ ἐποποιία μόνον τοῖς λόγοις ψιλοῖς ἢ τοῖς μέτροις, καὶ τούτοις εἴτε μιγνῦσα μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων, εἴθ᾿ ἑνί τινι γένει χρωμένη τῶν μέτρων τυγχάνουσα μέχρι τοῦ νῦν.

Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν ἔχοιμεν ὀνομάσαι κοινὸν τοὺς Σώφρονος καὶ Ξενάρχου μίμους καὶ τοὺς Σωκρατικοὺς λόγους,

οὐδὲ εἴ τις διὰ τριμέτρων ἢ ἐλεγείων ἢ τῶν ἄλλων τινῶν τῶν τοιούτων ποιοῖτο τὴν μίμησιν·

πλὴν οἱ ἄνθρωποί γε συνάπτοντες τῷ μέτρῳ τὸ ποιεῖν ἐλεγειοποιοὺς τοὺς δὲ ἐποποιοὺς ὀνομάζουσιν, οὐχ ὡς τοὺς κατὰ μίμησιν ποιητὰς ἀλλὰ κοινῇ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον προσαγορεύοντες.

Καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἰατρικὸν ἢ μουσικόν τι διὰ τῶν μέτρων ἐκφέρωσιν, οὕτω καλεῖν εἰώθασιν. Οὐδὲν δὲ κοινόν ἐστιν Ὁμήρῳ καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλεῖ πλὴν τὸ μέτρον· διὸ τὸν μὲν ποιητὴν δίκαιον καλεῖν, τὸν δὲ φυσιολόγου μᾶλλον ἢ ποιητήν.

Ὁμοίως δὲ κἂν εἴ τις ἅπαντα τὰ μέτρα μιγνύων ποιοῖτο τὴν μίμησιν, καθάπερ Χαιρήμων ἐποίησε Κένταυρον μικτὴν ῥαψῳδίαν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν μέτρων, οὐκ ἤδη καὶ ποιητὴν προσαγορευτέον. Περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων διωρίσθω τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον.

Εἰσὶ δέ τινες οἳ πάσι χρῶνται τοῖς εἰρημένοις, λέγω δὲ οἷον ῥυθμῷ καὶ μέλει καὶ μέτρῳ, ὥσπερ ἥ τε τῶν διθυραμβικῶν ποίησις καὶ ἡ τῶν νόμων καὶ ἥ τε τραγῳδία καὶ ἡ κωμῳδία· διαφέρουσι δέ, ὅτι αἱ μὲν ἅμα πᾶσιν αἱ δὲ κατὰ μέρος.

Ταύτας μὲν οὖν λέγω τὰς διαφορὰς τῶν τεχνῶν, ἐν οἷς ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 1 focus

1447a 8 περὶ ποιητικῆς αὐτῆς τε καὶ τῶν εἰδῶν αὐτῆς, ἥν τινα δύναμιν ἕκαστον ἔχει, καὶ πῶς δεῖ συνίστασθαι τοὺς μύθους 10 εἰ μέλλει καλῶς ἕξειν ἡ ποίησις, ἔτι δὲ ἐκ πόσων καὶ ποίων ἐστὶ μορίων, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα τῆς αὐτῆς ἐστι μεθόδου, λέγωμεν ἀρξάμενοι κατὰ φύσιν πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων.

ἐποποιία δὴ καὶ ἡ τῆς τραγῳδίας ποίησις ἔτι δὲ κωμῳδία καὶ ἡ διθυραμβοποιητικὴ καὶ τῆς 15 αὐλητικῆς ἡ πλείστη καὶ κιθαριστικῆς πᾶσαι τυγχάνουσιν οὖσαι μιμήσεις τὸ σύνολον·

διαφέρουσι δὲ ἀλλήλων τρισίν, ἢ γὰρ τῷ ἐν ἑτέροις μιμεῖσθαι ἢ τῷ ἕτερα ἢ τῷ ἑτέρως καὶ μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον.

ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ χρώμασι καὶ σχήμασι πολλὰ μιμοῦνταί τινες ἀπεικάζοντες (οἱ μὲν 20 διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας), ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς, οὕτω κἀν ταῖς εἰρημέναις τέχναις ἅπασαι μὲν ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ, τούτοις δ’ ἢ χωρὶς ἢ μεμιγμένοις·

οἷον ἁρμονίᾳ μὲν καὶ ῥυθμῷ χρώμεναι μόνον ἥ τε αὐλητικὴ καὶ ἡ κιθαριστικὴ κἂν εἴ τινες 25 ἕτεραι τυγχάνωσιν οὖσαι τοιαῦται τὴν δύναμιν, οἷον ἡ τῶν συρίγγων,

αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ῥυθμῷ μιμοῦνται χωρὶς ἁρμονίας ἡ τῶν ὀρχηστῶν (καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι διὰ τῶν σχηματιζομένων ῥυθμῶν μιμοῦνται καὶ ἤθη καὶ πάθη καὶ πράξεις)·

ἡ δὲ ἐποποιία μόνον τοῖς λόγοις ψιλοῖς καὶ ἡ τοῖς μέτροις καὶ τούτοις 1447b 8 εἴτε μιγνῦσα μετ’ ἀλλήλων εἴθ’ ἑνί τινι γένει χρωμένη τῶν μέτρων ἀνώνυμοι τυγχάνουσι μέχρι τοῦ νῦν·

οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν 10 ἔχοιμεν ὀνομάσαι κοινὸν τοὺς Σώφρονος καὶ Ξενάρχου μίμους καὶ τοὺς Σωκρατικοὺς λόγους

οὐδὲ εἴ τις διὰ τριμέτρων ἢ ἐλεγείων ἢ τῶν ἄλλων τινῶν τῶν τοιούτων ποιοῖτο τὴν μίμησιν.

πλὴν οἱ ἄνθρωποί γε συνάπτοντες τῷ μέτρῳ τὸ ποιεῖν ἐλεγειοποιοὺς τοὺς δὲ ἐποποιοὺς ὀνομάζουσιν, οὐχ ὡς 15 κατὰ τὴν μίμησιν ποιητὰς ἀλλὰ κοινῇ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον προσαγορεύοντες·

καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἰατρικὸν ἢ φυσικόν τι διὰ τῶν μέτρων ἐκφέρωσιν, οὕτω καλεῖν εἰώθασιν· οὐδὲν δὲ κοινόν ἐστιν Ὁμήρῳ καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλεῖ πλὴν τὸ μέτρον, διὸ τὸν μὲν ποιητὴν δίκαιον καλεῖν, τὸν δὲ φυσιολόγον μᾶλλον ἢ 20 ποιητήν·

ὁμοίως δὲ κἂν εἴ τις ἅπαντα τὰ μέτρα μιγνύων ποιοῖτο τὴν μίμησιν καθάπερ Χαιρήμων ἐποίησε Κένταυρον μικτὴν ῥαψῳδίαν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν μέτρων, καὶ ποιητὴν προσαγορευτέον. περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων διωρίσθω τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον.

εἰσὶ δέ τινες αἳ πᾶσι χρῶνται τοῖς 25 εἰρημένοις, λέγω δὲ οἷον ῥυθμῷ καὶ μέλει καὶ μέτρῳ, ὥσπερ ἥ τε τῶν διθυραμβικῶν ποίησις καὶ ἡ τῶν νόμων καὶ ἥ τε τραγῳδία καὶ ἡ κωμῳδία· διαφέρουσι δὲ ὅτι αἱ μὲν ἅμα πᾶσιν αἱ δὲ κατὰ μέρος.

ταύτας μὲν οὖν λέγω τὰς διαφορὰς τῶν τεχνῶν ἐν οἷς ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 1 focus

Περὶ ποιητικῆς αὐτῆς τε καὶ τῶν εἰδῶν αὐτῆς, ἥν τινα
δύναμιν ἕκαστον ἔχει, καὶ πῶς δεῖ συνίστασθαι τοὺς μύθους
εἰ μέλλει καλῶς ἕξειν ἡ ποίησις, ἔτι δὲ ἐκ πόσων καὶ
ποίων ἐστὶ μορίων, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα τῆς
αὐτῆς ἐστι μεθόδου, λέγωμεν ἀρξάμενοι κατὰ φύσιν πρῶτον
ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων.

ἐποποιία δὴ καὶ ἡ τῆς τραγῳδίας
ποίησις ἔτι δὲ κωμῳδία καὶ ἡ διθυραμβοποιητικὴ καὶ τῆς
αὐλητικῆς ἡ πλείστη καὶ κιθαριστικῆς πᾶσαι τυγχάνουσιν
οὖσαι μιμήσεις τὸ σύνολον·

διαφέρουσι δὲ ἀλλήλων τρισίν,
ἢ γὰρ τῷ γένει ἑτέροις μιμεῖσθαι ἢ τῷ ἕτερα ἢ τῷ ἑτέρως
καὶ μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον.

ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ χρώμασι
καὶ σχήμασι πολλὰ μιμοῦνταί τινες ἀπεικάζοντες (οἱ μὲν
διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας), ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς,
οὕτω κἂν ταῖς εἰρημέναις τέχναις ἅπασαι μὲν ποιοῦνται
τὴν μίμησιν ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ, τούτοις δ᾽
ἢ χωρὶς ἢ μεμιγμένοις·

οἷον ἁρμονίᾳ μὲν καὶ ῥυθμῷ χρώμεναι
μόνον ἥ τε αὐλητικὴ καὶ ἡ κιθαριστικὴ κἂν εἴ τινες
ἕτεραι τυγχάνουσιν οὖσαι τοιαῦται τὴν δύναμιν, οἷον ἡ τῶν
συρίγγων·

αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ῥυθμῷ μιμοῦνται χωρὶς ἁρμονίας αἱ
τῶν ὀρχηστῶν, καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι διὰ τῶν σχηματιζομένων ῥυθμῶν
μιμοῦνται καὶ ἤθη καὶ πάθη καὶ πράξεις.

ἡ δὲ ἐποποιία
μόνον τοῖς λόγοις ψιλοῖς ἢ τοῖς μέτροις καὶ τούτοις εἴτε
μιγνῦσα μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων εἴθ᾽ ἑνί τινι γένει χρωμένη τῶν μέτρων
ἀνώνυμος τυγχάνει οὖσα μέχρι τοῦ νῦν.

οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν
ἔχοιμεν ὀνομάσαι κοινὸν τοὺς Σώφρονος καὶ Ξενάρχου μίμους
καὶ τοὺς Σωκρατικοὺς λόγους

οὐδὲ εἴ τις διὰ τριμέτρων
ἢ ἐλεγείων ἢ τῶν ἄλλων τινῶν τῶν τοιούτων ποιοῖτο τὴν
μίμησιν—

πλὴν οἱ ἄνθρωποί γε συνάπτοντες τῷ μέτρῳ τὸ
ποιεῖν ἐλεγειοποιοὺς τοὺς δὲ ἐποποιοὺς ὀνομάζουσιν, οὐχ ὡς
κατὰ τὴν μίμησιν ποιητὰς ἀλλὰ κοινῇ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον προσαγορεύοντες·

καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἰατρικὸν ἢ φυσικόν τι διὰ τῶν
μέτρων ἐκφέρωσιν, οὕτω καλεῖν εἰώθασιν· οὐδὲν δὲ κοινόν
ἐστιν Ὁμήρῳ καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλεῖ πλὴν τὸ μέτρον, διὸ τὸν μὲν
ποιητὴν δίκαιον καλεῖν, τὸν δὲ φυσιολόγον
μᾶλλον ἢ ποιητήν.

ὁμοίως δὲ κἂν εἴ τις ἅπαντα τὰ μέτρα μιγνύων
ποιοῖτο τὴν μίμησιν καθάπερ Χαιρήμων ἐποίησε Κένταυρον
μικτὴν ῥαψῳδίαν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν μέτρων, καὶ ποιητὴν
προσαγορευτέον. περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων διωρίσθω
τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον.

εἰσὶ δέ τινες αἳ πᾶσι χρῶνται τοῖς εἰρημένοις,
λέγω δὲ οἷον ῥυθμῷ καὶ μέλει καὶ μέτρῳ, ὥσπερ
ἥ τε τῶν διθυραμβικῶν ποίησις καὶ ἡ τῶν νόμων καὶ ἥ
τε τραγῳδία καὶ ἡ κωμῳδία· διαφέρουσι δὲ ὅτι αἱ μὲν
ἅμα πᾶσιν αἱ δὲ κατὰ μέρος.

ταύτας μὲν οὖν λέγω τὰς
διαφορὰς τῶν τεχνῶν ἐν οἷς ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν.

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.) — 1 focus

[1] 1447a 8 Περὶ ποιητικῆς αὐτῆς τε καὶ τῶν εἰδῶν αὐτῆς, ἥν τινα δύναμιν ἕκαστον ἔχει, καὶ πῶς δεῖ συνίστασθαι τοὺς μύθους εἰ μέλλει καλῶς ἕξειν ἡ ποίησις, ἔτι δὲ ἐκ πόσων καὶ ποίων ἐστὶ μορίων, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα τῆς αὐτῆς ἐστι μεθόδου, λέγωμεν λέγωμεν λέγομεν¹ ἀρξάμενοι κατὰ φύσιν πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων.

[2] ἐποποιία δὴ καὶ ἡ τῆς τραγῳδίας ποίησις ἔτι δὲ κωμῳδία καὶ ἡ διθυραμβοποιητικὴ καὶ τῆς 15 αὐλητικῆς ἡ πλείστη καὶ κιθαριστικῆς πᾶαι τυγχάνουσιν οὖσαι μιμήσεις τὸ σύνολον,

[3] διαφέρουσι δὲ ἀλλήλων τρισίν, ἢ γὰρ τῷ ἐν ἑτέροις ἐν ἑτέροις γένει² μιμεῖσθαι ἢ τῷ ἕτερα ἢ τῷ ἑτέρως καὶ μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον.

[4] ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ χρώμασι καὶ σχήμασι πολλὰ μιμοῦνταί τινες ἀπεικάζοντες (οἱ μὲν διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας), ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς τῆς φωνῆς τῆς φύσεως αὐτῆς τῆς φύσεως³, οὕτω κἀν κὰν καὶ ἐν καὶ ταῖς εἰρημέναις τέχναις· ἅπασαι μὲν ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ, τούτοις δ᾽ ἢ χωρὶς ἢ μεμιγμένοις· οἷον ἁρμονίᾳ μὲν καὶ ῥυθμῷ χρώμεναι μόνον ἥ τε αὐλητικὴ καὶ ἡ κιθαριστικὴ κἂν εἴ τινες ἕτεραι τυγχάνουσιν οὖσαι τοιαῦται τὴν δύναμιν, οἷον ἡ τῶν συρίγγων.

[5] αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ῥυθμῷ τῷ αὐτῷ δὲ⁴ [μιμοῦνται]⁵ χωρὶς ἁρμονίας ἡ⁶ τῶν ὀρχηστῶν, καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι διὰ τῶν σχηματιζομένων ῥυθμῶν μιμοῦνται καὶ ἤθη καὶ πάθη καὶ πράξεις.

[6] ἡ δὲ [ἐποποιία]⁷ μόνον τοῖς λόγοις ψιλοῖς ἢ τοῖς μέτροις καὶ τούτοις 1447b 8 εἴτε μιγνῦσα μετ’ ἀλλήλων εἴθ’ ἑνί τινι γένει χρωμένη τῶν μέτρων, ἀνώνυμος⁸ τυγχάνει οὖσα τυγχάνουσα μέχρι τοῦ νῦν.

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.) — 1 focus

Περὶ ποιητικῆς αὐτῆς τε καὶ τῶν εἰδῶν αὐτῆς, ἣν τινα δύναμιν ἕκαστον ἔχει, καὶ πῶς δεῖ συνίστασθαι τοὺς μύθους, εἰ μέλλει καλῶς ἕξειν ἡ ποίησις, ἔτι δὲ ἐκ πόσων καὶ ποίων ἐστὶ μορίων, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα τῆς αὐτῆς ἐστὶ μεθόδου, λέγωμεν, ἀρξάμενοι κατὰ φύσιν πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων. ἡ

ἐποποιία δὴ καὶ ἡ τῆς τραγῳδίας ποίησις, ἔτι δὲ κωμῳδία καὶ ἡ διθυραμβοποιητική, καὶ τῆς αὐλητικῆς ἡ πλείστη καὶ κιθαριστικῆς, πᾶσαι τυγχάνουσιν οὖσαι μιμήσεις τὸ σύνολον.

διαφέρουσι δὲ ἀλλήλων τρισίν· ἢ γὰρ τῷ γένει ἑτέροις μιμεῖσθαι, ἢ τῷ ἕτερα, ἢ τῷ ἑτέρως καὶ μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον.

ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ χρώμασι καὶ σχήμασι πολλὰ μιμοῦνταί τινες ἀπεικάζοντες, οἱ μὲν διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας [, ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς], οὕτω κἀν ταῖς εἰρημέναις τέχναις, ἅπασαι μὲν ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ, τούτοις δ' ἢ χωρὶς ἢ μεμιγμένοις,

αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ῥυθμῷ μιμοῦνται χωρὶς ἁρμονίας· οἱ τῶν ὀρχηστῶν· καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι διὰ τῶν σχηματιζομένων ῥυθμῶν μιμοῦνται καὶ ἤθη καὶ πάθη καὶ πράξεις.

ἡ δὲ ἐποποιία μόνον τοῖς λόγοις ψιλοῖς ἢ τοῖς μέτροις, καὶ τούτοις εἴτε μιγνῦσα μετ' ἀλλήλων, εἴθ' ἑνί τινι γένει χρωμένη τῶν μέτρων τυγχάνουσα μέχρι τοῦ νῦν.

οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν ἔχοιμεν ὀνομάσαι κοινὸν τοὺς Σώφρονος καὶ Ξενάρχου μίμους καὶ τοὺς Σωκρατικοὺς λόγους,

οὐδὲ εἴ τις διὰ τριμέτρων ἢ ἐλεγείων ἢ τῶν ἄλλων τινῶν τῶν τοιούτων ποιοῖτο τὴν μίμησιν·

καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἰατρικὸν ἢ μουσικόν τι διὰ τῶν μέτρων ἐκφέρωσιν, οὕτω¹ καλεῖν εἰώθασιν. οὐδὲν δὲ κοινόν ἐστιν Ὁμήρῳ καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλεῖ πλὴν τὸ μέτρον· διὸ τὸν μὲν ποιητὴν δίκαιον καλεῖν, τὸν δὲ φυσιολόγον μᾶλλον ἢ ποιητήν.

ὁμοίως δὲ κἂν εἴ τις ἅπαντα τὰ μέτρα μιγνύων ποιοῖτο τὴν μίμησιν, καθάπερ Χαιρήμων ἐποίησε Κένταυρον μικτὴν ῥαψῳδίαν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν μέτρων, καὶ ποιητὴν προσαγορευτέον. περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων διωρίσθω τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον.

εἰσὶ δέ τινες αἳ πᾶσι χρῶνται τοῖς εἰρημένοις, λέγω δὲ οἷον ῥυθμῷ καὶ μέλει καὶ μέτρῳ, ὥσπερ ἥ τε τῶν διθυραμβικῶν ποίησις καὶ ἡ τῶν νόμων καὶ ἥ τε τραγῳδία καὶ ἡ κωμῳδία· διαφέρουσι δέ, ὅτι αἱ μὲν ἅμα πᾶσιν αἱ δὲ κατὰ μέρος.

ταύτας μὲν οὖν λέγω τὰς διαφορὰς τῶν τεχνῶν, ἐν οἷς ποιοῦνται τὴν μίμησιν.

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 1 focus

1447a 8 Let¹ us here deal with Poetry, its essence and its several species, with the characteristic function of each species and the way in which plots must be constructed if the poem is to be a success; and also with the number and character of the constituent parts of a poem, and similarly with all other matters proper to this same inquiry; and let us, as nature directs, begin first with first principles.

Epic poetry, then, and the poetry of tragic drama, and, moreover, comedy and dithyrambic poetry, and most flute-playing and harp-playing, these, speaking generally, may all be said to be representations of life.²

But they differ one from another in three ways: either in using means generically different³ or in representing different objects or in representing objects not in the same way but in a different manner.

For just as by the use both of color and form people represent many objects, making likenesses of them— 20 some having a knowledge of art and some working empirically—and just as others use the human voice; so is it also in the arts which we have mentioned, they all make their representations in rhythm and language and tune, using these means either separately or in combination.

For tune and rhythm alone are employed in flute-playing and harp-playing and in any other arts which have a similar function, as, for example, pipe-playing.

Rhythm alone without tune is employed by dancers in their representations, for by means of rhythmical gestures they represent both character and experiences and actions.⁴

But the art which employs words either in bare prose or in metres, 1447b 1 either in one kind of metre or combining several, happens up to the present day to have no name.

For we can find no common term to apply to the mimes of Sophron and Xenarchus⁵ and to the Socratic dialogues:

nor again supposing a poet were to make his representation in iambics or elegiacs or any other such metre—

except that people attach the word poet(maker)to the name of the metre and speak of elegiac poets and of others as epic poets. Thus they do not call them poets in virtue of their representation but apply the name indiscriminately in virtue of the metre.

For if people publish medical or scientific treatises in metre the custom is to call them poets. But Homer and Empedocles⁶ have nothing in common except the metre, so that it would be proper to call the one a poet and the other not a poet but a scientist.

20 Similarly if a man makes his representation by combining all the metres, as Chaeremon did when he wrote his rhapsody The Centaur, a medley of all the metres, he too should be given the name of poet.⁷ On this point the distinctions thus made may suffice.

There are certain arts which employ all the means which I have mentioned, such as rhythm and tune and metre—dithyrambic and nomic poetry,⁸ for example, and tragedy too and comedy. The difference here is that some use all these at once, others use now one now another.

These differences then in the various arts I call the means of representation.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 1 focus

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

كتاب أرسطوطالس فى الشعراء نقل أبى بشر متى بن يونس القنائى من السريانى إلى العربى

قال أرسطوطالس:

〈موضوع صناعة الشعر؛ الشعر والمحاكاة ووسائل المحاكاة〉

إنا متكلمون الآن فى صناعة الشعراء وأنواعها، ومخبرون أى قوة لكل واحد منها، وعلى أى سبيل ينبغى أن تتقوم الأسمار والأشعار، إن كانت الفواسيس مزمعة بأن يجرى أمرها مجرى الجودة؛ وأيضاً من كم جزء هى، وأيما هى أجزاؤها؛ وكذلك نتكلم من أجل كم التى هى موجودة التى هى لها بعينها. و[نتكلم و]نحن متكلمون فى هذا كله من حيث نبتدئ أولا من الأشياء الأوائل.

فكل شعر، وكل نشيد شعرى ينحى به: إما مديحاً، وإما هجاء، 〈و〉إما ديثرمبو الشعرى، ونحو أكثر أوليطيقس، وكل ما كان داخلا فى التشبيه ومحاكاة صناعة الملاهى من الزمر والعود وغيره. وأصنافها ثلاثة: وذلك إما أن يكون يشبه بأشياء أخر والحكاية بها، وإما أن تكون على عكس هذا: وهو أن تكون أشياء أخر تشبه وتحاكى، وإما أن تجرى على أحوال مختلفة لا على جهة واحدة بعينها.

وكما أن الناس قد يشبهون بألوان وأشكال كثير〈ة〉 أو يحاكون ذلك من حيث أن بعضهم يشبه بالصناعات ويحاكيها، وبعضهم بالعادات، وقوم أخر منهم بالأصوات: كذلك الصناعات التى وضعنا [و]: جميعها تأتى بالتشبيه والحكاية باللحن والقول والنظم، وذلك يكون: إما على الانفراد، وإما على جهة الاختلاط. مثال ذلك: أوليطيقى وصناعة العيدان فانهما يستعملان اللحن و〈الـ〉ـتأليف فقط، وإن كان توجد صناعات أخر هى فى قوتها مثل هاتين: مثال ذلك صناعة الصفر تستعمل اللحن الواحد بعينه من غير تأليف، وصناعة أداة الرقص أيضاً، وذلك أن هاتين باللحون المتشكلة تشبه بالعادات وبالانفعالات أيضاً وبالأعمال أيضاً وتحاكيها.

أما بعضها فبالكلام المنثور الساذج أكثر، أو بالأوزان: وتحاكى هى هذه: إما وهى مخلطة، وإما بأن تستعمل جنساً واحداً، وبالأوزان التى هى بلا تسمية 〈إلى الآن〉. وذلك أنه ليس لنا أن نسمى بماذا تشارك حكايات وتشبهات شاعر〈مثل سـ〉ـوفرن وكسانرخس والأقاويل المنسوبة إلى سقراط. ولا أيضاً إن جعل الانسان تشبيهه وحكايته بالأوزان الثلاثية، أو هو هذه التى تقال لها ألغاز، أو شىء من هذه الأخر التى تجعل تشبيهه وحكايته لها على هذا النحو. غير أن الناس عندما يوصلون وزن صناعة الشعر يعملون الأوزان ويسمون بعضها: فن الغايا، وبعضها فن الأفى والتى لها أول وآخر؛ وليس كالتى يعملون الشعر التى هى بالحكاية والتشبيه، لكن التى يلقبونها المشتركة فى أوزانها.

وذلك إن عملوا شيئاً من أمور الطب أو أمور الطبيعة بالأوزان فهكذا قد جرت عادتهم بالتلقيب: وذلك أنه لا شىء يشتر كان فيه: أوميروس وأنفادقلس ما خلا الوزن. ولذلك أما ذاك فينبغى أن نلقبه شاعراً، وأما هذا فالمتكلم فى الطبيعيات أكثر من الشاعر. وكذلك إن كان الانسان يعمل الحكاية والتشبيه عندما يخلط جميع الأوزان، كما كان يعمل خاريمن، فانه كان يشبه قانطورس برقص الدستبند من جميع الأوزان: فقد يجب أن نلقبه شاعراً.

فمن قبل هذه كان حدد هذا الضرب. وقد يوجد قوم يستعملون جميع التى وصفت: مثال ذلك فى اللحن والصوت الحلو أو الأوزان، كصناعة الشعر الديثوردمبى والتى للناموس، والمديح أيضاً والهجاء. وتختلف بأن بعضها مع الكل معاً، وبعضها بالجزء.

فهذه أقول إنها أصناف الصنائع التى بها يعملون الحكاية والتشبيه.

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.) — 1 focus

I propose to treat of Poetry in itself and of its various
kinds, noting the essential quality of each; to inquire into
the structure of the plot as requisite to a good poem;
into the number and nature of the parts of which a
poem is composed; and similarly into whatever else falls
within the same inquiry. Following, then, the order of
nature, let us begin with the principles which come
first.

Epic poetry and Tragedy, Comedy also and Dithyrambic
poetry, and the music of the flute and of the lyre in
most of their forms, are all in their general conception
modes of imitation.

They differ, however, from one another in three respects,—the
medium, the objects, the manner or mode of imitation,
being in each case distinct.

For as there are persons who, by conscious art or mere
habit, imitate and represent various objects through the
medium of colour and form, or again by the voice; so in the
arts above mentioned, taken as a whole, the imitation is
produced by rhythm, language, or 'harmony,' either singly
or combined.

Thus in the music of the flute and of the lyre, 'harmony'
and rhythm alone are employed; also in other arts, such
as that of the shepherd's pipe, which are essentially
similar to these.

In dancing, rhythm alone is used without 'harmony';
for even dancing imitates character, emotion, and action,
by rhythmical movement.

There is another art which imitates by means of language
alone, and that either in prose or verse—which verse, again,
may either combine different metres or consist of but one
kind—but this has hitherto been without a name.

For there is no common term we could apply to the
mimes of Sophron and Xenarchus and the Socratic
dialogues on the one hand;

and, on the other, to poetic imitations in iambic, elegiac,
or any similar metre.

People do, indeed, add the word 'maker' or 'poet' to the
name of the metre, and speak of elegiac poets, or epic
(that is, hexameter) poets, as if it were not the imitation
that makes the poet, but the verse that entitles them all
indiscriminately to the name.

Even when a treatise on medicine or natural science is
brought out in verse, the name of poet is by custom given
to the author; and yet Homer and Empedocles have
nothing in common but the metre, so that it would be
right to call the one poet, the other physicist rather than
poet.

On the same principle, even if a writer in his poetic
imitation were to combine all metres, as Chaeremon did in
his Centaur, which is a medley composed of metres of all
kinds, we should bring him too under the general term
poet. So much then for these distinctions.

There are, again, some arts which employ all the means
above mentioned, namely, rhythm, tune, and metre. Such
are Dithyrambic and Nomic poetry, and also Tragedy and
Comedy; διαφέρουσι δὲ ὅτι αἱ μὲν ἅμα πᾶσιν αἱ δὲ κατὰ
μέρος.

Such, then, are the differences of the arts with respect
to the medium of imitation.

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 1 focus

Our subject being Poetry, I propose to speak not only of the
art in general but also of its species and their respective
capacities; of the structure of plot required for a good poem;
of the number and nature of the constituent parts of a poem;
and likewise of any other matters in the same line of inquiry.
Let us follow the natural order and begin with the primary
facts.

Epic poetry and Tragedy, as also Comedy,
Dithyrambic poetry, and most flute-playing and lyre-playing,
are all, viewed as a whole, modes of imitation.

But at the same time they differ from one another in three ways,
either by a difference of kind in their means, or by differences
in the objects, or in the manner of their imitations.

Just as form and colour are used as means by some,
who (whether by art or constant practice) imitate and portray
many things by their aid, and the voice is used by others;
so also in the above-mentioned group of arts, the means
with them as a whole are rhythm, language, and harmony
-used, however, either singly or in certain combinations.

A combination of rhythm and harmony alone is the means in
flute-playing and lyre-playing, and any other arts there may
be of the same description, e.g. imitative piping.

Rhythm
alone, without harmony, is the means in the dancer's imitations;
for even he, by the rhythms of his attitudes, may represent
men's characters, as well as what they do and suffer.

There is further an art which imitates by language
alone, without harmony, in prose or in verse, and if in verse,
either in some one or in a plurality of metres.
This form of imitation is to this day without a name.

We have no
common name for a mime of Sophron or Xenarchus and
a Socratic Conversation;

and we should still be without one
even if the imitation in the two instances were in trimeters
or elegiacs or some other kind of verse

-though it is the way
with people to tack on 'poet' to the name of a metre, and
talk of elegiac-poets and epic-poets, thinking that they call
them poets not by reason of the imitative nature of their
work, but indiscriminately by reason of the metre they write
in.

Even if a theory of medicine or physical philosophy be
put forth in a metrical form, it is usual to describe the writer
in this way; Homer and Empedocles, however, have really
nothing in common apart from their metre; so that, if the
one is to be called a poet, the other should be termed a
physicist rather than a poet.

We should be in the same
position also, if the imitation in these instances were in all
the metres, like the Centaur (a rhapsody in a medley of all
metres) of Chaeremon; and Chaeremon one has to recognize
as a poet. So much, then, as to these arts.

There are,
lastly, certain other arts, which combine all the means
enumerated, rhythm, melody, and verse, e.g. Dithyrambic
and Nomic poetry, Tragedy and Comedy; with this difference,
however, that the three kinds of means are in some of them
all employed together, and in others brought in separately,
one after the other.

These elements of difference in the
above arts I term the means of their imitation.

The Poetic of Aristotle (Henry James Pye, revised 1792) (OCR draft) Experimental (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.) — 1.7 focus

The Epopee uses plain language or verse, either mixing different measures or confining itself to one sort as has continued the practice to the present time [c].

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.) — 1.7 focus

But the epopee alone imitates by mere words or metres, and by these either mingling them with each other, or employing one certain kind of metres, which method has been adopted up to the present time. ¹

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.) — 1 focus

De poetica et ipsa et formis ipsius, quam quaeque vim habeat, et quomodo deceat componi fabulas, si recte se habitura sit poesis, praeterea ex quot et quibus partibus constet, pariterque de ceteris quae eiusdem disciplinae sunt, dicamus, initio facto secundum naturam ab iis quae prima sunt.

epopoeia igitur et tragoediae poesis, praeterea comoedia et dithyrambopoetica, et auleticae maxima pars citharisticaeque, omnes sunt imitationes in universum.

differunt autem inter sese tribus: aut quod genere diversis imitantur, aut quod diversa, aut quod diverse neque eodem modo.

ut enim et coloribus et lineamentis sunt qui multa imitantur assimulando, alii per artem alii per consuetudinem [, alii autem per vocem], sic etiam in iis quas dixi artibus, cunctae faciunt imitationem numero et sermone et concentu, iisque aut singulis aut mixtis,

quemadmodum uno concentu numeroque utuntur et auletica et citharistica, et si quae sunt aliae eiusdem potestatis, ut quae fistulis canit.

solo autem numero imitantur sine concentu motus saltatorum: etenim hi quoque per figuratos numeros imitantur et mores et perturbationes et actiones.

epopoeia vero unis sermonibus nudis aut metris, atque his dum ea sive miscet inter sese, sive uno aliquo genere metrorum utitur usque ad hoc tempus.

non enim communi nomine comprehendere possemus Sophronis et Xenarchi mimos et Socraticos sermones,

neque si quis trimetris vel elegis vel aliis quibusdam eiusmodi faceret imitationem;

nisi quod homines copulantes cum metro facere alios elegifices alios epifices nominant, non tam qui secundum imitationem sunt poetas quam communiter secundum metrum appellantes.

etenim si medicum quoddam vel musicum per metra efferant, sic vocare consueverunt. nihil autem commune est Homero et Empedocli praeter metrum; quamobrem illum iustum est poetam vocare, hunc autem physiologum potius quam poetam.

similiter vero etiam si quis omnia metra miscens faceret imitationem, quemadmodum Chaeremo fecit Centaurum mixtam rhapsodiam ex omnibus metris, et is poeta dicendus erit.

atque de his hunc in modum expositum esto. sunt etiam artes quae omnibus utuntur iis quae dicta sunt, dico numero et concentu et metro, sicut dithyrambicorum poesis et nomorum et tragoedia comoediaque differunt autem, quod hae simul omnibus, illae per partes.

has igitur dico differentias artium, in quibus faciunt imitationem.

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 1.7 focus

L'Epopée ſe ſert du diſcours en profe ou en vers, ſoit qu'elle mêle pluſieurs fortes de vers ou qu'elle ſe contente d'une ſeule eſpece, comme elle l'a fait juſqu'à preſent.

6. Je donne au mot Epopée une ſignification fort étenduë :

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 1 focus

ELLA Poetica, & di lei, & delle fue fpetie, qual fia dı ciaſcuna d'eſſe la forza; & qualmente debbino effe re conteffute le fauole da chi vuole, che la poeſia vi ſtia rettamente. Oltradiqueſto di quanti, & di qua li parti ella ſia compoſta; & ſimilmete di tutte l'altre coſe, che à queſta inſtitutione s'appartengono, dirò io conſeguentemente: incominciatomi ſecondo l'ordine naturale primieramente da quelle cose che ſono imprima dell'altre.¹

Il poema Heroico adunche detto Epopeia, & il Tragico; & inoltre quello della Commedia, & quello de' Ditirambi: & an chora la piu parte di quell'arti, che ſono intorno al fuono de' Flauti, & delle Citare. Tutte, dico, conuengono in queſto generale, ch'elle ſono imitationi.

Ma fon bene differenti infra di loro per tre conti, ò perche elle imitano con coſe diuerſe di ſpetie;ò perch'elle imitano coſe diuerſe : ò perch'elle imitano in modo diuerfo, & non in vn'medeſimo.

Perchè coſi come certi fono, che vanno imitando con li colori, et con le figure molte co ſe per renderle famiglianti; certi, dico, ſono che fanno queſto per via dell'arte : & certi per via della conſuetu dine. Et altri ſono, che imitano con la uoce. Parimente interuiene nell'arti raccontate diſopra, che tutte, cioè, fanno l'imitatione & col numero, & col parlare, & con l'armonia. Et con queſte coſe la fanno,ò diſpersè,ò infieme;

come auuiene nell' arte de' ſuoni de' Flauti, & delle Citare, ò s'alcune altre ſe ne ritrouano, che habbinola medefima forza: ſicome è nell' arte del fonare le Zampogne. Queſte, dico, tutte nel fare la loro imitatione vſano l'armonia, & il numero.

Et il numero diſpersè ſenza l'armonia vſa nell'imitatione tutta l'arte, che è intorno a' balli, ò a' falti. Concioſia che quiui per via di quei numeri meſsi in atto co' geſti vi ſi vada imi tando & i coſtumi, & le attioni, & gli affetti.

Ma l'Epo peia fa l'imitatione ſolamente con la proſa,ò col verſo; & col verſo, ò meſcolato di piu forti: ò con quello, che ſia d'una fola ſpetie. Et ciò è offeruato infino al prefente tempo.

Imperoche ſtando altrimenti neſſuna altra coſa ſarebbe, che noi poteſsimo dire effer comune infra i Mimi di Sofrone, & di Xenarco; & infra i ragionaméti di Socrate.

Nè anchora s'alcuno faceſſe l'imitatione co' verſi lambi,o con gli Elegi:ò con altri ſimili.

Eccetto che gli huomini, congiugnendo inſieme il poetare, & il verſo, hanno chiamato queſti Poeti di Elegie; & quegli Poeti di Eflametri; non hauendo in ciò riſpetto all'imitatione: ma dando generalmente il nome di Poeta ſecondo il riſpetto del verſo.

Conciofia che ſe talı Poeti hanno detto in verſi alcuna coſa appar tenente ò alla medicina, ò alla muſica; eſsi hanno vſato nondimanco con la ragion'detta di chiamargli Poeti. Mae'non è comune alcun'altra coſa infra Homero, & Empedocle eccetto il verſo. Onde l'uno ſi debbe ragio neuolmente chiamar Poeta; & l'altro piutoſto Filofofo naturale, che Poeta.

Et queſto ſimileauuiene doue anchora vno, meſcolate tutte le ſorti de' verſi, nondimanco non vi faceſſe l'imitatione: ficome fe Chieremone nel ſuo Caual centauro, che di tutte le forti de verſi vi fe vn' meſcuglio. Et non per ciò debbe effer chiamato Poeta. Di queſte coſe adunche baſti la deter mination'detta.

Sono anchora certe fpetie di poefie, che vſano nella loro imitatione tutte le coſe dette, cioè, il numero,l'harmonia, & il verſo; come è la poeſia de' Ditirambi,& quella delle leggi : & come è la Tragedia,& la Commedia.

Ma fono differenti in queſto, che certe di loro vſano inſieme tutte le coſe dette;et certe l'uſano diſpersè.

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.) — 1 focus

De poetica et ipsa et formis ipsius, quam vim habeat unaquaeque, et quomodo oporteat componi fabulas, si habitura sit se recte poesis, praeterea vero ex quot et qualibus constet partibus, similiter autem et de aliis quae eiusdem methodi sunt, dicamus incipientes secundum naturain naturam primum a primis.

iam vero epopoeia et tragoediae poësis, praeterea comoedia et dithyrambopoëtica, et auleticae maxima pars et citharisticae, omnes sunt imitatio in universum.

differunt autem inter se tribus: aut enim quod genere diversis imitantur, aut quod diversa, aut quod diverso et non eodem modo.

ut enim et coloribus et figuris multa imitantur aliqui effigiem exprimentes, partim quidem per artem partim vero per consuetudinem, alii autem utrisque, sic in dictis artibus omnes faciunt imitationem in numero et oratione et harmonia, atque his separatim aut mixtis.

ut harmonia quidem et numero utuntur solum et auletica et citharistica, et si quae aliae sunt tales potestate, ut fistularum. ipso autem numero imitantur sine harmonia,

qui sunt inter saltatores: etenim isti per figuratos numeros imitantur et mores et perturbationes et actiones. epopoeia vero solum sermonibus nudis vel metris,

et his sive mixtis inter se sive uno aliquo genere utens metrorum, qualis fuit usque adhuc.

non enim rem communem possemus nominare Sophronis et Xenarchi mimos et Socratis sermones,

neque si quis per trimetra vel elegos vel alia quaedam talia conficeret imitationem;

nisi quod homines coniungentes cum metro ipsum fingere, alios quidem elegorum fictores alios vero epicorum fictores nominant, non secundum imitationem sed communiter secundum metrum appellantes poëtas.

etenim si medicinae aut musicae aliquid per metra proferunt, sic appellare consueverunt: nihil autem commune est Homero et Empedocli praeter metrum; quare illum quidem poëtam iustum est appellare, hunc vero physiologum magis quam poëtam.

similiter vero etiam si quis omnia metra miscens non faciat imitationem, quemadmodum Chaeremon fecit Centaurum, mixtam rhapsodiam ex omnibus metris, iam poëta non est appellandus. atque haec quidem hunc in modum explicata sint.

sunt autem aliquae quae omnibus utuntur iis quae dicta sunt, nempe numero et concentu et metro, sicut dithyrambicorum poësis et nomorum. praeterea tragoedia et comoedia. differunt vero, quod illae quidem simul omnibus, hae vero secundum partem.

atque has quidem dico differentias artium, in quibus faciunt imitationem.

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.) — 1 focus

De poetica ipsaque et speciebus ipsius, quam virtutem habet, et quomodo oportet constituere fabulas si debeat bene habere poesis, adhuc autem ex quot et qualibus est partibus, similiter autem et de aliis quecumque sunt eiusdem methodi, dicamus incipientes secundum naturam primo a primis. —

Epopoiia itaque et que tragodie poesis, adhuc autem komodia et que dithyrambopoetica et fystulative plurima et cytharistice, omnes existunt entes imitationes secundum totum;

differunt autem ab invicem tribus: aut enim per genere alteris imitari, aut per altera, aut per aliter et non eodem modo.

Sicut enim et coloribus et figuris multa imitantur quosdam assimilantes hii quidem per artem, hii autem per consuetudinem, alteri autem per vocem, sic et dictis artibus. Omnibus quidem faciunt imitationem in rythmo et sermone et armonia, hiis autem aut separatim aut mixtis:

puta armonia quidem et rythmo utentes solo fystulativaque et cytharistica et si que alie sint habentes talem potentiam, puta que tubarum;

ipso autem rythmo imitantur sine armonia qui saltatricum ; et enim isti per figuratos rythmos imitantur et mores et passiones et actiones.

Epopoiia autem solum sermonibus nudis aut metris, et hiis aut miscens cum invicem aut uno aliquo genere utens metrorum existens usque nunc.

Nichil enim habemus nominare commune Sofronis et Xenarchi mymos et Socraticos sermones

neque si quis per trimetra aut elegeia aut per alia aliqua talia faciat imitationem ;

nisi quod homines, copulantes metro le facere, elegeioficos, hos autem versificos nominant; non tamquam secundum imitationem poetas, sed communiter secundum metrum appellantes.

Et enim si medicinale aut musicum aliquid per metra efferant, sic vocare consueverunt; nichil autem commune est Homero et Empedocli preter metrum, propter quod hunc quidem poetam iustum vocare, hunc autem fysiologum magis quam poetam.

Similiter autem et si quis omnia metra miscens faciat imitationem, sicut Kherimon fecit Centaurum mixtam rapsodiam ex omnibus metris, et poetam appellandum. De hiis quidem igitur determinatum sit hoc modo. —

Sunt autem aliqui qui omnibus dictis utuntur, dico autem puta rythmo et melodia et metro, sicut que dithyrambicorum poesis et que nomorum (idest legum) et tragodiaque et komodia ; differunt autem quia hee quidem simul omnibus, hee autem secundum partem.

Has quidem igitur dico differentias artium in quibus faciunt imitationem.

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.) — 1 focus

‏انا متكلمون الان فى صناعة الشعرا وانواعها ومخبرون اى قوة لكل واحد واحد منها وعلى اى سبيل ينبغى ان تتقوم الاسمار والاشعار ان كانت الفواسس مزمعة بان يجرى امرها مجرى الجودة وايضا من كم جزو هى وايما هى اجزاوها وكذلك نتكلم من اجل كم التى هى موجودة التى هى لها بعينها ونتكلم ونحن متكلمون فى هذا كله من حيث نبتدى اولا من الاشيا الاوايل

‏فكل شعر وكل نشيد شعرى ننحا به اما مديحا واما هجاا اما دثيرمبو الشعرى ونحو اكثر اوليطيقس وكل ما كان داخلا فى التشبه ومحاكاة صناعة الملاهى من الزمر والعود وغيره

‏واصنافها ثلثة وذلك اما ان تكون تشبه باشيا اخر والحكاية بها واما ان تكون على عكس هذا وهو ان تكون اشيا اخر تشبه وتحاكى واما ان تجرى على احوال مختلفة لا على جهة واحدة بعينها

‏وكما ان الناس قد يشبهون بالوان واشكال كثيرا ويحاكون ذلك من حيث ان بعضهم يشبه بالصناعات ويحاكيها وبعضهم بالعادات وقوم اخر منهم بالاصوات كذلك الصناعات التى وصفنا وجميعها ياتى بالتشبه والحكاية باللحن والقول والنظم وذلك يكون اما على الانفراد واما على جهة الاختلاط

‏مثال ذلك اوليطيقى وصناعة العيدان فانهما تستعملان اللحن وتاليف فقط وان كان توجد صناعات اخر هى فى قوتها مثل هاتين مثل ذلك صناعة الصفر تستعمل اللحن الواحد بعينه من غير تاليف

‏وصناعة اداة الرقص ايضا وذلك ان هاتين باللحون المتشكلة تشبه بالعادات وبالانفعالات ايضا وبالاعمال ايضا وتحاكيها

‏اما بعضها فبالكلام المنثور السارح اكثر او بالاوزان وتحاكى هى هذه اما وهى مخلطة واما بان تستعمل جنسا واحدا وبالاوزان التى هى بلا تسمية الا الازمه

‏وذلك انه ليس لنا ان نسمى بماذا يشارك حكايات وتشبيهات شاعر وقرن وكسانرخس والاقاويل المنسوبة الى سقراط

‏ولا ايضا ان جعل الانسان تشبيهه وحكايته بالاوزان الثلاثيه او هى هذه التى يقال لها الغاز او شى من هذه الاخر التى يجعل تشبيهه وحكايته لها على هذا النحو

‏غير ان الناس عند ما يوصلون وزن صناعة الشعر [يعملون الاوزان و]يسمون بعضها فمن الغايا وبعضها فى الاخر [والتى لها اول واخر] وليس كالتى يعملون الشعر التى هى بالحكاية والتشبيه لكن التى يلقبونها المشتركة فى اوزانها

‏وذلك ان عملوا شى من امور الطب او امور الطبيعة بالاوزان فهكذى قد جرت عادتهم بالتقليب وذلك انه لا شى يشتركان فيه اوميروس وانفادقلس ما خلا الوزن ولذلك اما ذاك فينبغى ان نلقبه شاعرا واما هذا فالمتكلم فى الطبيعيات اكثر من الشاعر

‏وكذلك ان كان الانسان يعمل الحكاية والتشبيه عند ما يخلط جميع الاوزان كما كان يعمل خاريمن فانه كن يشبه قانطورس برقص الدستبند من جميع الاوزان فقد يجب ان نلقبه شاعرا فمن قبل هذه كان حدد هذا الضرب

‏وقد يوجد قوم يستعملون جميع التى وصفت مثال ذلك فى اللحن والصوت الحلوا والاوزان كصناعة الشعر التى ٮٮورمٮى والتى للناصوس والمديح ايضا والهجا ويختلف بان بعضها مع الكل معا وبعضها بالجزو

‏فهذه اقول انها اصناف الصنايع التى بها يعملون

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 1 focus

‏وذلك انه ليس لنا ان نسمى بماذا يشارك حكايات وتشبيهات شاعر وقرن وكسانرخس والاقاويل المنسوبة الى سقراط

‏وذلك ان عملوا شى من امور الطب او امور الطبيعة بالاوزان فهكذى قد جرت عادتهم بالتقليب

‏وذلك انه لا شى يشتركان فيه اوميروس وانفادقلس ما خلا الوزن ولذلك اما ذاك فينبغى ان نلقبه شاعرا واما هذا فالمتكلم فى الطبيعيات اكثر من الشاعر

‏وكذلك ان كان الانسان يعمل الحكاية والتشبيه عند ما يخلط جميع الاوزان كما كان يعمل خاريمن فانه كن يشبه قانطورس برقص الدستبند من جميع الاوزان فقد يجب ان نلقبه شاعرا

‏فمن قبل هذه كان حدد هذا الضرب

‏وقد يوجد قوم يستعملون جميع التى وصفت مثال ذلك فى اللحن والصوت الحلوا والاوزان كصناعة الشعر التى ٮٮورمٮى والتى للناصوس والمديح ايضا والهجا

‏ويختلف بان بعضها مع الكل معا وبعضها بالجزو فهذه اقول انها اصناف الصنايع التى بها يعملون

Notes on the current edition

Poetics

1. i. e. by words only, without melody and rhythm; or, at most, with no other rhythm than is implied in the idea of metre:—without rhythm in its musical acceptation of time. See NOTE 5.

Commentary

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

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-18

ὥσπερ γὰρ κτέ. Aristotle prepares us for the difference of means in these arts by pointing to the difference of means in a larger group. The distinction between arts addressing the eye and the ear is frequently noted by Plato ( Rep. 373 b , 603 b ; Crat. 423 d ; Gorg. 474 e ). Aristotle has a special reason for saying ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς, because the imitative capacity of the voice renders language and poetry possible: Rhet. 3. 1, 1404 a 21

ὑπῆρξε δὲ καὶ ἡ φωνὴ πάντων μιμητικώτατον τῶν μορίων ἡμῖν

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-19

1447a19 πολλά is not otiose. The art of the painter or sculptor has limits; it can only indirectly express character and feeling. The theory in Lessing's Laocoon is based on an idea already in Aristotle.

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-20

μιμοῦνταί τινες ἀπεικάζοντες : Xenophon Mem. 3. 10. 1

σώματα διὰ τῶν χρωμάτων ἀπεικάζοντες ἐκμιμεῖσθε

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-21

οἱ μὲν διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας is thrown in parenthetically, like 8, 1451 a 24

ἤτοι διὰ τέχνην ἢ διὰ φύσιν

. As opposed to τέχνη, συνήθεια means much the same as ἐμπειρία ( Eth. N. 8. 7, 1158 a 14 ; 10. 10, 1181 a 9 ). The contrast is between skill depending on practice and that directed by consciousness of rules.

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-22

1447a20 ἕτεροι δὲ corresponds to a foregoing τινές in Eth. N. 1. 1, 1094 b 18 .

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-23

διὰ τῆς φωνῆς = τῇ φωνῇ. Aristotle has allowed himself to repeat the prepositional construction used in the parenthesis. The emendation of Madius, διὰ τῆς φύσεως, ignores the whole point of the analogy: the diversity of means. The diversity of means in the group under consideration— λόγος, ῥυθμός, and ἁρμονία—is like the diversity of χρώματα, σχήματα, and φωνή.

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-24

1447a22 ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ The three terms had already appeared in the same sense in Plato's analysis of the song or choral in Rep. 398 D

τὸ μέλος ἐκ τριῶν ἐστι συγκείμενον, λόγου τε καὶ ἁρμονίας καὶ ῥυθμοῦ

(comp. Laws 661 C ; 669 D ). His terminology, however, is not always quite the same; he sometimes says ῥυθμὸς καὶ μέτρον ( Phil. 17 D , Gorg. 502 C ) or μέτρον καὶ ῥυθμός ( Rep. 601 A ) in lieu of ῥυθμός; and μέλος, 'melody' or 'tune', in lieu of ἁρμονία ( Rep. 400 A , Gorg. 502 C , Laws 656 C , etc.). Aristotle also, in more than one passage in the Poetics ( 1, 1447 b 25 ; 6, 1449 b 31 ), has put μέλος in place of ἁρμονία; and in one instance ( 6, 1449 b 29 ) he combines the two terms as synonyms. It is clear, therefore, that in its present application ἁρμονία means no more than 'melody' or 'tune'. ῥυθμός is properly 'time' or 'pace'. It is a very general word, since it includes the element of rhythm in language and in the movements of the dance, as well as that in music; comp. Plato Laws 665 A

τῇ δὴ τῆς κινήσεως τάξει [scil. εἶπομεν ὡς] ῥυθμὸς ὄνομα εἴη, τῇ δ᾿ αὖ τῆς φωνῆς, τοῦ τε ὀξέος ἅμα καὶ βαρέος συγκεραννυμένων, ἁρμονία ὄνομα προσαγορεύοιτο, χορεία δὲ τὸ ξυναμφότερον κληθείη

. — 672 E

Ὅλη μέν που χορεία ὅλη παίδευσις ἦν ἡμῖν, τούτου δ᾿ αὖ τὸ μὲν ῥυθμοί τε καὶ ἁρμονίαι, τὸ κατὰ τὴν φωνήν... τὸ δέ γε κατὰ τὴν τοῦ σώματος κίνησιν ῥυθμὸν μὲν κοινὸν τῇ τῆς φωνῆς εἶχε κινήσει, σχῆμα δ᾿ ἴδιον

. ἐκεῖ δὲ μέλος ἡ τῆς φωνῆς κίνησις (see also Symp. 187 B and Phil. 17 C ). The various applications of ῥυθμός are thus summarized in Aristoxenus (p. 411, 8 Marquard):

ἔστι δὲ τὰ ῥυθμιζόμενα τρία· λέξις, μέλος, κίνησις σωματική

. Plato's view as to the great imitative capacities of rhythm and harmony and music generally may be seen in Rep. 399 A sqq. , in Laws 668 A sqq. , and more briefly put, in Laws 798 E

τὰ περὶ τοὺς ῥυθμοὺς καὶ πᾶσαν μουσικήν ἐστι τρόπων μιμήματα βελτιόνων και χειρόνων ἀνθρώπων

. The point is recognized with equal clearness by Aristotle in Pol. 8. 5, 1340 a 18

ἔστι δ᾿ ὁμοιώματα μάλιστα παρὰ τὰς ἀληθινὰς φύσεις ἐν τοῖς ῥυθμοῖς καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν ὀργῆς καὶ πραότητος, ἔτι δ᾿ ἀνδρείας καὶ σωφροσύνης καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐναντίων τούτοις καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἠθικῶν... (a38) ἐν δὲ τοῖς μέλεσιν αὐτοῖς ἔστι μιμήματα τῶν ἠθῶν ... (a57) τὸν αὐτὸν γὰρ τρόπον ἔχει καὶ τὰ περὶ τοὺς ῥυθμούς· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἦθος ἔχουσι στασιμώτερον οἱ δὲ κινητικόν, καὶ τούτων οἱ μὲν φορτικωτέρας ἔχουσι τὰς κινήσεις οἱ δὲ ἐλευθεριωτέρας

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-25

1447a23 χωρὶς ἢ μεμιγμένοις : a reminiscence of Plato Laws 669 D

διασπῶσιν οἱ ποιηταὶ ῥυθμὸν μὲν καὶ σχήματα μέλους χωρίς, λόγους ψιλοὺς εἰς μέτρα τιθέντες, μέλος δ᾿ αὖ καὶ ῥυθμὸν ἄνευ ῥημάτων, ψιλῇ κιθαρίσει τε καὶ αὐλήσει προσχρώμενοι

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

15. mvp-aristotle-comment-15

1.4 Car comme les Peintres imitent pluſieurs choses avec des figures & des couleurs¹

16. mvp-aristotle-comment-16

1.4 Ou par le secours de l'art ou par l'habitude ſeule, ou en joignant les deux enſemble²

17. mvp-aristotle-comment-17

1.4 Avec le nombre, le diſcours, & l'harmonie.³

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

2. mvp-aristotle-comment-2

NOTE 2. P. 2.

1.4 FOR, AS MEN, SOME THROUGH ART, AND SOME THROUGH HABIT, IMITATE VARIOUS OBJECTS, &C.

I have followed the old and most authentic reading,

δια της ΦΩΝΗΣ

: which, though not unexceptionable, has been rejected, I think, without sufficient reason. The philosopher is, here, only illustrating what he had said of the different means of poetical and musical imitation, by comparing those arts, in this respect, with other arts more strictly and obviously imitative.

That he meant to confine his illustration to Painting, was a groundless fancy of Dacier, which led him into two unnecessary corrections of the text, and a very forced and improbable explication of the whole passage. The remark of Aristotle, parenthetically flung in, about art and habit, (

δι μεν δια τεχνης, δι δε δια συνηθειας

,) was by no means necessary to his illustration. Dacier extends the parenthesis by the reading he adopts, (

δι μεν δια τέχνης, οι δε δια συνηθειας, ἐτεροι δε ΔΙ' ΑΜΦΟΙΝ

,) then wonders, why Aristotle,

"qui n'ecrit pas un seul mot inutilement,"

should enter into such a detail; and then, wantonly alters the text, (from

δια τεχνής

, to

δια ΤΥΧΗΣ

,) in order to account for it in a manner, that leaves it more wonderful than he found it.

Castelvetro had before proposed a similar alteration—

ἐτεροι δε ΑΜΦΟΤΕΡΟΙΣ

; but in a sense, which, could it be supported, would be far more to the purpose than that of Dacier: i. e. "others, again, [imitate] both by colour and by figure." This would answer to what follows, that the different means of imitation, in the Poetical and Musical arts, were used, sometimes separately, and sometimes combined. To this sense, however, an objection immediately occurs. We may imitate an object by figure without colour, but not by colour without figure. ¹ But it would be a waste of discussion to enter fully into the merits of an explanation, that is founded on a reading, by no means, I think, sufficiently warranted, either by the authority of MSS. or by any necessity of alteration.

That the words

χρωματα

and

σχηματα

are very frequently joined by the Greek writers to denote painting, is certain. But Aristotle is not here speaking of the different Arts which employ these means of imitation, but of the means themselves, separately and abstractedly. The application of these, singly, or in their various combinations, to those arts, he has left to the reader. It seems probable, (as Victorius has observed,) that Sculpture, at least, was included in Aristotle's idea of

σχηματα

. Possibly, too, the word may be here used in its widest sense, of figure or form in general; which would take in the outline of Painting, the solid figure of Sculpture, and the gestures of the personal Mimic.

That, at least, the word

φωνη

is right, in the old reading, appears highly probable from the frequent mention of the voice, as a principal instrument of imitation, in antient authors. It is called by Aristotle, as Mr. Winstanley has judiciously observed,

παντων μιμητικωτατον των μοριων ημων

.² Farther by this reading the illustration intended is more perfect, as it comprehends more "means of different kinds"—

ΓΕΝΕΙ ἑτερα

. The same reason favours also the extension of the word

σχηματα

to Sculpture, at least.

The only objection to the reading,

δια της φωνης

, is, the improbability that Aristotle should, without any apparent reason, envelop the whole passage in embarrassment and ambiguity, by such a change of phrase : —

ΔΙΑ φωνης

; — which every reader is naturally led to join, not with the datives,

χρώμασι και σχημασι

, but with

ΔΙΑ τέχνης

, and

ΔΙΑ συνηθειας

: but the word

φωνης

opposing such a construction, has therefore, probably, been changed to

άμφοιν

. This objection has not been solidly answered, I think, either by Victorius, or any other commentator; nor can I think the change of phrase here by any means sufficiently accounted for, merely by assigning, as Victorius does, a passage of Lucian, where the phrase itself, (to which no one objects,) occurs. [See Mr. Winstanley's note.]—I am much inclined, therefore, to admit the reading said by Madius to have been found in an antient MS. and confirming the conjecture of Robortelli, —

ἐτεροι δε ΤΗ ΦΩΝΗ.

This would clearly mark the bounds of the parenthesis, and fix the construction :

και χρωμασι, και σχήμασι, πολλα μιμενται τινες —(—) ἐτεροι δε τη φωνῃ

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

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-4

Ritter, cap. 1 § 4

ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ χρώμασι καὶ σχήμασι: in arte pingendi et materia imitandi et ipsa imitatio admodum manifesta apparet; ea causa fuit cur inde exemplum peteretur, quo artis musicae et poeticae ratio, quantum ad materiam pertinet, illustraretur. χρώματα καὶ σχήματα interpretor colores et lineamenta (Farben und Umrisse sive Zeichnungen). scilicet pictores ad figuras exhibendas aut coloribus utuntur aut lineis vel lineamentis, ipsae figurae hoc loco non denotantur: figurae enim sunt illud ipsum quod imitando efficitur ( τὸ μίμημα), non imitandi materia. eodem modo χρώματα καὶ σχήματα pictori ( τα ζωγράφῳ) tribuit Plato in Civitate X. p. 601 A, χρόας καὶ σχήμαια idem ibidem V. p. 476 B. ipse hic noster σχήματα καὶ χρώματα pictorum esse indicat in Politicis VIII, 5. p. 1340 a 34. ἔτι δὲ οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα ὁμοιώματα τῶν ἠθῶν, ἀλλὰ σημεῖα μᾶλλον τὰ γιγνόμενα σχήματα καὶ χρώματα τῶν ἠθῶν. aliis in locis σχήματα ipsae figurae sunt: conf. Plat. Civit. II. p. 373 B. Gorg. p. 465 B. 474 D et E. Menon. p. 74 E. Cratyl. p. 431 C. Sophist. p. 251 A. Phaedon. p. 100 D. nomen pictores ( γραφεῖς, ζωγράφοι, εἰκονογράφοι) indefinite per τινες et ἀπεικάζοντες significavit, eo opinor consilio ut omne pingendi negotium, etiam vulgare et minus politum, comprehenderet. ἀπεικάζοντες est assimulantes, h. e. ad similitudinem rei cuiusdam ad imitandum propositae imaginem facientes. praepositio ἀπὸ in ἀπεικάζοντες ad rem illam spectat, unde ( ὅθεν) imago ducitur." οἱ μὲν διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας : hoc additamentum salva loci sententia omitti potuit, sed accessit ut lectores admonerentur eam imitationem quae fiat coloribus lineamentisve duobus modis ab hominibus vulgo exerceri, aut per artem professionemque aut per consuetudinem. qui per artem ( διὰ τέχνης) pingit, is data opera hoc negotium exsequitur, h. e. artem pingendi factitat et profitetur; qui per consuetudinem ( διὰ συνηθείας) pingit, is animi causa et pro arbitrio, non aliorum hominum gratia, modo ad id negotium incumbit modo missum facit et alias res agit. τέχνη h. 1. neque artis exercendae facultatem (Kunstfertigkeit) neque artis legum intellectum (Kunsteinsicht) potest denotare, propterea quod sic non συνήθειαν sed aut ἐμπειρίαν (cf. Metaphys. A. 1 sub init.) opponi oportuit aut φύσιν, quemadmodum c. 8,3. ἤτοι διὰ τέχνην ἢ διὰ φύσιν legimus. ac sane tantum abest ut sermo sit de imitatione cum arte et scientia instituenda, ut communi hoc imitandi negotio, quo fungentes multa imitantur aliqui, imitationem veris illis artibus subiectam illustrari scriptor voluerit. iam vero tam is qui per consuetudinem pingit (der Dilettant) quam qui per artem (der Maler von Fach), et felicissime et pessime negotio suo defungi possunt, prout ingenio et natura fautrice aut instructi sunt aut destituti. hoc igitur iam in aperto est, in subsequentibus pro ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς legi non posse ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φύσεως, quod a Madio excogitatum ab ipsoque reprobatum in operis contextum admisit Hermannus, improbante recte quidem, non tamen iustam ob causam ¹), Augusto Matthiae in diurnis Ienens. a. 1805. n. 223. p. 547. sed quid nos faciemus verbis istis quae mutanda negamus? ea membris duobus praecedentibus, οἱ μὲν διὰ τέχνης οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας, respondere et tamquam tertium adiungi non posse, hoc et per se manifestum est et magis etiam liquet ex nostra verborum διὰ τέχνης et διὰ συνηθείας interpretatione. Buhlius igitur aliis praeeuntibus in hunc modum Aristotelia disposuit: ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ χρώμασι καὶ σχήμασι πολλὰ μιμοῦνταί τινες ἀπεικάζοντες ( οἱ μὲν διὰ τέχνης, οἱ δὲ διὰ συνηθείας), ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς, ut ad haec postrema ex prioribus πολλὰ μιμοῦνται intelligerentur. sed ut omittam pessimam et ambiguam membrorum sententiae copulationem, hoc tamen silentio praetermittere non possum, agi de materia imitandi, vocem autem esse quidem instrumentum imitationis, materiam non esse, vide quam absurde dicatur ex pictoribus alii coloribus imitantur, alii autem manu, et tamen hoc illi de quo disputamus simile esset. itaque ad hanc explicationem vindicandam pro διὰ τῆς φωνῆς (durch die Stimme) scriptum certe oportuit διὰ φωνῶν (durch Laute), sed eam mutationem neque admittere ullus sustinebit, neque per eam ipsam omnes loci difficultates vitabuntur: scilicet illam imitationem quae fit φωναῖς in arte poetica et musica, eam ipsam per hoc exemplum ex imitatione pingentium petitum illustrari voluit Aristoteles. quid multa? additamentum illud, unde sanam sententiam nemo 1) Censor eruditus paulo confidentius pronuntiat συνήθειαν h. 1. esse usum ingenio partum, quem συνήθειαν ἀφ᾿ ἕξεως vocaverit Aristoteles in Rhetoricis I, 1. p. 1354 a 7.interpretum adhuc potuit elicere, a consilio scribentis alienissimum est neque ab ipso profectum est, sed insertum ab homine male sedulo qui sententiam a se pro manca habitam explere pro virili sed infeliciter tentavit. fortasse hanc notam in margine posuit ut breviter comprehenderet illa οὕτω κὰν ταῖς εἰρημέναις κτλ., sed tum debuit saltem διὰ φωνῶν. ἢ τε αὐλητικὴ καὶ ἡ κιθαριστική : potuit musicam simpliciter appellare, sed eam cum per partes paulo ante significavisset, eandem loquendi rationem hic quoque tenuit; ut tamen recte intelligeretur addidit κἂν εἴ τινες ἕτεραι τυγχάνωσιν οὖσαι τοιαῦται 2) τὴν δύναμιν. sed cavendum ne, cum Aristoteles dixerit artem tibiis canendi citharaeque pulsandae imitari per concentum numerumque, inde imitativas esse has artes, h. e, semper imitari, statuisse illum opinemur. id enim si fecisset, paulo ante inconsiderate posuisset τῆς αὐλητικῆς ἡ πλείστη καὶ κιθαριστικῆς, cum illam latiorem et angustiorem imitandi significationem, quam in poesi admissam invenimus, ad musicam Graeci non adplicuerint. hoc dicit Aristoteles, auleticam et citharisticam ceterasque musicae species, si imitentur, imitari per concentum numerumque. idem ille de tota musica profitetur in Politicis VIII, 5. р. 1340 a 18. ἔστι δ' ὁμοιώματα μάλιστα παρὰ τὰς ἀληθινὰς φύσεις ἐν τοῖς ῥυθμοῖς καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν ὀργῆς καὶ πραότητος, ἔτι δ᾽ ἀνδρίας καὶ σωφροσύνης καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐναντίων τούτοις καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἠθικῶν.

Aristotle Poetics 1.7

Thomas Twining (Translator)

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NOTE 2. P. 2.

Ritter, cap. 1 § 4

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