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After this, the Poet, when he has given names to his characters, should proceed to the Episodes of his action;

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

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 (4)

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) (Aristotle, Poetics. Immanuel Bekker, editor, Aristotelis Opera, volume 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1837.) — 17 focus

Δεῖ δὲ τοὺς μύθους συνιστάναι καὶ τῇ λέξει συναπεργάζεσθαι ὅτι μάλιστα πρὸ ὀμμάτων τιθέμενον· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἐναργέστατα ὁρῶν, ὥσπερ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς γιγνόμενος τοῖς πραττομένοις, εὑρίσκοι τὸ πρέπον, καὶ ἥκιστ᾿ ἂν λανθάνοιτο τὰ ὑπεναντία.

Σημεῖον δὲ τούτου ὃ ἐπετιμᾶτο Καρκίνῳ· ὁ γὰρ Ἀμφιάραος ἐξ ἱεροῦ ἀνῄει, ὃ μὴ ὁρῶντα τὸν θεατὴν ἐλάνθανεν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐξέπεσε, δυσχερανάντων τοῦτο τῶν θεατῶν.

Ὅσα δὲ δυνατόν, καὶ τοῖς σχήμασι συναπεργαζόμενον. Πιθανώτατοι γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως οἱ ἐν τοῖς πάθεσίν εἰσι, καὶ χειμαίνει ὁ χειμαζόμενος καὶ χαλεπαίνει ὁ ὀργιζόμενος ἀληθινώτατα.

Διὸ εὐφυοῦς ἡ ποιητική ἐστιν ἢ μανικοῦ· τούτων γὰρ οἱ μὲν εὔπλαστοι οἱ δὲ ἐξεταστικοί εἰσιν.

Τούς τε λόγους τοὺς πεποιημένους δεῖ καὶ αὐτὸν ποιοῦντα ἐκτίθεσθαι καθόλου, εἶθ᾿ οὕτως ἐπεισοδιοῦν καὶ παρατείνειν.

Λέγω δὲ οὕτως ἂν θεωρεῖσθαι τὸ καθόλου, οἷον τῆς Ἰφιγενείας. Τυθείσης τινὸς κόρης καὶ ἀφανισθείσης ἀδήλως τοῖς θύσασιν, ἱδρυνθείσης δὲ εἰς ἄλλην χώραν, ἐν ᾗ νόμος ἦν τοὺς ξένους θύειν τῇ θεῷ, ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν ἱερωσύνην. Χρόνῳ δ᾿ ὕστερον τῷ ἀδελφῷ συνέβη ἐλθεῖν τῆς ἱερείας. Τὸ δὲ ὅτι ἀνεῖλεν ὁ θεὸς διά τιν᾿ αἰτίαν ἔξω τοῦ καθόλου ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἐφ᾿ ὅ τι δέ, ἔξω τοῦ μύθου. Ἐλθὼν δὲ καὶ ληφθεὶς θύεσθαι μέλλων ἀνεγνώρισεν, εἴθ᾿ ὡς Εὐριπίδης εἴθ᾿ ὡς Πολύειδος ἐποίησεν, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς εἰπὼν ὅτι οὐκ ἄρα μόνον τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδει τυθῆναι· καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡ σωτηρία.

Μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἤδη ὑποθέντα τὰ ὀνόματα ἐπεισοδιοῦν,

ὅπως δὲ ἔσται οἰκεῖα τὰ ἐπεισόδια σκοπεῖν, οἷον ἐν τῷ Ὀρέστῃ ἡ μανία δι᾿ ἧς ἐλήφθη, καὶ ἡ σωτηρία διὰ τῆς καθάρσεως.

Ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς δράμασι τὰ ἐπεισόδια σύντομα, ἡ δ᾿ ἐποποιία τούτοις μηκύνεται.

Τῆς γὰρ Ὀδυσσείας μακρὸς ὁ λόγος ἐστίν, ἀποδημοῦντός τινος ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ παραφυλαττομένου ὑπὸ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος καὶ μόνου ὄντος, ἔτι δὲ τῶν οἴκοι οὕτως ἐχόντων ὥστε τὰ χρήματα ὑπὸ μνηστήρων ἀναλίσκεσθαι καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐπιβουλεύεσθαι· αὐτὸς δὲ ἀφικνεῖται χειμασθείς, καὶ ἀναγνωρίσας τινὰς αὐτοῖς ἐπιθέμενος αὐτὸς μὲν ἐσώθη, τοὺς δ᾿ ἐχθροὺς διέφθειρεν.

Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἴδιον τοῦτο, τὰ δ᾿ ἄλλα ἐπεισόδια.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 17 focus

δεῖ δὲ τοὺς μύθους συνιστάναι καὶ τῇ λέξει συναπεργάζεσθαι ὅτι μάλιστα πρὸ ὀμμάτων τιθέμενον· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἐναργέστατα ὁ ὁρῶν ὥσπερ παρ’ αὐτοῖς γιγνόμενος τοῖς 25 πραττομένοις εὑρίσκοι τὸ πρέπον καὶ ἥκιστα ἂν λανθάνοι τὸ τὰ ὑπεναντία.

σημεῖον δὲ τούτου ὃ ἐπετιμᾶτο Καρκίνῳ. ὁ γὰρ Ἀμφιάραος ἐξ ἱεροῦ ἀνῄει, ὃ μὴ ὁρῶντα τὸν θεατὴν ἐλάνθανεν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐξέπεσεν δυσχερανάντων τοῦτο τῶν θεατῶν.

ὅσα δὲ δυνατὸν καὶ τοῖς σχήμασιν 30 συναπεργαζόμενον· πιθανώτατοι γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως οἱ ἐν τοῖς πάθεσίν εἰσιν, καὶ χειμαίνει ὁ χειμαζόμενος καὶ χαλεπαίνει ὁ ὀργιζόμενος ἀληθινώτατα.

διὸ εὐφυοῦς ἡ ποιητική ἐστιν ἢ μανικοῦ· τούτων γὰρ οἱ μὲν εὔπλαστοι οἱ δὲ ἐκστατικοί εἰσιν.

τούς τε λόγους καὶ τοὺς πεποιημένους δεῖ καὶ 1455b 1 αὐτὸν ποιοῦντα ἐκτίθεσθαι καθόλου, εἶθ’ οὕτως ἐπεισοδιοῦν καὶ παρατείνειν.

λέγω δὲ οὕτως ἂν θεωρεῖσθαι τὸ καθόλου, οἷον τῆς Ἰφιγενείας· τυθείσης τινὸς κόρης καὶ ἀφανισθείσης ἀδήλως τοῖς θύσασιν, ἱδρυνθείσης δὲ εἰς ἄλλην χώραν, ἐν ᾗ 5 νόμος ἦν τοὺς ξένους θύειν τῇ θεῷ, ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν ἱερωσύνην· χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον τῷ ἀδελφῷ συνέβη ἐλθεῖν τῆς ἱερείας, τὸ δὲ ὅτι ἀνεῖλεν ὁ θεὸς διά τινα αἰτίαν ἔξω τοῦ καθόλου ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐφ’ ὅ τι δὲ ἔξω τοῦ μύθου· ἐλθὼν δὲ καὶ ληφθεὶς θύεσθαι μέλλων ἀνεγνώρισεν, εἴθ’ ὡς 10 Εὐριπίδης εἴθ’ ὡς Πολύιδος ἐποίησεν, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς εἰπὼν ὅτι οὐκ ἄρα μόνον τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδει τυθῆναι, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡ σωτηρία.

μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἤδη ὑποθέντα τὰ ὀνόματα ἐπεισοδιοῦν·

ὅπως δὲ ἔσται οἰκεῖα τὰ ἐπεισόδια, οἷον ἐν τῷ Ὀρέστῃ ἡ μανία δι’ ἧς ἐλήφθη καὶ ἡ 15 σωτηρία διὰ τῆς καθάρσεως.

ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς δράμασιν τὰ ἐπεισόδια σύντομα, ἡ δ’ ἐποποιία τούτοις μηκύνεται.

τῆς γὰρ Ὀδυσσείας οὐ μακρὸς ὁ λόγος ἐστίν· ἀποδημοῦντός τινος ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ παραφυλαττομένου ὑπὸ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος καὶ μόνου ὄντος, ἔτι δὲ τῶν οἴκοι οὕτως ἐχόντων ὥστε τὰ 20 χρήματα ὑπὸ μνηστήρων ἀναλίσκεσθαι καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐπιβουλεύεσθαι, αὐτὸς δὲ ἀφικνεῖται χειμασθείς, καὶ ἀναγνωρίσας τινὰς ἐπιθέμενος αὐτὸς μὲν ἐσώθη τοὺς δ’ ἐχθροὺς διέφθειρε.

τὸ μὲν οὖν ἴδιον τοῦτο, τὰ δ’ ἄλλα ἐπεισόδια.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 17 focus

Δεῖ δὲ τοὺς μύθους συνιστάναι καὶ τῇ λέξει συναπεργάζεσθαι
ὅτι μάλιστα πρὸ ὀμμάτων τιθέμενον· οὕτω γὰρ
ἂν ἐναργέστατα ὁ ὁρῶν ὥσπερ παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς γιγνόμενος τοῖς
πραττομένοις εὑρίσκοι τὸ πρέπον καὶ ἥκιστα ἂν λανθάνοι
τὸ τὰ ὑπεναντία.

σημεῖον δὲ τούτου ὃ ἐπετιμᾶτο Καρκίνῳ.
ὁ γὰρ Ἀμφιάραος ἐξ ἱεροῦ ἀνῄει, ὃ μὴ ὁρῶντ᾽ ἂν τὸν
θεατὴν ἐλάνθανεν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐξέπεσεν δυσχερανάντων
τοῦτο τῶν θεατῶν,

ὅσα δὲ δυνατὸν καὶ τοῖς σχήμασιν
συναπεργαζόμενον· πιθανώτατοι γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς
φύσεως οἱ ἐν τοῖς πάθεσίν εἰσιν, καὶ χειμαίνει ὁ χειμαζόμενος
καὶ χαλεπαίνει ὁ ὀργιζόμενος ἀληθινώτατα.

διὸ εὐφυοῦς ἡ
ποιητική ἐστιν ἢ μανικοῦ· τούτων γὰρ οἱ μὲν εὔπλαστοι οἱ δὲ
ἐκστατικοί εἰσιν.

τούς τε λόγους καὶ τοὺς πεποιημένους
δεῖ καὶ αὐτὸν ποιοῦντα ἐκτίθεσθαι καθόλου, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ἐπεισοδιοῦν
καὶ παρατείνειν.

λέγω δὲ οὕτως ἂν θεωρεῖσθαι τὸ καθόλου,
οἷον τῆς Ἰφιγενείας· τυθείσης τινὸς κόρης καὶ ἀφανισθείσης
ἀδήλως τοῖς θύσασιν, ἱδρυνθείσης δὲ εἰς ἄλλην
χώραν, ἐν ᾗ νόμος ἦν τοὺς ξένους θύειν τῇ θεῷ, ταύτην ἔσχε
τὴν ἱερωσύνην· χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον τῷ ἀδελφῷ συνέβη ἐλθεῖν
τῆς ἱερείας, τὸ δὲ ὅτι ἀνεῖλεν ὁ θεὸς διά τινα αἰτίαν ἔξω τοῦ
καθόλου ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὅ τι δὲ ἔξω τοῦ μύθου· ἐλθὼν
δὲ καὶ ληφθεὶς θύεσθαι μέλλων ἀνεγνώρισεν, εἴθ᾽ ὡς Εὐριπίδης
εἴθ᾽ ὡς Πολύιδος ἐποίησεν, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς εἰπὼν ὅτι
οὐκ ἄρα μόνον τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδει τυθῆναι,
καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡ σωτηρία.

μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἤδη ὑποθέντα τὰ
ὀνόματα ἐπεισοδιοῦν·

ὅπως δὲ ἔσται οἰκεῖα τὰ ἐπεισόδια,
οἷον ἐν τῷ Ὀρέστῃ ἡ μανία δι᾽ ἧς ἐλήφθη καὶ ἡ σωτηρία
διὰ τῆς καθάρσεως.

ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς δράμασιν τὰ
ἐπεισόδια σύντομα, ἡ δ᾽ ἐποποιία τούτοις μηκύνεται.

τῆς γὰρ
Ὀδυσσείας οὐ μακρὸς ὁ λόγος ἐστίν· ἀποδημοῦντός τινος
ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ παραφυλαττομένου ὑπὸ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος καὶ
μόνου ὄντος, ἔτι δὲ τῶν οἴκοι οὕτως ἐχόντων ὥστε τὰ χρήματα
ὑπὸ μνηστήρων ἀναλίσκεσθαι καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐπιβουλεύεσθαι,
αὐτὸς δὲ ἀφικνεῖται χειμασθείς, καὶ ἀναγνωρίσας
†τινὰς† αὐτὸς ἐπιθέμενος αὐτὸς μὲν ἐσώθη τοὺς δ᾽ ἐχθροὺς
διέφθειρε.

τὸ μὲν οὖν ἴδιον τοῦτο, τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα ἐπεισόδια.

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.) — 17 focus

Δεῖ δὲ τοὺς μύθους συνιστάναι καὶ τῇ λέξει συναπεργάζεσθαι ὅτι μάλιστα πρὸ ὀμμάτων τιθέμενον (οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἐναργέστατα ὁρῶν, ὥσπερ παρ' αὐτοῖς γιγνόμενος τοῖς πραττομένοις, εὑρίσκοι τὸ πρέπον, καὶ ἥκιστ᾽ ἂν λανθάνοιτο τὰ¹ ὑπεναντία.

σημεῖον δὲ τούτου ὃ ἐπετιμᾶτο Καρκίνῳ· ὁ γὰρ Ἀμφιάραος ἐξ ἱεροῦ ἀνῄει, ὃ μὴ ὁρῶντα τὸν θεατὴν ἐλάνθανεν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐξέπεσε, δυσχερανάντων τοῦτο τῶν θεατῶν),

ὅσα δὲ δυνατόν, καὶ τοῖς σχήμασι συναπεργαζόμενον. πιθανώτατοι γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως οἱ ἐν τοῖς πάθεσίν εἰσι, καὶ χειμαίνει ὁ χειμαζόμενος καὶ χαλεπαίνει ὁ ὀργιζόμενος ἀληθινώτατα,

διὸ εὐφυοῦς ἡ ποιητική ἐστιν ἢ μανικοῦ· τούτων γὰρ οἱ μὲν εὔπλαστοι οἱ δὲ ἐξεταστικοί εἰσιν.

τούτους τε λόγους καὶ τοὺς πεποιημένους δεῖ καὶ αὐτὸν ποιοῦντα ἐκτίθεσθαι καθόλου, εἶθ' οὕτως ἐπεισοδιοῦν καὶ παρατείνειν.

λέγω δὲ οὕτως ἂν θεωρεῖσθαι τὸ καθόλου, οἷον τῆς Ιφιγενείας. τυθείσης τινὸς κόρης καὶ ἀφανισθείσης ἀδήλως τοῖς θύσασιν, ἱδρυνθείσης δὲ εἰς ἄλλην χώραν, ἐν ᾗ νόμος ἦν τοὺς ξένους θύειν τῇ θεῷ, ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν ἱερωσύνην. χρόνῳ δ᾽ ὕστερον τῷ ἀδελφῷ συνέβη [ἐλθεῖν] τῆς² ἱερείας [. τὸ δέ, ὅτι ἀνεῖλεν ὁ θεός, διὰ τίν' αἰτίαν, ἔξω τοῦ καθόλου] ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖ [, καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὅ τι δέ, ἔξω τοῦ μύθου.], ἐλθὼν δὲ καὶ ληφθεὶς θύεσθαι μέλλων ἀνεγνώρισεν, εὔθ᾽ ὡς Εὐριπίδης εὔθ᾽ ὡς Πολύειδος ἐποίησεν, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς εἰπὼν ὅτι οὐκ ἄρα μόνον τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδει τυθῆναι· καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡ σωτηρία.

μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἤδη ὑποθένταξ τὰ ὀνόματα ἐπεισοδιοῦν,

ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς δράμασι τὰ ἐπεισόδια σύντομα, ἡ δ᾽ ἐποποιία τούτοις μηκύνεται.

τῆς γὰρ Ὀδυσσείας μακρὸς ὁ λόγος ἐστίν, ἀποδημοῦντός τινος ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ παραφυλαττομένου ὑπὸ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος καὶ μόνου ὄντος, ἔτι δὲ τῶν οἴκοι οὕτως ἐχόντων ὥστε τὰ χρήματα ὑπὸ μνηστήρων ἀναλίσκεσθαι καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐπιβουλεύεσθαι· αὐτὸς δὲ ἀφικνεῖται χειμασθείς, καὶ ἀναγνωρίσας³ τινὰς αὐτοῖς ἐπιθέμενος αὐτὸς μὲν ἐσώθη, τοὺς δ᾽ ἐχθροὺς διέφθειρεν.

τὸ μὲν οὖν ἴδιον τοῦτο, τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα ἐπεισόδια.

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 17 focus

In constructing plots and completing the effect by the help of dialogue the poet should, as far as possible, keep the scene before his eyes. Only thus by getting the picture as clear as if he were present at the actual event, will he find what is fitting and detect contradictions.

The censure upon Carcinos is evidence of this. Amphiaraos was was made to rise from a temple. The poet did not visualize the scene and therefore this escaped his notice, but on the stage it was a failure since the audience objected.¹

The poet should also, as far as possible, complete the effect by using the gestures. For, if their natural powers are equal, those who are actually in the emotions are the most convincing; he who is agitated blusters and the angry man rages with the maximum of conviction.²

And that is why poetry needs either a sympathetic nature or a madman,³ the former being impressionable and the latter inspired.

The stories, whether they are traditional or whether you make them up yourself, 1455b 1 should first be sketched in outline and then expanded by putting in episodes.

I mean that one might look at the general outline, say of the Iphigeneia, like this: A certain maiden has been sacrificed, and has disappeared beyond the ken of those who sacrificed her and has been established in another country, where it is a custom to sacrifice strangers to the goddess; and this priesthood she holds. Some time afterwards it happens that the brother of the priestess arrives there—the fact that the god told him to go there, and why, and the object of his journey, lie outside the outline-plot. He arrives, is seized, and is on the point of being sacrificed, when he reveals his identity either by Euripides’ method or according to Polyidos, by making the very natural remark that after all it is not only his sister who was born to be sacrificed but himself too; and thus he is saved.

Not until this has been done should you put in names and insert the episodes;

and you must mind that the episodes are appropriate, as, for instance, in the case of Orestes the madness that led to his capture and his escape by means of the purification.⁴

Now in drama the episodes are short, but it is by them that the epic gains its length.

The story of the Odyssey is quite short. A man is for many years away from home and his footsteps are dogged by Poseidon and he is all alone. Moreover, 20 affairs at home are in such a state that his estate is being wasted by suitors and a plot laid against his son, but after being storm-tossed he arrives himself, reveals who he is, and attacks them, with the result that he is saved and destroys his enemies.

That is the essence, the rest is episodes.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 17 focus

〈إرشادات لشعراء المآسى〉

وقد ينبغى أن تقوم الخرافات وتتمم بالمقولة، من قبل أن الأمور توضع أمام العينين جداً (وذلك أنه على هذه الجهة عندما يرى الشاعر على ما عند الأمور المعمولة أنفسها، وعندما يصير هناك بحد الشىء الأولى والأحرى والأجمل، ولا يذهب عليه ألبتة المضاد لهذه. ودليل هذا هو ما يبكت به لقارقينس؛ وذلك أن ذاك صعد فيما يقال إلى ذاك كأنه صاعد من إيار، أى من الهيكل من حيث لم يكن يرى، وكان يذهب على الناظر، ووقع فى الخيمة وعندما يصعب السامعين فى هذا) بمقدار ما كأنه يمكن كان يفعل مع الأشكال على مجرى الاذعان والانقياد.

فالذين هم فى الآلام هم فى طبيعة واحدة بعينها، وإن كان الذى فى الهزائز يتعذب ويتقلب وكان الذى يتسخط بالحق يتصعب. ولذلك فإن صناعة الشعر هى للماهر أكثر منها للذين هم يلهبن العقول، وذلك أن هؤلاء منهم من هو بسيط محسن، أعنى فى الأقاويل والخرافات التى عملت. وقد يجب عليه هو أيضاً أن يكون عندما يعمل أن يضعها على طريق الكلية، ومن بعد ذلك أن يتخذ تدخل شىء وأن يركب.

وأعنى بقولى أن يكون معنى الكل بهذا النحو كالحال فى أمر ايباغانيا عندما نحرت صبيةً ما وأخفيت لكيما لا تظهر، قامت بين المنحورين ووضعت فى بلد آخر فوق القائم 〈و〉قد كانت السنة جرت فى ذلك البلد أن يضحى لله ضحايا، واقتنت هذا الفوز. وفى زمان ما بالأخرة عرض أن ورد أخوها وجاء من قبل أن الوالى أخطأ من قبل أن العلة هنا لك خارج عن معنى الكل، وفى البلد أيضاً الذى عملت فيه هذه فما رأى فيه غير الخرافة مما يخبر به زعم: فقل الآن إذ قد جئت. ولهذا أخذ وقدم ولينحر تعرف أخته، فان على ما يعمل أوريفدس للقينة 〈أو〉 على مذهب الحق أعواج كثيرة، فلأنه قال إنه ليس أخته إذا كان يجب أن ينحر لكن هو أيضاً قد كان يجب أن يمتثل فيه ذلك، — ومن ها هنا يكون الخلاص.

ومن ذلك تدخل أسماء قد وصفت وفرغ من وصفها، وتكون الأسماء المداخلة مناسبة، بمنزلة ما لأورسطس، وهو الذى تدبيره كان الخلاص بالتطهير...

إلا فى القينات الدخيلة هى معتدلة، و〈أ〉ما صنعة الأنواع فى هذه فتطول. وذلك أن لأودوسيا فالقول ليس هو بالطويل. فانه عند ما شخص إنسان وغاب سنين كثيرة قد يتوقى عن فوسيدين، وقد كان وحيد〈اً〉 وأيضاً فان حال من كانت حال أنه الأمر معها أن باد جميع أملاكه فى الخطاب والآملات وأن يمكرون به ويخونونه. وأما هو فبلغ بعد أن تاه تيهاً كثيراً ولما تفرق أناس ما، أما هو فسقا سقياً عظيما ونجا وتخلص، وأما أعداؤه فأبادهم.

فهذه هى خاصة هذا؛ وأما الأشياء الأخر فهى دخيلة.

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.) — 17 focus

In constructing the plot and working it out with
the proper diction, the poet should place the scene,
as far as possible, before his eyes.
In this way, seeing
everything with the utmost vividness, as if he were a
spectator of the action, he will discover what is in keeping
with it, and be most unlikely to overlook inconsistencies.

The need of such a rule is shown by the fault found in
Carcinus.
Amphiaraus was on his way from the temple.
This fact escaped the observation of one who did not see
the situation.
On the stage, however, the piece failed,
the audience being offended at the oversight.

Again, the poet should work out his play, to the
best of his power, with appropriate gestures; for
those who feel emotion are most convincing through
natural sympathy with the characters they represent;

and one who is agitated storms, one who is angry rages,
with the most life-like reality.
Hence poetry implies
either a happy gift of nature or a strain of madness.
In
the one case a man can take the mould of any character;
in the other, he is lifted out of his proper self.

As for the story, whether the poet takes it ready
made or constructs it for himself, he should first sketch
its general outline, and then fill in the episodes and
amplify in detail.

The general plan may be illustrated by
the Iphigenia. A young girl is sacrificed;
she disappears
mysteriously from the eyes of those who sacrificed her;
she is transported to another country, where the custom is
to offer up all strangers to the goddess.
To this ministry
she is appointed. Some time later her own brother
chances to arrive.
The fact that the oracle for some reason
ordered him to go there, is outside the general plan of
the play.
The purpose, again, of his coming is outside the
action proper.
However, he comes, he is seized, and, when
on the point of being sacrificed, reveals who he is.
The
mode of recognition may be either that of Euripides or of
Polyidus, in whose play he exclaims very naturally : —
'So it was not my sister only, but I too, who was doomed
to be sacrificed';
and by that remark he is saved.

After this, the names being once given, it remains
to fill in the episodes.

We must see that they are
relevant to the action.
In the case of Orestes, for
example, there is the madness which led to his capture,
and his deliverance by means of the purificatory rite.

In the drama the episodes are short, but it is these that
give extension to Epic poetry.

Thus the story of the
Odyssey can be stated briefly.
A certain man is absent
from home for many years; he is jealously watched by
Poseidon, and left desolate.
Meanwhile his home is in
a wretched plight — suitors are wasting his substance and
plotting against his son.
At length, tempest-tost, he him-
self arrives; he makes certain persons acquainted with
him;
he attacks the suitors with his own hand, and is
himself preserved while he destroys them.

This is the
essence of the plot; the rest is episode.

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 17 focus

At the time when he is constructing his Plots, and en-
gaged on the Diction in which they are worked out, the
poet should remember (1) to put the actual scenes as far
as possible before his eyes. In this way, seeing everything
with the vividness of an eye-witness as it were, he will
devise what is appropriate, and be least likely to overlook
incongruities.

This is shown by what was censured in
Carcinus, the return of Amphiaraus from the sanctuary; it
would have passed unnoticed, if it had not been actually
seen by the audience; but on the stage his play failed, the
incongruity of the incident offending the spectators.

(2) As
far as may be, too, the poet should even act his story with
the very gestures of his personages. Given the same natural
qualifications, he who feels the emotions to be described
will be the most convincing; distress and anger, for
instance, are portrayed most truthfully by one who is feeling
them at the moment.

Hence it is that poetry demands
a man with a special gift for it, or else one with a touch of
madness in him; the former can easily assume the required
mood, and the latter may be actually beside himself with
emotion.

(3) His story, again, whether already made or of
his own making, he should first simplify and reduce to a
universal form, before proceeding to lengthen it out by the
insertion of episodes.

The following will show how the
universal element in Iphigenia, for instance, may be viewed:
A certain maiden having been offered in sacrifice, and spirited
away from her sacrificers into another land, where the custom
was to sacrifice all strangers to the Goddess, she was made
there the priestess of this rite. Long after that the brother
of the priestess happened to come; the fact, however, of
the oracle having for a certain reason bidden him go thither,
and his object in going, are outside the Plot of the play.
On his coming he was arrested, and about to be sacrificed,
when he revealed who he was either as Euripides puts
it, or (as suggested by Polyidus) by the not improbable
exclamation, 'So I too am doomed to be sacrificed, as my
sister was'; and the disclosure led to his salvation.

This
done, the next thing, after the proper names have been fixed
as a basis for the story, is to work in episodes or accessory
incidents.

One must mind, however, that the episodes are
appropriate, like the fit of madness in Orestes, which led
to his arrest, and the purifying, which brought about his
salvation.

In plays, then, the episodes are short; in epic
poetry they serve to lengthen out the poem.

The argu-
ment of the Odyssey is not a long one. A certain man has
been abroad many years; Poseidon is ever on the watch
for him, and he is all alone. Matters at home too have
come to this, that his substance is being wasted and his
son's death plotted by suitors to his wife. Then he arrives
there himself after his grievous sufferings; reveals himself,
and falls on his enemies;
and the end is his salvation and
their death.

This being all that is proper to the Odyssey,
everything else in it is episode.

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.) — 17.7 focus

but himself also ;) ' and by this circumstance he is pre- • served.' After this, the names are fixed and then the episodic parts are added.

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.) — 17.7 focus

After these things, the poet having given names to the persons, should insert the episodes;

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.) — 17 focus

Oportet autem fabulas componere et oratione simul elaborare rem quam maxime oculis suis subiicientem (sic enim evidentissime dispiciens, quasi praesens in ipsis quae aguntur, inveniet quod deceat, et inimime latebunt contraria.

signum autem huius rei est quod Carcino vitio dabatur: Amphiaraus enim ex delubro rediebat, id quod spectatorem non adspicientem latebat, et in scena non stetit, aegre hoc spectatoribus ferentibus),

quantum autem fieri potest, etiam corporis habitu simul operantem. nam proxime ad verum accedunt, eiusdem quidem ingenii homines, qui animo commoti, ac perturbat perturbatus et exacerbat iratus proxime verum.

quamobrem solertis est poetica aut eius qui animo commotus: hi enim facile flectuntur, illi ad inquirendum proclives sunt.

tam haec argumenta quam ea quae ficta sunt debet et ipse fingens sibi explicare generatim, deinde iam episodiis instruere atque extendere.

dico autem sic ferme spectari quod generale est, velut in Iphigenia. immolata quaedam puella esset et sublata e conspectu immolantibus, collocataque in alia regione, ubi mos erat hospites mactare deae, hoc tenuit illa sacerdotium. interiecto autem cum tempore accidit ut [veniret] frater sacerdotis [. id autem, quod respondit deus, propter quam causam, extra id quod generale] veniret illuc [, et quam ob rem, extra fabulam.], sed cum venisset et captus in eo iam esset ut immolaretur, agnovit, sive ut Euripides sive ut Polyidus instituit, id quod verisimile prolocutus, non ergo sororem tantum sed ipsum etiam immolari fatale fuisse; atque inde ratio salutis.

post

haec autem iam subiccta nomina episodiis instruere debet, sed ut sint propria episodia videre, quemadmodum in Oreste furor quo captus est, et salus per lustrationem.

atque in fabulis scenicis episodia brevia, epopocia autem iis dilatatur.

Odysseae enim magnum est argumentum: dum quidam per multos annos peregrinatur et observatur a Neptuno et solus est, praeterea res domesticae sic se habent, ut opes a procis consumantur filiusque insidiis obiiciatur; ipse autem tempestatibus iactatus venit et, cum aliquos agnovisset, illos adgressus ipse quidem servatus est, inimicos autem perdidit.

proprium igitur hoc, cetera episodia.

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 17.7 focus

Cette fable étant faite on donne les noms aux perſonnages, & l'on épiſodie l'action.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 17 focus

M A e'biſogna in tal modo affettare la compoſitio ne della Fauola, & con la Locutione figurarla di tal maniera, ch'ella ti metta la coſa dauanti agli occhi;perchè in tal modo il Poeta veggedo le cofe manife ſtamente, come ſe e' fuffe lor preſente mentre che elle ſi fanno, trouerrà in eſſe il decoro: & quello, che gli è contrario non gli potrà effer naſcoſto.¹

Di ciò fia inditio quello, di che è biafimato Carcino, doue Anfiarao è introdotto, che vſciua del Tempio; & ciò era incognito agli Spettatori, che non lo vedeuono:& il Poe ta perciò fu dal Popolo deriſo, per hauere ei unatal coſa ſopportata maluolentieri.

Debbefi'adunche fingere il più che ſi può le coſe con gli habıti naturali; concioſia che quegli huomini mafsimamente commuouino di lor natura, che in effe perturbationi ſi ritrouano. Onde interuiene, che chi è afflitto, commoue altri ad afflittione; & l'adirato commuque veraméte à ſdegno.

Et però la Poeſia è coſa da huomini, che ſieno ô ingegnoſi, ô che ſieno ripieni di furore;

perchè li ſecondi ſono atti per natura alla Poefia, & li primi per eſſere in ueftigatori. Debbe anchora il Poeta le fintioni d'effe Fauole eſporle vniuerfalmente, & dipoi vſarui gli Epi fodii, & anneſtaruegli dentro.

Io dico l'uniuerfale in tal modo douere eſſere confiderato, come è questo, Ifigenia vna certa fanciulla coſtituita dauanti all'Altare per eſſer ſacrificata, & fparita dinaſcoſto dagli occhi de' Sacerdoti, & in vnaltra regione traportata; doue à quella Dea era per legge ordinato, che gli foreftieri le fuſsino ſacrificati: ella,dico, fu à quello vffitio prepoſta. Dipoi auuenne ne tempi, che corfono, che il fratello di tal Sacerdoteſſa là perueniffe;ma perchè ciò gli incontraffe, che Dio cioe l'haueſſe là ſpinto per qualche ſua colpa, è coſa fuori dell'uniuerfale: & à che fine e'vi fuſſe venuto è coſa medefimamente fuori della Fauola. Ma venuto, che egli vi fu, & poi ch'e' fu preſo per douere eſſer ſacrificato, riconobbe la forella,ò vero ficome finge Euripide; o vero come finge Polide, hauendo detto per via di verifimile, che non pure la fo rella, ma che egli anchora doueua eſſere ſacrificato: dal qual diſcorſo coſi fatto ne nacque la fua falute.

Et doppo queſto ſubito, poſto i nomi, fi debbono comin ciare gli Epiſodii;

doue fi debbe auuertire, che e' fieno tolti propiamente, ſi come è la pazzia in Orefte, dalla quale e fu prefo: & la fua liberatione per hauerla efpur gata.

Nelle Fauole adunche gli Epiſodii debbono efferui fatti con breuità. Ma il Poema Heroico per tali debbe eſſere più allungato.

Che molto lunga inuero è nella Odiſſea la fintione di colui, ch'eſſendo ito molti annı in peregrinaggio, & da Nettuno eſſendo ſtato perſeguitato, & da tutti gli altri laſciato in abbandobaulba no,con hauere imprima in tal modo diſpoſte le fue fac cende, che tutta la roba ſua gli fuſsi confumata da Proci, & che al figliuolo ſopraſteſsino le infidie; egli alla fine dopo molte fortune in mare ſopportate à ca ſa ſe ne tornaffe, & quiui riconoſciuti inimici, & poſto loro l'infidie, di loro fi vendicaſſe, & egli rimaneffe faluo.

Questo è adunche il propio fuggetto di quel Poema, & tutto il resto vi ſono Epiſodii.

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.) — 17 focus

Fabulae autem sunt constituendae et elocutione conficiendae quam maxime ante oculos ponendo: sic enim evidentissime perspiciens, tanquam rebus ipsis praesens fuerit dum gerebantur, inveniet quod decet, et ipsum minime fallent subcontraria.

signum autem huius rei est quod reprehenditur in Carcino: Amphiaraus enim e fano exiit; quod fefellit spectatorem non videntem: in scena vero lapsus est, aegre ferentibus id spectatoribus.

quantum autem fieri potest, oportet figuris exornando exercere poësim: maxime enim persuasibiles sunt ab eadem natura, qui in perturbationibus sunt; quamobrem et fluctuare facit Auctuans, et ad iram concitat iratus verissime.

itaque ingeniosi poëtica est vel furore perciti: ex his enim alii quidem bene fortunati,

alii vero extra se positi sunt. hos autem sermones oportet esse factos, et ipsum facientem expo- nere exponere in universum, deinde episodiis uti, eaque inserere.

dico vero sic universum spectari, ut Iphigeniae. cum esset immolata quaedam virgo sublataque immolantibus non manifesto ac compostata in aliam regionem, in qua lex erat hospites deae immolare, hoc sacerdotium obtinuit. tempore autem sequenti fratri sacerdotis huc venire contigit propter nescio quid, quoniam responsum dedit deus propter aliquam causam, quae extra universum est, eo venire: sed quamobrem, id extra fabulam est. cum vero venisset et captus esset, dum immolandus esset, agnovit, sive ut Euripides sive ut Po- lyides Polyides fecit, dicens secundum verisimile non solum sororem sed etiam ipsum sacrificari oportuisse, et hinc salutem.

post haec cum quis iam nomina supposuerit, eum episodiis uti oportebit.

et quando erunt propria episodia, considerare, ut in Oreste insania, propter quam captus est, et salus per expiationem.

ac in dramatibus quidem episodia concisa sunt, epopoeia vero his producitur.

Odysseae enim longus sermo est, de quodam multos annos peregrinante et observato a Neptuno, et dum solus esset; et praeterea sic se habentibus domesticis rebus ut fortunae ipsius a procis consumeren- tur consumerentur et filius insidiis peteretur, ipse venit tempestatibus perturbatus, et cum quosdam agnovisset, ipsos decipiens ipse quidem servatus est, inimicos vero perdidit.

ac proprium quidem est hoc, alia vero episodia.

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.) — 17 focus

Oportet enim fabulas consistere et locutione cooperari quam maxime pre oculis positum (sic enim utique efficacissime videns sicut apud ipsa gesta presens inveniet decens et minime utique latebunt que subcontraria ;

signum autem huius quod increpat Karkino ; nam Ámphiaraus ex sacro utique erat, quod non videntem inspectorem latebat, in skene autem decidit aspernantibus hoc inspectoribus),

quecumque autem possibile et scematibus cooperantem. Probabilissimi enim ab eadem natura quales in passionibus sunt et hyemizat hyematus et exasperat iratus verissime.

Propter quod eius qui apte nature poetica est quam manici ; horum enim hii quidem euplasti (idest facile plasmabiles), hii autem exquisitores sunt.

Hosque sermones et poetizatos oportet et ipsum facientem

exponere universaliter, puta Ifigeneie ; immolanda quadam puella et disparente occulte ab immolantibus, demorante autem in aliam regionem, in qua lex erat extraneis immolare dee, hanc habuit sanctificationem ; tempore autem posterius fratri accidit venire sanctificationis (istud quia responsum dederat deus propter quam causam extra universale venire illuc et ad quid autem extra fabulam), veniens autem et captus immolari futurus recognovit; sive ut Euripedes sive ut Polyeidus fecit, secundum verisimile dicens quod non ergo solum sororem sed et ipsum oportebat immolari ; et hinc salus.

Post hec autem iam supponentem nomina episodizare,

qualiter autem erunt congrua episodia, puta in Horeste mania per quam assumptus est et salus per purificationem.

In curribus quidem 3oigitur episodia brevia, epopoiia autem hiis producitur.

Nam Odysseie longus sermo est; peregrinante quodam annis multis et observato a Possidone et solo ente, in habentibus autem domi sic ut res a ministris consumerentur et filius insidias pateretur, ipse autem pervenit hyematus, et recognoscens quosdam ipse insiliens, ipse quidem salvatus est, inimicos autem peremit.

Proprium quidem igitur hoc, alia autem episodia.

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.) — 17 focus

‏وقد ينبغى ان تقوم الخرافات وتتمم بالمقولة من قبل ان الامور توضع امام العينين جدا وذلك انه على هذه الجهة عند ما برى الشاعر على ما عند الامور المعمولة انفسها وعند ما يصير هناك يجد الشى الاولى والاحرى والاجمل ولا يذهب عليه البتة المضاد لهذه

‏ودليل هذا هو ما تبكت به لڡادٯيٮس وذلك ان ذاك صعد فيما يقال الى ذاك كانه صاعد من اٮان اى من الهيكل من حيث لم يكن يرى وكان يذهب على الناظر ووقع فى الخيمة وعند ما يصعٮ السامعين فى هذا

‏بمقدار ما كانه يمكن كان يفعل مع الاشكال على مجرى الاذعان والانقياد فالذين هم فى الالام هم فى طبيعة واحدة بعينها وان كان الذى فى الهزاير يتعذب ويتقلب وكان الذى يتسخط بالحق بتصعب

‏ولذلك فان صناعة الشعر هى للماهو اكثر منها للذين هم تلهين المعقول وذلك ان هولا منهم من هو بسيط عحس

‏اعنى فى الاقاويل والخرافات النى عملت وقد يجب عليه هو ايضا ان يكون عند ما يعمل ان يضعها على طريق الكلية ومن بعد ذلك ان ٮتحد يدخل شى وان بركب

‏واعنى بقولى ان يكون معنى الكل بهذا النحو كالحال فى امر ايباغانيا عند ما نحرت صبية ما واخفيت لكيما لا تظهر قامت بين المنحورين ووضعت فى بلد اخر فوق الٯايم قد كانت السنة جرت فى ذلك البلد ان يضحا لله ضحايا واقتنت هذا الفوز وفى زمان ما بالاخرة عرض ان قدم اخوها وجا من قبل ان الوالى احطا من قبل ان العلة هنالك خارج عن معنى الكل وفى البلد وايضا الذى عملت فيه هذه فماذى غير الخرافة مما يخبر به زعم ڡعل الان اد قد حٮت ولها اخذ وقدم ولٮتحد يعرف احيه فان على ما يعمل اوريفدس القينة على مذهب الحق اعواح كثيرة فلانه قال انه ليس اخته اذا كان يجب ان ٮتحد لكن هو ايضا قد كان يجب ان ٮمٮٮل فيه ذلك ومن هاهنا يكون الخلاص

‏ومن ذلك يدخل اسما قد وصڡت وفرغ من وصڡها

‏ويكون الاسما المداخلة مناسبة بمنزلة ما لاورسطس وهو الذى تدبيره كان الخلاص بالطهير

‏الا فى القينات الدخيلة هى معتدلة وما صنعه الانواع فى هذه فتطول

‏وذلك ان لاودوسيا فالقول ليس هو بالطويل فانه عند ما شخص انسان وغاب سنين كثيرة قد ٮٮڡاق عن فوسيدس وقد كان وحيد وايضا فان حال من كانت حال انه الامر معها ان باد جميع املاكه فى الخطاب والملاملات وان يمكرون به ويحوبونه واما هو فبلغ بعد ان تاه تيه كثيرا ولما ٮڡرق اناس ما اما هو فشقا شقيا عظيما ونجا وتخلص واما اعداه فابادهم

‏فهذه هى خاصية هذا واما الاشيا الاخر فهى دخيلة

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 17 focus

‏بمقدار ما كانه يمكن كان يفعل مع الاشكال

‏على مجرى الاذعان والانقياد فالذين هم فى الالام هم فى طبيعة واحدة بعينها وان كان الذى فى الهزاير يتعذب ويتقلب وكان الذى يتسخط بالحق بتصعب

‏ولذلك فان صناعة الشعر هى للماهو اكثر منها للذين هم تلهين المعقول وذلك ان هولا منهم من هو بسيط عحس

‏واعنى بقولى ان يكون معنى الكل بهذا النحو كالحال فى امر ايباغانيا

‏عند ما نحرت صبية ما واخفيت لكيما لا تظهر قامت بين المنحورين ووضعت فى بلد اخر فوق الٯايم قد كانت السنة جرت فى ذلك البلد ان يضحا لله ضحايا واقتنت هذا الفوز

‏وفى زمان ما بالاخرة عرض ان قدم اخوها وجا

‏من قبل ان الوالى احطا من قبل ان العلة هنالك خارج عن معنى الكل وفى البلد وايضا الذى عملت فيه هذه فماذى غير الخرافة

‏مما يخبر به زعم ڡعل الان اد قد حٮت ولها اخذ وقدم ولٮتحد يعرف احيه فان على ما يعمل اوريفدس القينة على مذهب الحق اعواح كثيرة فلانه قال انه ليس اخته اذا كان يجب ان ٮتحد لكن هو ايضا قد كان يجب ان ٮمٮٮل فيه ذلك ومن هاهنا يكون الخلاص

‏ومن ذلك يدخل اسما قد وصڡت وفرغ من وصڡها ويكون الاسما المداخلة مناسبة بمنزلة ما لاورسطس وهو الذى تدبيره كان الخلاص بالطهير

‏الا فى القينات الدخيلة هى معتدلة وما صنعه الانواع فى هذه فتطول

‏فهذه هى خاصية هذا واما الاشيا الاخر فهى دخيلة

Commentary

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

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-631

ὑποθέντα τὰ ὀνόματα: 9, 1451 b 13

τὰ τυχόντα ὀνόματα ὑποτιθέασιν

. The proper names are required to serve as a basis for the story, and impart to it an appearance of reality. Aristotle seems to speak for the moment as though the whole story, names and all, were of the poet's creation, as it was in the New Comedy and in certain tragedies ( 9, 1451 b 11, 19 ). If the stories, however, were traditional, the chief names were generally part of the tradition, and taken over from it by the dramatist. A reason for the retention of historic names in Tragedy has been given in 9, 1451 b 15 .

7. mvp-aristotle-comment-632

ἐπεισοδιοῦν: comp. b 1 ἐπεισοδιοῦν καὶ παρατείνειν .

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

12. mvp-aristotle-comment-419

17.7 Cette fable étant faite, on donne les noms aux perſonna-ges, & on épiſodie l'action.]¹

13. mvp-aristotle-comment-420

17.7 Mais il faut bien prendre garde que les Epiſodes ſoient pro-pres.]²

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

142. mvp-aristotle-comment-142

NOTE 142. p. 99.

17.7 WHEN HE HAS GIVEN NAMES TO HIS CHARACTERS

This seems to shew plainly, that by

λόγους πεποιημένους

the critic means only such subjects as were of the Poet's own invention¹. For he says—first, form a general sketch of your fable; then, give names to your characters. This manifestly implies, that the names were not already fixed by history or tradition, but were at the Poet's choice. To avoid this difficulty, the Abbé Batteux translates,

"on remet les noms."

But this, certainly, is not what Aristotle says; and it is too trifling, surely, to be what he means². If the names are given by the particular history which the Poet follows, what purpose will it answer to omit them in his plan?—They will certainly be in his mind; they may as well be upon his paper. In short, the method here recommended by Aristotle seems perfectly absurd and nugatory, upon any other supposition than that of a story, either wholly invented by the Poet, or, of which, at least, he owes only some slight hint to fact, and real life. In this case, and in this only, it is, that the subject first presents itself to the Poet's mind in a general and abstracted view, which he afterwards circumstantiates by time, place, and names, and fills up by the detail of particular episodes and scenes.

That this is the meaning, will appear, I think, still more clearly from the 9th chapter, with which this passage should be compared. What is here said of the method to be pursued by Tragic Poets, answers exactly to what is there said of the Comic:

συστήσαντες γὰρ τὸν μῦθον διὰ τῶν εἰκότων, ΟΥΤΩ ΤΑ ΤΥΧΟΝΤΑ ΟΝΟΜΑΤΑ ΕΠΙΤΙΘΕΑΣΙ

³;—with this difference, indeed, that the Comic writer may give whatever names he pleases; while the Tragic generally adopts historical names, even when his subject is feigned. Yet Aristotle, there, not only allows that Tragedy, as well as Comedy, may be all invention, both plot and names, but even says, that it would be "ridiculous" to think otherwise:

γελοῖον τοῦτο ζητεῖν

. And he immediately adds, that it is the invention or making of his fable, (not of his verse only,) that truly constitutes the Poet.

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-121

Ritter, cap. 17 § 4

ἤδη ὑποθέντα τὰ ὀνόματα ἐπεισοδιοῦν: dum nomina poeta subiicit, quod in genere est ad singularia transfert; haec nomina, sive actionem primariis personis assignatam, episodiis dilatare debet iis quae per commune aliquod vinculum cum generali argumento connectuntur. huius praecepti exempla petuntur ex fabula Euripidis modo commemorata. ἡ μανία δι' ἧς ἐλήφθη ( ὁ Ὀρέστης) describitur in Iphigen. Tauricens. v. 260-339., eiusdem σωτηρία διὰ τῆς καθάρσεως ν. 1158 sqq.

Aristotle Poetics 17.7

Thomas Twining (Translator)

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Commentary

NOTE 142. p. 99.

Ritter, cap. 17 § 4

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