Aristotle, Poetics, Thomas Twining (Translator), 3.5

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Upon this it is that the Dorians ground their claim to the invention both of Tragedy and Comedy. For Comedy is claimed by the Megarians; both by those of Greece, who contend that it took its rise in their popular government¹; and by those of Sicily, among whom the poet Epicharmus flourished long before Chionides and Magnes: and Tragedy, also, is claimed by some of the Dorians of Peloponnesus.—In support of these claims they argue from the words themselves.

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

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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 (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poetics, Greek text (S. H. Butcher, 1911) (OCR draft) Experimental (S. H. Butcher's Greek text from Aristotle's Theory of Poetry and Fine Art, fourth edition, 1911.) — 4 focus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poetics, Greek text (Franz Ritter, 1839) (OCR draft) Experimental (Franz Ritter's 1839 Greek edition, corrected against OCR of the represented copy and aligned to the conventional Perseus chapter-and-subchapter sequence.) — 3 focus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Translations (13)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

〈اختلاف ضروب الشعر باختلاف طريقة المحاكاة〉

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

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

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

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

Poetics (S. H. Butcher, 1911) (OCR draft) Experimental (S. H. Butcher's English translation from Aristotle's Theory of Poetry and Fine Art, fourth edition, 1911.) — 3 focus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.) — 3.5 focus

as being invented there during their democratical government and those who migrated from Sicily, because the Poet Epicharmus florished there long before the time of Chonnides and Magnes: while some of the Dorians of Peloponnefus claim the invention of Tragedy.) Founding their pretensions on the names;

The Poetic of Aristotle (Theodore Alois Buckley) (OCR draft) Experimental (Theodore Alois Buckley's English translation, first published in 1850 and represented from the Henry G. Bohn 1857 printing; corrected against a second OCR and aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 3.5 focus

For thence was the poet Epicharmus, who was much prior to Chonides and Magnes. But some of those Dorians who inhabit Peloponnesus lay claim to tragedy, making names an evidence. For they allege that they call their villages komai,

Poetica Latine conversa (Franciscus Ritter, 1839) (OCR draft) Experimental (Franz Ritter's Latin translation, corrected against OCR of the represented copy and aligned to the conventional Perseus chapter-and-subchapter sequence.) — 3 focus

Etiam tertia horum differentia quomodo singula horum imitetur aliquis.

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

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

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

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

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

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

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 3.5 focus

Ce qui a donné lieu aux Doriens, de s'attribuer l'invention de la Tragedie & de la Comedie. Car les Megariens de ce pays ont pris la Comedie pour leur partage, ſoûtenant qu'elle eſt née dans leur état populaire. Les Megariens de Sicile l'ont auſſi revendiquée, parce que le Poëte Epicharmus, plus ancien que Chionides, & que Magnes, étoit Sicilien. Et quelques Doriens du Peloponeſe ſe ſont attribuez l'une & l'autre, & ont fondé leurs prétentions ſur les noms mêmes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

De poetica (Antonio Riccobono, 1587) (OCR draft) Experimental (Antonio Riccobono's Latin translation, first published in 1587; text represented from Immanuel Bekker's 1831 edition.) — 3 focus

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

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

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

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

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

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

et quot et quae sint, tam multa dicta sint.

De arte poetica liber (William of Moerbeke, ca. 1277) (OCR draft) Experimental (William of Moerbeke's medieval Latin translation, represented by the 1953 Aristoteles Latinus edition.) — 3 focus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition) (OCR draft) Experimental (The Arabic translation attributed to Abū Bishr Mattā, edited by Jaroslaus Tkatsch in 1928 and aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 3 focus

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

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

‏ياتون بتشبيههم وحكايتهم كما قلنا منذ الابتدا بهذه الفصول والاصناف الثلاثة

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

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

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

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

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

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

‏ياتون بتشبيههم وحكايتهم كما قلنا منذ الابتدا بهذه الفصول والاصناف الثلاثة

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

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

Notes on the current edition

Poetics

1. Who were all of Doric origin.

Aristotle Poetics 3.5

Thomas Twining (Translator)

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