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A beginning, is that which does not, necessarily, suppose any thing before it, but which requires something to follow it.

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.) — 7 focus

Διωρισμένων δὲ τούτων, λέγωμεν μετὰ ταῦτα ποίαν τινὰ δεῖ τὴν σύστασιν εἶναι τῶν πραγμάτων, ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο καὶ πρῶτον καὶ μέγιστον τῆς τραγῳδίας ἐστίν.

Κεῖται δ᾿ ἡμῖν τὴν τραγῳδίαν τελείας καὶ ὅλης πράξεως εἶναι μίμησιν, ἐχούσης τι μέγεθος· ἔστι γὰρ ὅλον καὶ μηδὲν ἔχον μέγεθος.

Ὅλον δ᾿ ἐστὶ τὸ ἔχον ἀρχὴν καὶ μέσον καὶ τελευτήν.

Ἀρχὴ δ᾿ ἐστὶν ὃ αὐτὸ μὲν μὴ ἐξ ἀνάγκης μετ᾿ ἄλλο ἐστί, μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνο δ᾿ ἕτερον πέφυκεν εἶναι ἢ γίνεσθαι·

τελευτὴ δὲ τοὐναντίον ὃ αὐτὸ μετ᾿ ἄλλο πέφυκεν εἶναι, ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἢ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἄλλο οὐδέν·

μέσον δὲ ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ μετ᾿ ἄλλο καὶ μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνο ἕτερον.

Δεῖ ἄρα τοὺς συνεστῶτας εὖ μύθους μήθ᾿ ὁπόθεν ἔτυχεν ἄρχεσθαι μήθ᾿ ὅπου ἔτυχε τελευτᾶν, ἀλλὰ κεχρῆσθαι ταῖς εἰρημέναις ἰδέαις.

Ἔτι δ᾿ ἐπεὶ τὸ καλὸν καὶ ζῷον καὶ ἅπαν πρᾶγμα ὃ συνέστηκεν ἔκ τινων, οὐ μόνον ταῦτα τεταγμένα δεῖ ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγεθος ὑπάρχειν μὴ τὸ τυχόν· τὸ γὰρ καλὸν ἐν μεγέθει καὶ τάξει ἐστί,

διὸ οὔτε πάμμικρον ἄν τι γένοιτο καλὸν ζῷον (συγχεῖται γὰρ ἡ θεωρία ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἀναισθήτου χρόνου γινομένη) οὔτε παμμέγεθες· οὐ γὰρ ἅμα ἡ θεωρία γίνεται, ἀλλ᾿ οἴχεται τοῖς θεωροῦσι τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ ὅλον ἐκ τῆς θεωρίας, οἷον εἰ μυρίων σταδίων εἴη ζῷον.

Ὥστε δεῖ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν σωμάτων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ζῴων ἔχειν μὲν μέγεθος, τοῦτο δὲ εὐσύνοπτον εἶναι, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μύθων ἔχειν μὲν μῆκος, τοῦτο δ᾿ εὐμνημόνευτον εἶναι.

Τοῦ δὲ μήκους ὅρος πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν οὐ τῆς τέχνης ἐστίν· εἰ γὰρ ἔδει ἑκατὸν τραγῳδίας ἀγωνίζεσθαι, πρὸς κλεψύδραν ἂν ἠγωνίζοντο, ὥσπερ ποτὲ καὶ ἄλλοτε φασίν.

Ὁ δὲ κατ᾿ αὐτὴν τὴν φύσιν τοῦ πράγματος ὅρος, ἀεὶ μὲν ὁ μείζων μέχρι τοῦ σύνδηλος εἶναι καλλίων ἐστὶ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος, ὡς δὲ ἁπλῶς διορίσαντας εἰπεῖν, ἐν ὅσῳ μεγέθει κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον ἐφεξῆς γιγνομένων συμβαίνει εἰς εὐτυχίαν ἐκ δυστυχίας ἢ ἐξ εὐτυχίας εἰς δυστυχίαν μεταβάλλειν, ἱκανὸς ὅρος ἐστὶ τοῦ μεγέθους.

Περὶ ποιητικῆς (OCR draft) Perseus (Aristotle, De arte poetica liber. Rudolf Kassel, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965. Reference edition for passage alignment.) — 7 focus

διωρισμένων δὲ τούτων, λέγωμεν μετὰ ταῦτα ποίαν τινὰ δεῖ τὴν σύστασιν εἶναι τῶν πραγμάτων, ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο καὶ πρῶτον καὶ μέγιστον τῆς τραγῳδίας ἐστίν.

κεῖται δὴ ἡμῖν τὴν τραγῳδίαν τελείας καὶ ὅλης πράξεως εἶναι 25 μίμησιν ἐχούσης τι μέγεθος· ἔστιν γὰρ ὅλον καὶ μηδὲν ἔχον μέγεθος.

ὅλον δέ ἐστιν τὸ ἔχον ἀρχὴν καὶ μέσον καὶ τελευτήν.

ἀρχὴ δέ ἐστιν ὃ αὐτὸ μὲν μὴ ἐξ ἀνάγκης μετ’ ἄλλο ἐστίν, μετ’ ἐκεῖνο δ’ ἕτερον πέφυκεν εἶναι ἢ γίνεσθαι·

τελευτὴ δὲ τοὐναντίον ὃ αὐτὸ μὲν μετ’ ἄλλο πέφυκεν εἶναι ἢ 30 ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἢ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἄλλο οὐδέν·

μέσον δὲ ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ μετ’ ἄλλο καὶ μετ’ ἐκεῖνο ἕτερον.

δεῖ ἄρα τοὺς συνεστῶτας εὖ μύθους μήθ’ ὁπόθεν ἔτυχεν ἄρχεσθαι μήθ’ ὅπου ἔτυχε τελευτᾶν, ἀλλὰ κεχρῆσθαι ταῖς εἰρημέναις ἰδέαις.

ἔτι δ’ ἐπεὶ τὸ καλὸν καὶ ζῷον καὶ ἅπαν 35 πρᾶγμα ὃ συνέστηκεν ἐκ τινῶν οὐ μόνον ταῦτα τεταγμένα δεῖ ἔχειν ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγεθος ὑπάρχειν μὴ τὸ τυχόν· τὸ γὰρ καλὸν ἐν μεγέθει καὶ τάξει ἐστίν,

διὸ οὔτε πάμμικρον ἄν τι γένοιτο καλὸν ζῷον (συγχεῖται γὰρ ἡ θεωρία ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἀναισθήτου χρόνου γινομένη) οὔτε παμμέγεθες (οὐ γὰρ 1451a 1 ἅμα ἡ θεωρία γίνεται ἀλλ’ οἴχεται τοῖς θεωροῦσι τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ ὅλον ἐκ τῆς θεωρίας) οἷον εἰ μυρίων σταδίων εἴη ζῷον·

ὥστε δεῖ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν σωμάτων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ζῴων ἔχειν μὲν μέγεθος, τοῦτο δὲ εὐσύνοπτον εἶναι, οὕτω 5 καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μύθων ἔχειν μὲν μῆκος, τοῦτο δὲ εὐμνημόνευτον εἶναι.

τοῦ δὲ μήκους ὅρος ὁ μὲν πρὸς τοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν οὐ τῆς τέχνης ἐστίν· εἰ γὰρ ἔδει ἑκατὸν τραγῳδίας ἀγωνίζεσθαι, πρὸς κλεψύδρας ἂν ἠγωνίζοντο, † ὥσπερ ποτὲ καὶ ἄλλοτέ φασιν † .

ὁ δὲ κατ’ αὐτὴν τὴν φύσιν 10 τοῦ πράγματος ὅρος, ἀεὶ μὲν ὁ μείζων μέχρι τοῦ σύνδηλος εἶναι καλλίων ἐστὶ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος· ὡς δὲ ἁπλῶς διορίσαντας εἰπεῖν, ἐν ὅσῳ μεγέθει κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον ἐφεξῆς γιγνομένων συμβαίνει εἰς εὐτυχίαν ἐκ δυστυχίας ἢ ἐξ εὐτυχίας εἰς δυστυχίαν μεταβάλλειν, ἱκανὸς 15 ὅρος ἐστὶν τοῦ μεγέθους.

Poetics, Greek text (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's Greek text of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 7 focus

Διωρισμένων δὲ τούτων, λέγωμεν μετὰ ταῦτα ποίαν
τινὰ δεῖ τὴν σύστασιν εἶναι τῶν πραγμάτων, ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο
καὶ πρῶτον καὶ μέγιστον τῆς τραγῳδίας ἐστίν.

κεῖται δὴ
ἡμῖν τὴν τραγῳδίαν τελείας καὶ ὅλης πράξεως εἶναι μίμησιν
ἐχούσης τι μέγεθος· ἔστιν γὰρ ὅλον καὶ μηδὲν ἔχον
μέγεθος.

ὅλον δὲ ἐστὶν τὸ ἔχον ἀρχὴν καὶ μέσον καὶ τελευτήν.

ἀρχὴ δὲ ἐστιν ὃ αὐτὸ μὲν μὴ ἐξ ἀνάγκης μετ᾽
ἄλλο ἐστίν, μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνο δ᾽ ἕτερον πέφυκεν εἶναι ἢ γίνεσθαι·

τελευτὴ δὲ τοὐναντίον ὃ αὐτὸ μετ᾽ ἄλλο πέφυκεν εἶναι ἢ
ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἢ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἄλλο οὐδέν·

μέσον δὲ ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ μετ᾽ ἄλλο καὶ μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνο ἕτερον.

δεῖ ἄρα τοὺς συνεστῶτας εὖ μύθους μήθ᾽ ὁπόθεν ἔτυχεν
ἄρχεσθαι μήθ᾽ ὅπου ἔτυχε τελευτᾶν, ἀλλὰ κεχρῆσθαι ταῖς
εἰρημέναις ἰδέαις.

ἔτι δ᾽ ἐπεὶ τὸ καλὸν καὶ ζῷον καὶ ἅπαν
πρᾶγμα ὃ συνέστηκεν ἐκ τινῶν οὐ μόνον ταῦτα τεταγμένα
δεῖ ἔχειν ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγεθος ὑπάρχειν μὴ τὸ τυχόν· τὸ
γὰρ καλὸν ἐν μεγέθει καὶ τάξει ἐστίν,

διὸ οὔτε πάμμικρον
ἄν τι γένοιτο καλὸν ζῷον (συγχεῖται γὰρ ἡ θεωρία ἐγγὺς
τοῦ ἀναισθήτου χρόνου γινομένη) οὔτε παμμέγεθες (οὐ γὰρ
ἅμα ἡ θεωρία γίνεται ἀλλ᾽ οἴχεται τοῖς θεωροῦσι τὸ ἓν
καὶ τὸ ὅλον ἐκ τῆς θεωρίας) οἷον εἰ μυρίων σταδίων εἴη
ζῷον·

ὥστε δεῖ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν συστημάτων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν
ζῴων ἔχειν μὲν μέγεθος, τοῦτο δὲ εὐσύνοπτον εἶναι, οὕτω
καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μύθων ἔχειν μὲν μῆκος, τοῦτο δὲ εὐμνημόνευτον
εἶναι.

τοῦ μήκους ὅρος ὁ μὲν πρὸς τοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ
τὴν αἴσθησιν οὐ τῆς τέχνης ἐστίν· εἰ γὰρ ἔδει ἑκατὸν
τραγῳδίας ἀγωνίζεσθαι, πρὸς κλεψύδρας ἂν ἠγωνίζοντο,
ὥσπερ ποτὲ καὶ ἄλλοτέ †φασιν† .

ὁ δὲ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν
φύσιν τοῦ πράγματος ὅρος, ἀεὶ μὲν ὁ μείζων μέχρι τοῦ σύνδηλος
εἶναι καλλίων ἐστὶ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος· ὡς δὲ ἁπλῶς
διορίσαντας εἰπεῖν, ἐν ὅσῳ μεγέθει κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ τὸ
ἀναγκαῖον ἐφεξῆς γιγνομένων συμβαίνει εἰς εὐτυχίαν ἐκ δυστυχίας
ἢ ἐξ εὐτυχίας εἰς δυστυχίαν μεταβάλλειν, ἱκανὸς
ὅρος ἐστὶν τοῦ μεγέθους.

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.) — 7 focus

κεῖται δ᾽ ἡμῖν τὴν τραγῳδίαν τελείας καὶ ὅλης πράξεως εἶναι μίμησιν, ἐχούσης τι μέγεθος· ἔστι γὰρ ὅλον καὶ μηδὲν ἔχον μέγεθος.

ὅλον δ᾽ ἐστὶ τὸ ἔχον ἀρχὴν καὶ μέσον καὶ τελευτήν.

ἀρχὴ δ' ἐστίν ὃ αὐτὸ μὲν μὴ ἐξ ἀνάγκης μετ᾿ ἄλλο ἐστί, μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνο δ᾽ ἕτερον πέφυκεν εἶναι ἢ γίνεσθαι·

μέσον δὲ ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ μετ' ἄλλο καὶ μετ' ἐκεῖνο ἕτερον.

δεῖ ἄρα τοὺς συνεστῶτας εὖ μύθους μήθ᾽ ὁπόθεν ἔτυχεν ἄρχεσθαι μήθ᾽ ὅπου ἔτυχε τελευτῶν, ἀλλὰ κεχρῆσθαι ταῖς εἰρημέναις ἰδέαις.

ἔτι δ᾽ ἐπεὶ τὸ καλὸν καὶ ζῷον καὶ ἅπαν πρᾶγμα ὃ συνέστηκεν ἔκ τινων, οὐ μόνον ταῦτα τεταγμένα δεῖ ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγεθος ὑπάρχειν μὴ τὸ τυχόν· - τὸ γὰρ καλὸν ἐν μεγέθει καὶ τάξει ἐστί,

διὸ οὔτε πάμμικρον ἄν τι γένοιτο καλὸν ζῷον (συγχεῖται γὰρ ἡ θεωρία ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἀναισθήτου χρόνου γινομένη) οὔτε παμμέγεθες· οὐ γὰρ ἅμα ἡ θεωρία γίνεται, ἀλλ' οἴχεται τοῖς θεωὑροῦσι τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ ὅλον ἐκ τῆς θεωρίας, οἷον εἰ μυρίων σταδίων εἴη ζῷον.

ὥστε δεῖ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν σωμάτων καὶ ἐπὶ¹ τῶν ζῴων ἔχειν μὲν μέγεθος, τοῦτο δὲ εὐσύνοπτον εἶναι, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μύθων ἔχειν μὲν μῆκος, τοῦτο δ᾽ εὐμνημόνευτον εἶναι.

τοῦ δὲ μήκους ὅρος πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν οὐ τῆς τέχνης ἐστίν· εἰ γὰρ ἔδει ἑκατὸν τραγῳδίας ἀγωνίζεσθαι, πρὸς κλεψύδραν ἂν ἠγωνίζοντο [, ὥσπερ η ποτὲ καὶ ἄλλοτε φασίν].

ὁ δὲ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν φύσιν τοῦ πράγματος ὅρος, ἀεὶ μὲν ὁ μείζων μέχρι τοῦ σύνδηλος εἶναι καλλίων ἐστὶ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος, ὡς δὲ ἁπλῶς διορίσαντας εἰπεῖν, ἐν ὅσῳ μεγέθει κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον ἐφεξῆς γιγνομένων συμβαίνει εἰς εὐτυχίαν ἐκ δυστυχίας ἢ ἐξ εὐτυχίας εἰς δυστυχίαν μεταβάλλειν, ἱκανὸς ὕρος ἐστὶ τοῦ μεγέθους.

Translations (13)

Poetics (W. H. Fyfe) (OCR draft) Perseus (William Hamilton Fyfe's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, Loeb Classical Library, 1939 printing.) — 7 focus

After these definitions we must next discuss the proper arrangement of the incidents since this is the first and most important thing in tragedy.

We have laid it down that tragedy is a representation of an action that is whole and complete and of a certain magnitude, since a thing may be a whole and yet have no magnitude.

A whole is what has a beginning and middle and end.

A beginning is that which is not a necessary consequent of anything else but after which something else exists or happens as a natural result.

An end on the contrary is that which is inevitably or, as a rule, the natural result of something else but from which nothing else follows;

a middle follows something else and something follows from it.

Well constructed plots must not therefore begin and end at random, but must embody the formulae we have stated.

Moreover, in everything that is beautiful, whether it be a living creature or any organism composed of parts, these parts must not only be orderly arranged but must also have a certain magnitude of their own;

for beauty consists in magnitude and ordered arrangement. From which it follows that neither would a very small creature be beautiful—for our view of it is almost instantaneous and therefore confused¹—nor a very large one, 1451a 1 since being unable to view it all at once, we lose the effect of a single whole; for instance, suppose a creature a thousand miles long.

As then creatures and other organic structures must have a certain magnitude and yet be easily taken in by the eye, so too with plots: they must have length but must be easily taken in by the memory.

The limit of length considered in relation to competitions and production² before an audience does not concern this treatise. Had it been the rule to produce a hundred tragedies, the performance would have been regulated by the water clock, as it is said they did once in other days.

But as for the natural limit of the action, the longer the better as far as magnitude goes, provided it can all be grasped at once. To give a simple definition: the magnitude which admits of a change from bad fortune to good or from good fortune to bad, in a sequence of events which follow one another either inevitably or according to probability, that is the proper limit.

Arabic Poetics (Badawī edition, 1953) (OCR draft) (The ancient Arabic translation of Aristotle's Poetics in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Badawī's 1953 edition.) — 7 focus

〈مدى الفعل〉

فاذ قد 〈حددت〉 هذه الأشياء، فلنتكلم بعدها مثل أى شىء هو قوام الأمور، من قبل أن هذا مقدم وهو أعظم من صناعة المديح.

وقد وصفنا صناعة المديح أنها استتمام وغاية جميع العمل والتشبيه والمحاكاة، وأن لها عظماً ما وهى كلها وأن ليس لها شىء من العظم. والكل هو [إ] ما له ابتداء ووسط وآخر؛ والمبدأ هو ما كان إما هو فليس من الضرورة مع الآخر. وأما مع الآخر فمن شأنه أن يكون ليكون مع هذا. وأما الآخر فبالعكس، أعنى أما هو فمن شأنه أن يكون مع آخر من الاضطرار أو على أكثر الأمر؛ وأما بعده فليس شىء آخر. وأما الوسط فهو مع آخر، ويتبعها آخر أيضاً.

ومن الآن الذين هم يقومون هم إيجاد من حيث يبتدئ به توجد، ولا أين يجعل آخر الأمر يجد، بل إنهم يستعملون الصور والخلق التى قيلت.

وأيضاً على الحيوان الخير وكل أمر لا يتركب شىء. وليس إنما ينبغى أن تكون هذه فقط منتظمة مرتبة، لكن قد ينبغى أن يكون العظم لا أى عظم اتفق، من قبل أن معنى لا وجود إنما يكون بالعظم والترتيب. ولذلك ليس حيوان ما صغير هو جيد (وذلك أن النظر هو مركب لقرب الزمان الغير محسوس) من حيث يكون ليس فى الكل عظيم (وذلك أن النظر ليس يكون معاً، لكن حالها حال تجعل الناظرين واحداً وكلا؛ وذلك من النظر مثلا، مثل أن يكون الحيوان على بعد عشرة آلاف ميدان) حتى يكون كما يجب على الأجسام وعلى الحيوان أن يكون عظم ما. وهذا نفسه يكون سهل البيان. وبهذا نفسه يكون فى الخرافة أيضاً طول ويكون محفوظاً فى الذكر.

وأما الطول نفسه فحده نحو الجهاد والاحساس الذى للصناعة، وذلك أنه إن كان كل واحد من الناس قد كان يجب أن يعمل بالمديح الجهاد نحو ثلاث ساعات الماء، لقد كان يستعمل الجهاد قلا فسودرا كما من عادتنا أن نقول فى زمان ما ومتى. ولما كان لطبيعة الأمور قد يظن أنه يوجد إلى أن يظهر، كان هذا من الأفضل فى العظم. وكما حدوا على الاطلاق وقالوا فى كم من العظم على الحقيقة أو تلك تدعو الضرورة عندما تكون فى هذه التى تكون على الاضطرار واحداً فى إثر الآخر تنوب عند النجاح الكائن بعد رداءة البخت أو تغير رداءة البخت إلى الصلاح يكون للعظم حد كاف.

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.) — 7 focus

These principles being established, let us now discuss
the proper structure of the Plot, since this is the first
and most important thing in Tragedy.

Now, according to our definition, Tragedy is an
imitation of an action that is complete, and whole, and
of a certain magnitude; for there may be a whole that
is wanting in magnitude.

A whole is that which has
a beginning, a middle, and an end.

A beginning is that
which does not itself follow anything by causal necessity,
but after which something naturally is or comes to be.

An end, on the contrary, is that which itself naturally
follows some other thing, either by necessity, or as a rule,
but has nothing following it.

A middle is that which
follows something as some other thing follows it.

A well
constructed plot, therefore, must neither begin nor end
at haphazard, but conform to these principles.

Again, a beautiful object, whether it be a living
organism or any whole composed of parts, must not
only have an orderly arrangement of parts, but must
also be of a certain magnitude;

for beauty depends on
magnitude and order. Hence a very small animal
organism cannot be beautiful; for the view of it is con-
fused, the object being seen in an almost imperceptible
moment of time. Nor, again, can one of vast size be
beautiful; for as the eye cannot take it all in at once,
the unity and sense of the whole is lost for the spectator;
as for instance if there were one a thousand miles
long.

As, therefore, in the case of animate bodies and
organisms a certain magnitude is necessary, and a magni-
tude which may be easily embraced in one view; so in
the plot, a certain length is necessary, and a length
which can be easily embraced by the memory.

The
limit of length in relation to dramatic competition and
sensuous presentment, is no part of artistic theory. For
had it been the rule for a hundred tragedies to compete
together, the performance would have been regulated by
the water-clock, — as indeed we are told was formerly
done.

But the limit as fixed by the nature of the
drama itself is this: — the greater the length, the
more beautiful will the piece be by reason of its
size, provided that the whole be perspicuous. And
to define the matter roughly, we may say that the
proper magnitude is comprised within such limits, that
the sequence of events, according to the law of probability
or necessity, will admit of a change from bad fortune to
good, or from good fortune to bad.

Aristotle on the Art of Poetry (Ingram Bywater, 1909) (OCR draft) Experimental (Ingram Bywater's English translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1909.) — 7 focus

Having thus distinguished the parts, let us now consider
the proper construction of the Fable or Plot, as that is at
once the first and the most important thing in Tragedy.

We have laid it down that a tragedy is an imitation of an
action that is complete in itself, as a whole of some magni-
tude;
for a whole may be of no magnitude to speak of.

Now a whole is that which has beginning, middle, and end.

A beginning is that which is not itself necessarily after
anything else, and which has naturally something else after
it;

an end is that which is naturally after something itself,
either as its necessary or usual consequent, and with nothing
else after it;

and a middle, that which is by nature after
one thing and has also another after it.

A well-constructed
Plot, therefore, cannot either begin or end at any point one
likes; beginning and end in it must be of the forms just
described.

Again: to be beautiful, a living creature, and
every whole made up of parts, must not only present a
certain order in its arrangement of parts, but also be of
a certain definite magnitude.

Beauty is a matter of size
and order, and therefore impossible either (1) in a very
minute creature, since our perception becomes indistinct as
it approaches instantaneity; or (2) in a creature of vast
size-one, say, 1000 miles long-as in that case, instead of
the object being seen all at once, the unity and wholeness
of it is lost to the beholder.

Just in the same way, then,
as a beautiful whole made up of parts, or a beautiful living
creature, must be of some size, a size to be taken in by the
eye, so a story or Plot must be of some length, but of
a length to be taken in by the memory.

As for the limit
of its length, so far as that is relative to public performances
and spectators, it does not fall within the theory of poetry.
If they had to perform a hundred tragedies, they would
be timed by water-clocks, as they are said to have been
at one period.

The limit, however, set by the actual nature
of the thing is this: the longer the story, consistently with
its being comprehensible as a whole, the finer it is by
reason of its magnitude. As a rough general formula, 'a
length which allows of the hero passing by a series of
probable or necessary stages from misfortune to happiness,
or from happiness to misfortune,' may suffice as a limit for
the magnitude of the story.

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.) — 7.4 focus

and an end. A beginning is that which does not itself necessarily follow any other event but to which some other events may naturally succeed.

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.) — 7.4 focus

And the beginning is that which necessarily is not itself posterior to another thing; but another thing is naturally expected to follow it.

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.) — 7 focus

Quibus expositis, dicamus iam qualem esse oporteat compositionem factorum, quandoquidem hoc et primum et maximum in tragoedia est.

certum autem nobis est tragoediam esse imitationem absolutae et totius actionis quae aliquam magnitudinem habeat: est enim totum etiam quod nullam magnitudinem habeat.

totum autem est quod habet principium et medium et finem.

principium est quod ipsum quidem haud necessario post aliud est, post illud' autem aliud oportet esse aut fieri;

finis autem contrarium, quod ipsum post aliud oportet esse, sive necessario sive ut plurimum, post hoc autem aliud nihil;

medium autem quod et ipsum post aliud et post illud aliud.

oportet igitur fabulas bene compositas neque unde fors tulerit incipere neque ubicumque desinere, sed ex formis ante dictis constitutas esse.

porro quoniam quod pulchrum sive animal sive quaecumque res quae ex quibusdam partibus constat, non solum has dispositas habeat necesse est, sed etiam magnitudinem non quamcumque:

- pulchrum enim in magnitudine et ordine est, ita ut neque perexiguum animal pulchrum fieri possit (confunditur enim contemplatio cum prope ad insensibile tempus accedit) neque permagnum: non enim simul contemplatio fit, sed elabitur contemplantibus unum et totum ex contemplatione,

veluti si sexcentorum stadiorum esset animal, itaque quemadmodum oportet in corporibus et animalibus esse quidem magnitudinem, hanc vero facile conspiciendam esse, sic etiam in fabulis adesse quidem longitudinem, sed quae facile memoria comprehendatur.

sed longitudinis terminus ratione habita ad certamina et perceptionem, artis non est: si enim centum tragoedias certare oporteret, ad clepsydram sane certarent [, quomodo aliquando et alias dicunt].

sed qui ex ipsa natura facti consequitur terminus, semper quidem amplior, dummodo perspicuus sit, pulchrior est sccundum magnitudinem, sed ut simpliciter definiendo dicamus, quo spatio temporis, secundum probabilitatem vel necessitatem rebus succedentibus, accidit in felicitatem ex infelicitate aut ex felicitate in infelicitatem mutationem fieri, sufficiens terminus est magnitudinis.

La poëtique d'Aristote (André Dacier, 1692) (OCR draft) Experimental (André Dacier's French translation of Aristotle's Poetics, published in 1692.) — 7.4 focus

Le commencement eſt ce qui ne ſuppoſe rien neceſſairement avant ſoy; & qui exige aprés foy quelqu'autre choſe qui eſt, ou qui doit être.

Poetica d'Aristotile (Bernardo Segni, 1549) (OCR draft) Experimental (Bernardo Segni's 1549 Florentine Italian translation, aligned to the Kassel reference passage sequence.) — 7 focus

Stato preſuppoſto da noi, che la Tragedia imiti vna attione intera, et perfetta; et che habbia qualche grandezza. Io dico queſto, perchè e ſi dà vn'intero, & vn' tutto, che nó ha grandezza alcuna.¹

Tutto è quello, che ha principio, mezo, & fine. Principio frdice effer quello, che per neceſsità non è doppo vnaltra coſa; ma à cui benne conſeguita doppo vnaltra, che fia, ò che ſi faccia.. Il fine allincontro è quello, che per natura è atto à effere doppo vnaltra coſa, ò neceffariamen te, ò il più delle volte; & à cui neſſun altra coſa confe guita doppo.

Mezo è quello, che ſta doppo vnaltra cofa; & à cui doppo ne conſeguita vnaltra.

Dico adunche con tai coſe preſuppoſte, che le Fauole ben' teſſute nó debbon' cominciare onde vno ſi voglias nè allincontro finire ouunche vn' fi voglia: ma debbono vſare in ciò i fopradetti termini.

Oltradiqueſto, perchè ogni coſa bel la,ò animale, o altro che egli ſi ſia di piu parti compofto, non pur' debba hauere eſſe parti bene ordinate; ma anchora debba hauere la grandezza, ma non già qual fi voglia:

perchè la bellezza confute nella grandezza,& nell'ordine.

Però non mai potrà eſſer bello animale quello, che ſia troppo piccolo; perchè la viſta vi ſi confonde, effendoui fatta quafi, che in vn' tempo inſenſibile.

Ne anchora potrà eſſer bello allincotro quello, che fia troppo grande; perchè la viſta di lui non vi fi fa tut ta inſieme: ma quel tutto, & quell'uno piutoſto sfugge la con D'ARISTOTI la confideratione, che di lui fi fa:com'è dire quando vn animale fuſſe lungo vn' miglio.

Onde fi conchiude che cofi come auuiene nei corpi, & negli animali, che e' deb bino cioè hauer grandezza, che ſia attaåben poterſi vedere,parimete che le Fauole debbino hauer lunghez za atta à ben poterſene ricordare il cui termino per quanto ſe n'aſpetta allo ſpettacolo, & al ſenſo, non è vf fitio dell'arte.

Imperchè quando e bifognafle recitar cento Tragedie, elle ſi potrebbon' recitare tutte infra quello ſpatio di tempo, che miſura l'horihuolo d'acqua; come fi dicey che gia altroue è ſtato v ſato di farfi.

Mail termino della lunghezza, che di fua natura ha la Fauo la; fempre il maggiore è piu bello che ſi produce in lun ghezza: infino à tanto che in tal lunghezza el fia manifeſto.

Et per dir queſta materia aſſolutamente, quanto cioè debba effere il termino della lunghezza conue niente alla Fauola; dico che egli è quello, doue ſeguite le coſe per via del verifimile & del neceffario, fuccefsiuamente v'accade fare il trapaflamento dimiferia in fe licità, ò di felicità in miferiadaniolum

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.) — 7 focus

Explicatis autem his, dicamus deinceps qualem esse oporteat rerum compositionem, quoniam iam hoc et primum et maximum tragoediae est. positum autem est a nobis perfectae atque totius actionis esse imitationem, habentis aliquam magnitudinem.

totum autem est habens principium et medium et finem. ac principium est, quod ipsum ex necessitate post aliud non est, post illud vero aliud naturaliter est aut fit.

finis contrarium, quod ipsum post so aliud naturaliter est, aut ex necessitate aut plerunque, post hoc autem aliud nihil.

medium, quod et ipsum post aliud est et post illud aliud. oportet igitur bene compositas fabulas neque unde libet incipere, neque ubi libet finire, sed uti dictis formis.

praeterea vero, quoniam pulchrum et animal et omnem rem, quae ex quibusdam composita est, non solum haec ordinata habere oportet, verum etiam esse magnam, sed non quomodo libet:

nam pulchrum in magnitudine et ordine consistit;

unde neque omnino parvum animal esse potest pulchrum (confunditur enim spectatio, quae prope insensibili tem pore fiat) neque omnino magnum (non enim simul spectatio fit,

sed perit spectantibus unum et totum ex spectatione, ut si decem milium stadiorum sit animal), propterea oportet, quemadmodum in corporibus et in animalibus inesse quidem magnitudinem, sed eam quae facile conspici possit,

sic et in fabulis inveniri quidem longitudinem, sed eam quae facile retineri memoria possit. longitudinis autem terminus ad contentiones et sensum non artis est:

si enim termino opus esset causa tragoedias recitandi, ad clepsydras contenderent, quemadmodum quondam et aliis temporibus factum esse affirmant.

terminus autem rei secundum ipsam naturam semper quidem, qui maior est, quatenus simul patet, pulchrior est secundum magnitudinem.

verum ut simpliciter re definita dicam, in quanta magnitudine secundum verisimile et necessarium deinceps nascentibus rebus contingit in prosperam fortunam ex adversa aut ex prospera in adversam mutari, sufficiens terminus est magnitudinis.

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.) — 7 focus

Determinatis autem hiis, dicamus post hec qualem quandam oportet consistentiam esse rerum, quoniam hoc et primum et maximum est tragodie.

Supponitur autem nobis tragodiam perfecte et totalis actionis esse imitationem habentis aliquam magnitudinem ;

est enim totum et nullam habens magnitudinem. Totum autem est habens principium medium et finem.

Principium autem est quod ipsum quidem non ex necessitate post aliud est, post illud autem alterum natum est esse aut fieri.

Finis autem contrarium quod et ipsum post aliud natum est esse aut ex necessitate aut ut in pluribus, post hoc autem aliud nullum;

medium autem quod et ipsum post aliud et post illud alterum.

Oportet igitur constituentes bene fabulas neque undecumque contingit incipere, neque ubicumque contingit terminare, sed uti dictis speciebus. —

Adhuc autem quoniam quod pulchrum, et animal et omnem rem que constat ex aliquibus, non solum hec ordinata oportet habere, sed et magnitudinem existere non quamcumque ; nam quod pulerum in magnitudine et ordine est; propter quod

neque omnino parvum utique aliquid fiet pulcrum animal (adiacet enim speculatio prope insensibile tempus facta), neque omnino magnum ; non enim simul speculatio fit, sed cedit speculantibus unum et totum ex speculatione, velut si decem milium stadiorum sit animal.

Quare oportet, sicut in corporibus et in animalibus habere quidem magnitudinem, hanc autem facile conspicabilem esse, sic et in fabulis habere quidem longitudinem, hanc autem facile memorabilem esse.

Longitudinis terminus quidem ad agones et ad sensum, non artis est; si enim oportebat centum tragodias agonizari, ad klepsydras utique agonizarent, sicut aliquando et alias aiunt. —

Qui autem secundum ipsam naturam rei terminus, semper quidem qui maior usquequo commanifestus sit melior est secundum magnitudinem, ut autem simpliciter determinantes dicere est, in quanta magnitudine secundum verisimile aut necessa- rium consequenter factis accidit 1n eufortunium ex iniortunio aut ex eufortunio in infortunium transmutari, sufficiens terminus est magnitudinis. —

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.) — 7 focus

‏فاذ قد حددت هذه الاشيا فلنتكلم بعدها مثل اى شى هو قوام الامور من قبل ان هذا مقدم وهو اعظم من صناعة المديح

‏وقد وصفنا صناعة المديح انها استتمام وغاية جميع العمل والتشبيه والمحاكاة وان لها عظم ما وهى كلها وان ليس لها شى [شيا] من العظم

‏والكل هو اما له ابتدا ووسط واخر

‏والمبدا هو ما كان اما هو فليس من الضرورة مع الاخر واما مع الاخر فمن شانه ان يكون ليكون مع هذا

‏واما الاخر فبالعكس اعنى انما هو فمن شانه ان يكون مع اخر من الاضطرار او على اكثر الامر واما بعده فليس شى اخر

‏واما الوسط فهو مع اخر ويتبعها اخر ايضا

‏ومن الان الذين هم يقومون هم ايجاد من حيث يبتدى به يوجد ولا اين يجعل الامر يجد بل انهم يستعملون الصور والخلق التى قيلت

‏وايضا على الحيون الخير وكل امر لا يتركب شى وليس انما ينبغى ان تكون هذه فقط منتظمة مرتبة لكن قد ينبغى ان يكون العظم لا اى عظم اتفق من قبل ان معنى لا وجود انما يكون بالعظم والترتيب

‏ولذلك ليس حيوان ما صغير هو جبد وذلك ان النظر هو مركب لقرب الزمان لغير محسوس من حيث يكون ليس فى الكل عظيم وذلك ان النظر ليس يكون معا لكن حالها حال يجعل الناظرين واحد وكل وذلك من النظر مثلا مثل ان يكون الحيوان على بعد عشرة الف ميدان

‏حتى يكون كما يجٮ على الاجسام وعلى الحيوان ان يكون عظم ما وهذا نفسه يكون سهل البيان وبهذا نفسه يكون فى الخرافة ايضا طول ويكون محفوظ فى الذكر

‏واما لطول نفسه فحده نحو الجهاد والاحساس الذى للصناعة وذلك انه ان كان كل واحد من الناس قد كان يجب ان يعمل بالمديح الجهاد نحو ثلاث ساعات الما لقد كان يستعمل الجهاد قلافسودرا كما من عادتنا ان نقول فى زمان ما

‏ومتى ولما كان الطبيعة الامور قد يظن انه يوجد الى ان يظهر كان هذا من الافضل فى العظم وكما حدوا على الاطلاق وقالوا فى كم من العظم على الحقيقة او تلك تدعوا الضرورة عند ما تكون فى هذه التى تكون على الاضطرار واحد فى اثر الاخر تنوب عند النجاح الكاين بعد رداوة البخت او تغير رداوة البخت الى الصلاح يكون العظم حد كافى

Arabic Poetics (Abū Bishr Mattā; Tkatsch edition, unaligned) (OCR draft) Experimental (Tkatsch's edition of the medieval Arabic translation in its original, unaligned segmentation.) — 7 focus

‏فاذ قد حددت هذه الاشيا فلنتكلم بعدها مثل اى شى هو قوام الامور من قبل ان هذا مقدم وهو اعظم من صناعة المديح

‏والكل هو اما له ابتدا ووسط واخر

‏والمبدا هو ما كان اما هو فليس من الضرورة مع الاخر واما مع الاخر فمن شانه ان يكون ليكون مع هذا واما الاخر فبالعكس اعنى انما هو فمن شانه ان يكون مع اخر من الاضطرار او على اكثر الامر واما بعده فليس شى اخر واما الوسط فهو مع اخر ويتبعها اخر ايضا

‏وايضا على الحيون الخير وكل امر لا يتركب شى وليس انما ينبغى ان تكون هذه فقط منتظمة مرتبة لكن قد ينبغى ان يكون العظم لا اى عظم اتفق من قبل ان معنى لا وجود انما يكون بالعظم والترتيب ولذلك ليس حيوان ما صغير هو جبد وذلك ان النظر هو مركب لقرب الزمان لغير محسوس من حيث يكون ليس فى الكل عظيم وذلك ان النظر ليس يكون معا لكن حالها حال يجعل الناظرين واحد وكل وذلك من النظر مثلا مثل ان يكون الحيوان على بعد عشرة الف ميدان

Commentary

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

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-297

μὴ ἐξ ἀνάγκης By a 'beginning' Aristotle does not mean something without antecedents, but only something that may be detached as it were from its antecedents, and viewed apart from them as the first term in a new series of events.

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-298

1450b28 μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνο δ᾿ comp. 6, 1450 a 30

μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο

. — b 31

καὶ μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνο

. An. pr. 1. 4, 25 b 35

καλῶ δὲ μέσον μὲν καὶ αὐτὸ ἐν ἄλλῳ καὶ ἄλλο ἐν τούτῳ ἐστίν

1450b34

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

3. mvp-aristotle-comment-205

7.4 3. Le commencement, c'eſt ce qui ne ſuppoſe rien neceſſairement avant ſoy.]¹

4. mvp-aristotle-comment-206

7.4 4. Et qui exige aprés ſoy quelque choſe qui eſt, ou qui doit être.]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

59. mvp-aristotle-comment-59

NOTE 59. P. 78

7.4 A BEGINNING, IS THAT, &C.

See Harris, Philol. Inq. Part II. ch. v. These definitions must be understood wholly to refer to the wants, and expectations, of the spectator. He must want nothing before the beginning, nor expect any thing after the end. Nothing, however, is more common than both these defects; than perplexed beginnings, and unsatisfactory conclusions. Henry Fielding, we are told, used

"to execrate the man who invented fifth acts."

The inventor of first acts has not given dramatic Poets much less trouble. Most modern plays have, I think, more or less of this intricacy in their beginnings; but it is especially the case with Comedy. It seems, indeed, by no means easy for a modern comic writer, of whom invention, novelty, variety of incidents, and ingenuity of contrivance, are required,

δουναι

, as Aristotle well expresses it,

ὥσπερ ἐις την χειρα, την ἀρχην

—"to put the beginning fairly into the spectator's hand." The spectator, and even the reader, of a new Comedy, is generally employed, during the first scenes, in guessing an ænigma; and when, at length, he comprehends what is going forward, his attention, interest, and sympathy, are disturbed and distracted, by looking back, to understand what he should have understood at first. Hence the advantage which the Tragic Poet, from the notoriety of his subjects, generally possesses over the Comic; and which is so pleasantly described in the fragment preserved by Athenæus from Antiphanes or Aristophanes:—

Μακαριον ἐστιν ἡ Τραγῳδια
Ποιημα κατα παντ· ἐιγε πρωτον οι λογοι
Υπο των θεατων εισιν ἐγνωρισμενοι
Πριν και τιν ἐιπειν, ὡς ὑπομνησαι μονον
Δει τον ποιητην. Οιδιπουν γαρ ἀν γε φω,
Τα δ άλλα παντ᾿ ἰσασιν· ὁ πατηρ Λαϊος,
Μητηρ Ιοκαστη· θυγατερες, παιδες, τινες –
Τι πεισεθ' ἐτω, τι πεποιηκεν—ἂν παλιν
Ειπη τις Αλκμαιωνα, και τα παιδια
Παντ᾽ ἐυθυς ἐιρηκεν ὅτι μανεις ἀπεκτονε
Την μητερα. —
Ἡμιν δε ταυτ᾿ ἐκ ἐστιν· άλλα παντα δει
Ευρειν, ὀνοματα καινα, τα διῳκημενα
Προτερον, τα νυν παροντα, την καταστροφην,
Την ἐσβολην· ἂν ἐν τι τετων παραλιπη
Χρεμης τις, ή Φειδων τις, ἐκσυριττεται,
ΠΗΛΕΙ δε ταυτ᾿ ἐξεστι και ΤΕΥΚΡΩΙ ποιον.

Athen. lib. vi. See Casaubon, in locum. Thus rendered by Grotius—

Scilicet Tragedia
Felix poema est: nam principio cognitum
Argumentum omne spectatori est, antequam
Verbum hiscat aliquis: nomen tantum dicere
Poetræ satis est. Oedipum præscripsero,
Jam reliqua per se norunt; pater est Laïus,
Jocasta mater; tum qui nati et filiæ,
Quid fecit, quid patietur. Si promiserit
Alemæona alius, ipsi dicent pueruli,
"Hic ille est qui interfecit matrem insaniens."—
At nobis ista non licent, sed omnia
Sunt invenienda, nomina imprimis nova,
Res antegestæ, res præsentes, exitus,
Initia. Ex illis siqua pars defecerit,
Exsibilatur Phido, sive ille est Chremes;
Illa alia facere Peleo et Teucro licet.

Excerpta ex Trag. et Com. Græcis, p. 622.

When the middle of a drama is not sufficiently connected with what precedes, that is, in Aristotle's language, when it is not,

ἀυτο μετ᾿ άλλο

, a new plot seems to begin: a fault not uncommon in double and complicated fables. If, on the other hand, it wants the

μετ' ἐκεινο ἑτερον

, the piece seems finished before its time. The Sampson Agonistes of Milton, according to Dr. Johnson, is deficient in both requisites of a true, Aristotelic middle. Its

"intermediate parts have neither cause nor consequence, neither hasten nor retard the catastrophe."

Life of Milton. The criticism appears to be just. It is seldom, however, that a beginning, a middle, or an end, is defective in both the conditions required. A beginning, which, strictly speaking, did not naturally require any thing to follow it, (

μετ' ἐκεινο ἑτερον πεφυκεν ἐιναι

,) would put even the most attentive spectator into the situation of Shakspeare's drowsy tinker:

Sly. A goodly matter, surely. Comes there any more of it?
Page. My Lord, 'tis but begun.

Taming of the Shrew. The most usual defects, and which, I suppose, Aristotle had principally in view, are those of beginnings which do not properly, in his sense, begin, and of endings which do not end. The first perplex us, by supposing something to have preceded, without clearly telling us what; the other leave us dissatisfied, by disappointing our natural expectations of something more to follow. Of this last fault, instances may be found in abundance; particularly in the conclusions of Shakspeare¹. In Plautus, and even in Terence, we find this imperfection supplied by a very simple and clumsy contrivance, that, of informing the audience that the play was over, and telling them in what manner they were to suppose the catastrophe completed.

Spectatores, Fabula hæc est acta: vos plausum date.

Plaut. Mostel.

Spectatores, quod futurum est intus, hic memorabimus.
Hæc Casina hujus reperietur filia esse è proxumo;
Eaque nubet Euthynico nostro herili filio.

Id. in fine Casinæ.

Ne expectetis dum exeant huc: intus despondebitur;
Intus transigetur, si quid est quod restat.

Ter. And.

The fault opposite to this—that, of prolonging the piece beyond the point of satisfactory conclusion—has been attributed to the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles. The criticism is tasteless, on every account. The reader may see it well confuted by Brumoy. But one of his answers is alone sufficient, on the principles of Aristotle:

"Le spectateur en effet seroit-il content s'il ignoroit le sort de Jocaste, d'Oedipe, et de sa famille?"

Theatre des Grecs, i. 376. &c.

"Oedipus,"

Voltaire says,

"is fully acquainted with his fate at the end of the fourth act. Voila donc la piece finie."

Critique sur l'Oedipe de Sophocle. —He might have learned better criticism from a writer of far inferior abilities.

"Il faut aussi prendre garde que la catastrophe achéve pleinement le Poeme dramatique; c'est à dire, qu'il ne reste rien aprés, ou de ce que les spectateurs doivent sçavoir, ou qu'ils vueillent entendre; car s'ils ont raison de demander, Qu'est devenu quelque personnage interessé dans les grandes intrigues du Theatre, ou s'ils ont juste sujet de sçavoir, Quels font les sentimens de quelq'un des principaux acteurs aprés le dernier evenement qui fait cette catastrophe, la piece n'est pas finie, il y manque encore un dernier trait'."

D'Aubignac, Pratique du Theatre, tom. i. p. 126. That is to say, in Aristotle's language, a drama so concluded, (as the Oedipus Tyrannus would be, if it ended with the fourth act,) would want the true

τελευτη

, or end—that, after which,

άλλο οὐδεν ΠΕΦΥΚΕΝ ἐιναι

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

3. mvp-aristotle-comment-56

Ritter, cap. 7 § 3

ὅλον δ' ἐστὶ - τελευτήν: totum esse cuius sit principium et finis et medium cum definitur, haec definitio tum erit manifesta, si quid sit principium et finis et medium non ignoraveris. tres igitur definitionis notiones statim explanantur. ἀρχὴ δ' ἐστὶν κτλ. quot modis ἀρχὴ diceretur, in Metaphysicis 1. 1. explicatur, huc pertinet quarta illa ratio: ἡ δὲ ὅθεν πρῶτον ἡ κίνησις πέφυκεν ἄρχεσθαι καὶ μεταβολή. ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἢ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ: aut necessario aut probabiliter. ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ idem est atque κατὰ τὸ εἰκός. vid. infra §. 7. κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἢ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον. c. 10, 3. ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἢ κατὰ τὸ εἰκός. nimirum quod plerumque fit, id probabiliter fieri dicimus, quod semper, necessario id fieri colligimus. finis ex principio et medio ita procedere potest, ut aut praeter hunc alius esse non possit, aut talis consequatur qualis plerumque ex illo principio et medio nascitur. μήθ' ὁπόθεν ἔτυχεν ἄρχεσθαι μήθ' ὅπου ἔτυχε τελευτᾶν: tragoediae fabula ita constituenda est, ut actionis principium non desit, h. e. ut actio tragica ex aliaextra tragoediam sita non necessario consequatur. non negligendum est quod in definitione τῆς ἀρχῆς additur μετ' ἀνάγκης. nam quo minus quidquam praecesserit quo actio in tragoedia magnopere afficiatur, nihil est quod impediat, dummodo ne tale quid praegressum sit, unde nihil nisi actio illa tragica posset oriri: ita enim fabula principio suo orbata erit. idem dici de fine potest. ea enim fabula vere finita est, cuius actio ita exit, ut nova actio inde necessario consequi non videatur. mirum sane est, quod h. 1. nihil de trilogiis tragoediarum expositum invenimus. sane hic locus erat, si de illa compositione tragoediarum quidquam dicere voluisset.

Aristotle Poetics 7.4

Thomas Twining (Translator)

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NOTE 59. P. 78

Ritter, cap. 7 § 3

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