Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the Epick Poem/Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
The Definition of the Epick Poem.
That which we have observ'd concerning the Nature of the Epick Poem, gives us a just Idea of it, which we may express thus:
"The EPOPEA is a Discourse invented by Art, to form the Manners by such Instructions as are disguis'd under the Allegories of some one important Action, which is related in Verse, after a probable, diverting, and surprizing Manner."
This here is the Definition of the Epopéa, and not of Poetry it self. For that is an Art of making all sorts of Poems, of which the Epick is but a part. The Epopéa then is not an Art, but an artificial thing, as 'tis express'd in the Definition, which says 'tis a Discourse invented by Art.
It is likewise one sort of Poem, as 'tis intimated in the Definition by its being call'd a Discourse in Verse: And the rest distinguishes it from all other sorts of Poems.
The Action of Comedy is not very important; and besides the [1]Poet says nothing, but only the Persons he introduces, say and act All, just as in Tragedy. For this reason both This and That is stil'd a Dramatick Poem. And thus it is plain the Epopéa is neither Tragedy nor Comedy.
Nor is it a piece of Natural Philosophy, as the Poems of Empedocles and Lucretius: Nor a Treatise of Husbandry, and the like, as the Georgicks of Virgil: Because these Pieces are not design'd to form Men's Manners, and the Instructions contain'd in them are naked, simple, and proper, without Disguise and Allegories.
This second reason, which more especially concerns the Essence and Nature of Poesy, does likewise exclude from the number of Epick Poems, any Piece of Morality writ in Verse, and a plain History, such as Lucan's Pharsalia, the Punick War of Silius Italicus, and such like real Actions of some singular Persons without a Fable, and in short every thing that is describ'd in Verse after this manner.
I shall not trouble my head to take notice how the Epopéa, differs from the Satyr, the Eclogue, the Ode, the Elegy, the Epigram, and other lesser Poems: For this is self-evident.
But it will not be amiss to reflect upon what has been already said, and from thence to conclude that the Epopéa has some relation to Four Things; viz. to the Poem, to the Fable, to Moral Philosophy, and to History.
It has a relation to History, because as well This as That relates one or more Actions: But the Actions of History are singular and true, so that the Epopéa is neither a History, nor a Species of History.
It has a necessary relation to Morality, since both one and the other instructs Men in their Morals; but the Action and the Allegories which are proper to it, is the cause why properly speaking it is not Moral Philosophy, although it may be stil'd a Species of it; and in short, it has a great deal more relation to this than to History.
But it belongs altogether to the Poem and the Fable, since it is properly and truly a Poem and a Fable; and is only distinguish'd from other Poems and Fables, as several Species, which equally partake of the same Genus, are distinguish'd from one another. Besides, the Definition does exactly include both, since a Poem is a Discourse in Verse, and a Fable is a Discourse invented to form Men's Morals by Instructions disguis'd under the Allegories of an Action. So that one might abridge the Definition we have given of the Epick Poem, and only say, that it is a Fable gracefully form'd upon an important Action, which is related in Verse after a very probable and surprising manner.
- ↑ GREEK TEXT HERE Arist. Poet. c. 3.