Aristotle's treatise on poetry. 325 €A€ov Kttt <f>o/3ov Trepatvovcra rrjv toov toiovtwv TraOrjixaT(iiv KaOapcnv). By pleasurable language, I mean a language that has the embellishments of rhythm, harmony, and melody; and I add, by different means in different parts, because in some pai-ts metre alone is employed, in others, melody ^ There can be little doubt that this celebrated definition of Tragedy is drawn up •with an express and controversial reference to Plato's opinion of poetry. The very phrases are an echo of Plato's language. Thus, the words T^dvafxeuu} X6y(t} remind us at ouce of Plato's i]8vafj.evT] fiovcra (Respubl. X. p. 607 A*), and the expression dpwvrojv Kal ov 81' dirayyekias must allude to Plato's description of the lyric as opposed to the dramatic poetry, the latter being 5td fj.Lfxrja eivs, and the former 5i dirayyeXias avrov rod TroLTfTov [Respvhl. III. p. 394 c, above, p. 42). It appears, however, that the mere state- ment that Tragedy is a purgation {Kadapais) of those passions which Plato charges it with exciting, is not a sufficient answer to that philosopher, and Spengel has argued, I think conclusively, that there is probably an omission in the text, as we have it, of a passage conveying Aristotle's reasoning in defence of his own views. Spengpl's opinion shall be given in his own words. After remarking {Munich Transactions, 1837, II. p. 226 sqq.) that, although Aristotle has explained the words i]8vcr/j.€vu) Xoyu) and x^P^^ eKOLCTTOu tQv cldQv iv rots /xopiois, he has left unexplained the main point, di' eXeov Kal (po^ov Trepalvovaa ttjv tGjv TOio&roiv Trad7]p.dTojv Kadapaiv, he proceeds:
- and yet this Kadapais TradrjfxaTCJv is in Aristotle's estimation of such significance and
importance, that while he contents himself in an earlier work, the Politics, V. (vill.) 7, with a short notice, he postpones the full explanation to his Poetic, and promises to give it there. It is obvious that this is the place in which Aristotle was bound to speak of it, for the introduction, which forms a connected whole by itself, afforded no opportunity for it; and even if he wished, which is not credible, to reserve a fuller discussion of it for a future occasion, still it was necessary that the topic should be at least touched on here and referred back to the rest. That, however, he has spoken of the subject here, in the most convenient place, and has indicated the reasons for his opinion, may be conjectured from the numerous references to this important part of the definition ; c. XI. : i] yap dvayvdopLCis Kal TreptTre'reta ^ ^Xeov ^^et 17 cf}6^ov, o'iwv irpd^euv ij Tpayu:dia ixifx-qcns vwoKeiTai. c. XIII. : eTretSTj odv del ttjv avvdecriv eTpai ttjs KaXXia-T-qs Tpayipoias p.r} dirXriv, dXa ireirXeyp.ev7)v (as is shown at the conclusion of ch. IX.) Kal TavTTjv (po^epuiv Kal iXeivwv eXvaL pdiXTjcnv {^rovro yap Ibtov ToiavTrjs fj.i/xrjaeus icTTLv) irpCoTOv fxkv b'qXov otl k.t.X. c. XIV. : eirel 5^ ttjv dirb eXeov Kal <p6(3ov did p.ifi'q- arecjs Set rjdovrjp wapacrKevd^eiv tov iroiTjTrji', (pavepop (is tovto iv rois irpdyixacFLv ifXTroLrj- riov. For a full understanding, and incidentally for a confutation of the most recent and able exposition, which perhaps dazzles many by the splendour of the name under which it appears*, but which is opposed no less to the language than to the expressed sentiments of Aristotle, we give here in its full context the passage of the Politics, which is at the same time the best explanation of the words before us :
- ' ' Since we accept the distinction of the different kind of songs, as it is given by
some philosophers, namely, into those which form the character [rjdiKa], those which excite to action [wpaKTLKd], and those which inspire us with rapturous emotion [iuOov- aiaarcKa], and so also of the corresponding harmonies ; and since we say that we ought to use music not for one advantage only, but for several advantages (for it serves first for mental discipline; secondly, for purgation, — and as tc what we mean by purgation we will now speak generally, and again in our treatise on poetry more distinctly [tI 5e Xeyo/xev tt}v KaBapcnv vdv fiev dirXuis, irdXiv 5' iv tols irepl TroirjTiKrjs ipovfxev (jocpicTepov'] ; — thirdly, for amusement, both as recreation and as a rest from excitement,) it is manifest that we must use all the harmonies, but not all in the same manner; for we must use in education those which are best fitted to regulate the character [rah rjdiKojTaTais], and for listening when others are performing we must employ both the practical and the enthusiastic [Kal toIs TrpaKTiKais Kal rats ivdov-
- G5the'.s nachgelassene Werke, vi. 16 — 21. Nachlese zu Aristoteles Poetik, praised by an Aristotelian
scholar as a model of exposition. - '
