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universal is the pleasure felt in things imitated。 We have evidence of
this in the facts of experience。 Objects which in themselves we view
with pain； we delight to contemplate when reproduced with minute
fidelity： such as the forms of the most ignoble animals and of dead
bodies。 The cause of this again is； that to learn gives the
liveliest pleasure； not only to philosophers but to men in general；
whose capacity； however； of learning is more limited。 Thus the
reason why men enjoy seeing a likeness is； that in contemplating it
they find themselves learning or inferring； and saying perhaps； 'Ah；
that is he。' For if you happen not to have seen the original； the
pleasure will be due not to the imitation as such； but to the
execution； the coloring； or some such other cause。
Imitation； then； is one instinct of our nature。 Next； there is the
instinct for 'harmony' and rhythm； meters being manifestly sections of
rhythm。 Persons； therefore； starting with this natural gift
developed by degrees their special aptitudes； till their rude
improvisations gave birth to Poetry。
Poetry now diverged in two directions； according to the individual
character of the writers。 The graver spirits imitated noble actions；
and the actions of good men。 The more trivial sort imitated the
actions of meaner persons； at first composing satires； as the former
did hymns to the gods and the praises of famous men。 A poem of the
satirical kind cannot indeed be put down to any author earlier than
Homer； though many such writers probably there were。 But from Homer
onward； instances can be cited… his own Margites； for example； and
other similar compositions。 The appropriate meter was also here
introduced； hence the measure is still called the iambic or lampooning
measure； being that in which people lampooned one another。 Thus the
older poets were distinguished as writers of heroic or of lampooning
verse。
As； in the serious style； Homer is pre…eminent among poets； for he
alone combined dramatic form with excellence of imitation so he too
first laid down the main lines of comedy； by dramatizing the ludicrous
instead of writing personal satire。 His Margites bears the same
relation to comedy that the Iliad and Odyssey do to tragedy。 But
when Tragedy and Comedy came to light； the two classes of poets
still followed their natural bent： the lampooners became writers of
Comedy； and the Epic poets were succeeded by Tragedians； since the
drama was a larger and higher form of art。
Whether Tragedy has as yet perfected its proper types or not； and
whether it is to be judged in itself； or in relation also to the
audience… this raises another question。 Be that as it may； Tragedy… as
also Comedy… was at first mere improvisation。 The one originated
with the authors of the Dithyramb； the other with those of the phallic
songs； which are still in use in many of our cities。 Tragedy
advanced by slow degrees； each new element that showed itself was in
turn developed。 Having passed through many changes； it found its
natural form； and there it stopped。
Aeschylus first introduced a second actor； he diminished the
importance of the Chorus； and assigned the leading part to the
dialogue。 Sophocles raised the number of actors to three； and added
scene…painting。 Moreover； it was not till late that the short plot was
discarded for one of greater compass； and the grotesque diction of the
earlier satyric form for the stately manner of Tragedy。 The iambic
measure then replaced the trochaic tetrameter； which was originally
employed when the poetry was of the satyric order； and had greater
with dancing。 Once dialogue had come in； Nature herself discovered the
appropriate measure。 For the iambic is； of all measures； the most
colloquial we see it in the fact that conversational speech runs
into iambic lines more frequently than into any other kind of verse；
rarely into hexameters； and only when we drop the colloquial
intonation。 The additions to the number of 'episodes' or acts； and the
other accessories of which tradition tells； must be taken as already
described； for to discuss them in detail would； doubtless； be a
large undertaking。
POETICS｜5
V
Comedy is； as we have said； an imitation of characters of a lower
type… not； however； in the full sense of the word bad； the ludicrous
being merely a subdivision of the ugly。 It consists in some defect
or ugliness which is not painful or destructive。 To take an obvious
example； the comic mask is ugly and distorted； but does not imply
pain。
The successive changes through which Tragedy passed； and the authors
of these changes； are well known； whereas Comedy has had no history；
because it was not at first treated seriously。 It was late before
the Archon granted a comic chorus to a poet； the performers were
till then voluntary。 Comedy had already taken definite shape when
comic poets； distinctively so called； are heard of。 Who furnished it
with masks； or prologues； or increased the number of actors… these and
other similar details remain unknown。 As for the plot； it came
originally from Sicily； but of Athenian writers Crates was the first
who abandoning the 'iambic' or lampooning form； generalized his themes
and plots。
Epic poetry agrees with Tragedy in so far as it is an imitation in
verse of characters of a higher type。 They differ in that Epic
poetry admits but one kind of meter and is narrative in form。 They
differ； again； in their length： for Tragedy endeavors； as far as
possible； to confine itself to a single revolution of the sun； or
but slightly to exceed this limit； whereas the Epic action has no
limits of time。 This； then； is a second point of difference； though at
first the same freedom was admitted in Tragedy as in Epic poetry。
Of their constituent parts some are common to both； some peculiar to
Tragedy： whoever； therefore knows what is good or bad Tragedy； knows
also about Epic poetry。 All the elements of an Epic poem are found
in Tragedy； but the elements of a Tragedy are not all found in the
Epic poem。
POETICS｜6
VI
Of the poetry which imitates in hexameter verse； and of Comedy； we
will speak hereafter。 Let us now discuss Tragedy； resuming its
formal definition； as resulting from what has been already said。
Tragedy； then； is an imitation of an action that is serious；
complete； and of a certain magnitude； in language embellished with
each kind of artistic ornament； the several kinds being found in
separate parts of the play； in the form of action； not of narrative；
through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these
emotions。 By 'language embellished；' I mean language into which
rhythm； 'harmony' and song enter。 By 'the several kinds in separate
parts；' I mean； that some pa