Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 1.djvu/350

Rh S32 ARISTOTELES. as the first sketch of an uncompleted work ; others, as an extract from a larger work ; others again, as the notes, taken by some hearer, of lectures deli- vered by Aristotle. Thus much, however, is clear, that the treatise, as we have it at present, is an independent whole, and, with the exception of a few interpolations, the work of one author. Farther, that the lost work irepl iroirfTuu, a history of the literature of poetry, must not be confounded with the Poetics, to which it stands in the same relation as the Polities do to the Politics. As regards the contents of the Poetics, Aristotle, like Plato, starts from the principle of the imitation, or imitative re- presentation {fj-i/x-qa-is), either of a real object exist- ing in the external world, or of one produced by the internal power of imagination. It is in accord- ance with this view that the different species of art generally, and of poetry in particular, assume their definite forms. The activity of art is distin- guished from practical activity in this respect : that in the case of the former the exercise of the creative faculty, the production of a work, is the main thing; and that the internal condition, the disposition, of the person who exercises this crea- tive faculty, is a matter of indifference. The greatest part of the treatise (cc. 6 — 22) contains a theory of tragedy ; nothing else is treated of, with the exception of the epos ; comedy is merely al- luded to. The best editions of the work are by Gottf. Hermann, Lips. 1802, with philological and philosophical (Kantian) explanations ; Grafenhan, Lips. 1821, an ill-arranged compilation ; Bekker, Berol. 1832, 8vo. ; and Ritter, Colon. 1839, 8vo. Ritter considers two-tliirds of the Poetics to consist of the interpolations of a later and extremely silly editor; but his opinion has been almost universally rejected in Germany. As explanatory writings, besides Lessing's Ham- burgisclie Dramaturifie, we need mention only Midler, Gesch. der Theorie der Kunst bei den Alten, pt. ii. pp. 1 — 181, and the German translation by Knebel, Stuttgart, 1840. 2. The Rhetoric {rex^ pvropiici^), in three books. Aristotle, in accordance with his method, as we have already observed in the case of the Physics, Politics, and Poetics, before proceeding to lay down a iJieory of rhetoric, prepared a safe foundation by means of extensive studies. These studies gave rise to a separate historical work (entitled 7ex»'«i' (Tvva'yoryifi), in which he collected all the earlier theories of the rhetoricians from Tisias and Corax onwards. From the latter work the Aristotelian rhetoric developed itself, a work of which, as regards its leading features, the first sketch was drawn at an early period; — it has been already mentioned that the first lectures and written works of Aristotle treated of rhetoric ; — it Avas then carefully enlarged from time to time, and enriched with remarks drawn from the ob- servation of human life and knowledge through many years. The period of its composition is treated of by Max. Schmidt, De tempore quo ah j4 rist, libri de Arte Rhetor, conscripii et editi sint, Halle, 1837. Rhetoric, as a science, according to Aristotle, stands side by side (avriarTpocpou) with Dialectics. That which alone makes a scientific treatment of rheto- ric possible is the argumentation which awakens conviction {al ydp tt'ktt^is cvrexvov coti fxovov). He therefore directs his chief attention to the tlicory of oratorical argumentation ; and the more. ARISTOTELES. inasmuch as earlier rhetoricians, as he says, had treated this most important subject in an exceed- ingly superficial manner. The second main divi- sion of the work treats of the production of that favourable disposition in the hearer, in consequence of which the orator appears to him to be worthy ol credit. Yet it is not sufficient merely to know what must be said, — one must also say this in a proper manner, if the speech is to produce the in- tended effect. Therefore in the third part he treats of oratorical expression and arrangement. The best edition with a commentary is the one published at Oxford, 1820, 8vo. ; but a good critical and explanatory edition is still a desideratum. Among the writings of Aristotle we also find 3. A work on Rhetoric addressed to Alexander ('PTjToptK-Tf -npos 'AKe^audpov); but it is spurious, and should probably be ascribed to Anaximenea of Lampsacus. Others consider its author to have been Theodectes or Corax. C. Miscellaneous Works. Among the writings which Aristotle left behind him, there was undoubtedly a large number of Collectanea, which had grown up under the hand of the philosopher in the course of his extended studies. To these writings, which were not originally destined for publication, belong 1. Tlie Problems (irpoSA-T^juaTa), in 36 sections, questions on individual points in all the depart- ments of knowledge, a treasure of the deepest and most acute remarks, which has been far from being properly used and sifted. A good edition is a desideratum. (Compare Chabanon, Trois Alemoires sur les Problemes d''Ai-ist. in the Mem. de I' Acad, des Inscript. vol. xlvi. p. 285, &c., p. 326, &c. 2. ©avyidaia. 'AKovafmra, short notices and ac- counts of various phaenomena, chiefly connected with natunil history, of very unequal value, and in part manifestly not of Aristotelian origin. The best edition is by Westermann, in his Rerum AlirabU. script. Graeci, Bruns. 1839. D. Letters. All those which are extant are spurious: the genuine and copious collection of Aristotle"'s letters, which antiquity possessed, is lost. Those which were arranged by Andronicus of Rhodes filled 20 books. (Pseudo- Demetrius, de Elocut. § 231.) A later collection by Artemon, a learned Christian of the third century, consisted of 8 books. (See David, Catcg. p. 24, a. 1. 27, ed. Berol.) David (p. 22, a. 21, Berol.) praises the clear, simple, noble style of Aristotle's letters, a description which is quite at variance with the character of those that are extant. Respecting Aristotle's will, which Diog. Laert. (v. 11 — 16) has preserved, we have spoken before, [p. 321, a.] E. Poems and Speeches. There are preserved — 1. The Scolion addressed to Hermias, Avhich we have already mentioned. (In Ilgen, Scolia, Jenae, 1798, p. 137 ; Grafenhan, Aristot. poeta, Mul- husae, 1831, 4to.; Bergk, Poctae Lyrici Graeci.) 2. Two epigrams, the one on a statue erected to his friend Hermias, and one on an altar dedicated to Plato. The speeches of Aristotle which are lost, were 'hTToXo'yia fvai^Selas trpos Evpuaedovra, of which we have already spoken ; an 'EyKoS/xtov ttAoutow,