Page:The Theatre of the Greeks, a Treatise on the History and Exhibition of the Greek Drama, with Various Supplements.djvu/374

 348 Aristotle's treatise on poetry. throiigliout in discoveries) and moral. Add to this, that in language and sentiments he has surpassed all poets. The epic poem differs from tragedy, in the length of its plan, and in its metre. With respect to length, a sufficient measure has already been as- signed. It should be such as to admit of our comprehending at one view the beginning and the end: and this would be the case, if the epic poem were reduced from its ancient length, so as not to exceed that of such a number of tragedies as are performed successively at one hearing. But there is a circumstance in the nature of epic poetry which aifords it peculiar latitude in the extension of its plan. It is not in the power of Tragedy to imitate several different actions performed at the same time; it can imitate only that one which occupies the stage, and in which the actors are employed. But the epic imitation, being narrative, admits of many such simultaneous incidents, properly related to the subject, which swell the poem to a considerable size. And this gives it a great ad- vantage, both in point of magnificence, and also as it enables the poet to relieve his hearer, and diversify his work, by a variety of dissimilar episodes : for it is to the satiety naturally arising from similarity that tragedies frequently owe their ill success. With respect to metre, the heroic is established by experience as the most proper, so that, should any one compose a narrative poem in any other, or in a variety of metres, he would be thought guilty of a great impropriety. For the heroic is the gravest and most majestic of all measures : [and hence it is, that it peculiarly admits the use of foreign and metaphorical expressions; for in this respect also, the narrative imitation is abundant and various beyond the rest :] but the Iambic and Trochaic have more motion; the latter being adapted to dance, tlie other to action and business. To mix these different metres as Chmre- mon has done, would be still more absurd. No one, therefore, has ever attempted to compose a poem of an extended plan in any other than heroic verse ; nature itself, as we before observed, pointing out the proper choice. Among the many just claims of Homer to our praise, this is one — • that he is the only poet who seems to have understood what part in his poem it was proper for him to take himself. The poet, in his own person, should speak as little as possible; for he is not then the imitator. But other poets, ambitious to figure throughout themselves, irmtate but little, and seldom. Homer, after a few preparatory lines, immediately introduces a man, a woman, or some other character ; for all have their character — nowhere are the maimers neglected. The surprising is necessary in Tragedy ; but the epic poem goes