Let us here deal with Poetry, its essence and its several species, with the characteristic function of each species and the way in which plots must be constructed if the poem is to be a success; and also with the number and character of the constituent parts of a poem, and similarly with all other matters proper to this same inquiry; and let us, as nature directs, begin first with first principles.
1447a
Our first Book Club selection for the year is a selection from Aristotle’s Poetics.
We will all read from 1447a to 1454b, which is about half the book, and you can read as much more of it as you wish.
You can read any translation you like. Here are links to free translations online:
Translation by W.H. Fyfe, on Perseus
Translation by S.H. Butcher
Internet Classics Archive or
Project Gutenberg
Translations/commentaries by Gregory Nagy at Classical Inquiries:
2015.11.27. “Aristotle’s Poetics, translation and commentary in progress, Chapter 1″.
https://classical-inquiries.chs.harvard.edu/aristotles-poetics-translation-and-commentary-in-progress-part-1/
2016.01.21. “Aristotle’s Poetics, translation and commentary in progress, Chapter 2″.
https://classical-inquiries.chs.harvard.edu/aristotles-poetics-translation-and-commentary-in-progress-part-2/
2016.01.28 “Aristotle’s Poetics, translation and commentary in progress, Chapter 3″.
https://classical-inquiries.chs.harvard.edu/aristotles-poetics-translation-and-commentary-in-progress-chapter-3/
2016.02.04. “Aristotle’s Poetics, translation and commentary in progress, Chapter 4″.
https://classical-inquiries.chs.harvard.edu/aristotles-poetics-translation-and-commentary-in-progress-chapter-4/
Discussion will start and continue in the forum, and we will meet online on Tuesday, January 28 at 11 a.m. EST. The link will be posted in the forum on the day.
Happy readings!