PARS SECUNDA; PRESCRIBIT QUE SINT APTIORA GERENDA IN ROMANUM THEATRUM. ARGUMENTUM PRÆCEPTORUM. IX. 99. Admiscendum esse Pathos. -X. 114. De formandis Personarum Characteribus. · XI. 128. De Veterum Imitatione. - XII. 136. De ponendo Principio. — XIII. 153. De servando Ethos.-XIV. 179. De non proferendis in Scenam, sive de Nuntiis.-XV. 189. De Numero Actuum, et de Personis. XVI. 193. De Choro. XVII. 202. De Musicâ. XVIII. 220. De Dramate Satirico. XIX. 251. De Pedibus Iambicis. XX. 275. Progressus Dramatis antiqui. ARS POETICA. NON satis est pulchra esse poëmata; dulcia sunto, 99. Pura, MS. ap. Bentl. 101. Adsint, Z. it. MS. Helmst. adflant, Marcil. ex MS. adflent etiam aliunde format Bentl. Sed adsunt omnes ubique codices, teste Talboto. HAVING fixed the distinct limits and provinces of the two species of the drama, the poet enters directly on his subject, and considers, I. [from ver. 99. to 119.] the properties of the TRAGIC ་ 99. Non satis est pulchra, &c. Dr. Bentley objects to pulchra, because this, he says, is a general term, including under it every species of beauty, and therefore that of dulcis or the affecting. As if general terms were not frequently restrained and determined to a peculiar sense by the context. But the great critic did not sufficiently attend to the connection, which, as F. Robortellus, in his paraphrase on the epistle, well observes, stands thus: "It is not enough, that tragedies have that kind of beauty, which arises from a pomp and splendor of diction; they must also be pathetic or affecting." HURD. 100. Et quocunque volent, animum auditoris agunto. Of the truth of this precept every author must be aware, and that they all advise and enforce it strongly, I shall endeavour to shew by the following quotations. Horace himself has noticed F it before; for he says, (Lib. ii. Ep. i. 211.) --meum qui pectus inaniter angit, Irritat, mulcet, falsis terroribus implet, Ut magus; And in Cicero's excellent work de Oratore, we are every where warned of the importance of this management of speech. Lib. ii. 44. “ Huic autem est illa dispar adjuncta ratio orationis, quæ alio quodam genere mentes judicium permovet impellitque, ut aut oderint, aut diligant, aut invideant, aut salvum velint, aut metuant, aut sperent, aut cupiant, aut abhorreant, aut lætentur, aut mœreant, aut misereantur, aut punire velint, aut ad eos motus deducantur, si qui finitimi sunt et propinqui his ac talibus animi perturbationibus." And again, to mention no more, we find in the 45th section of the same book, "tanta vis animi, tantus impetus, tantus dolor oculis, vultu, gestu, digito denique isto tuo signi Humani vultus; si vis me flere, dolendum est 105. Aut ridebo aut dorm. Z. STYLE; which will be different, 1. [to ver. 111.] according to the internal state and character of the speaker: thus one sort of expression will become the angry, another, the sorrowful; this, the ficari solet: tantum est flumen gravissimorum optimorumque verborum, tam integræ sententiæ, tam veræ, tam novæ, tam sine pigmentis fucoque puerili, ut mihi non solùm tu incendere judicem, sed ipse ardere videaris:" which latter part is very apt for our next note. In the Iliad we find that the eyes of the spectators are drawn from admiring the person, or appearance of Ulysses, by making him speak : (y'. 221.) ̓Αλλ ̓ ὅτε δή ῥ ̓ ὅπᾳ τε μεγάλην ἐκ ςήθεος ἵει, Καὶ ἔπεα νιφάδεσσιν ἐοικότα χειμερίησιν, Οὐκ ἂν ἔπείτ ̓ Ὀδυσῆς γ ̓ ἐρίσσειε βροτὸς ἄλλος Οὐ τότε γ ̓ ὧδ ̓ Ὀδυσῆος αγασσάμεθ ̓ εἶδος ἰδόντες. 102-3. Si vis me flere delendum est Primum ipsi tibi. Cicero makes the same observation with regard to orators : "Neque fieri potest, ut doleat is, qui audit, ut oderit, ut invideat, ut pertimescat aliquid, ut ad fletum misericordiamque deducatur, nisi omnes iis motus, quos orator adhibere volet judici, in ipso oratore impressi esse atque inusti videbuntur." (Lib. ii. 45.) And the same writer again remarks, in narrating the success of one of his orations, Non fuit hæc sine meis lacrymis, non sine dolore magno, mi 66 seratio, omniumque deorum et hominum et civium sociorum imploratio." Ibid. 47. Conf. also the second quotation from Cicero, in note 100. and in 105. And in Aristotle's Rhetoric we find, 66 ἀνάγκη τοὺς σὺν ἀπεργαζομένους σχήμασι και φωναῖς κα ἐσθῆτι, καὶ ὅλως τῇ ὑποκρίσει, ἐλεεινοTepovs in." Lib. ii. c. 10. 103. Infortunia lædent. By the word lædere Horace would express commovere, tangere. Homer uses the verb ẞλáπт in the same sense. DACIER. 104. Telephe vel Peleu, malè si mandata loqueris. By this we must understand, the actors representing those characters. LUDOV.DES. and by mandata, he alludes to the parts in the play allotted to them, or, as Jason de Nores has it, "tibi à scriptore tradita." 105. Aut ridebo. Cicero observes, (de Orat. Lib. ii. 47.) “ Si dolor abfuisset meus, non modò non miserabilis, sed etiam irridenda fuisset oratio mea." Tristia mæstum vultum verba decent, &c. Cicero has some very apt passages on the subject of adapting the words to the passion wished to be expressed, (de Orat. Lib. iii. 58.)" Aliud enim vocis genus iracundia sibi sumat; acutum, incitatum, crebrò incidens ; aliud miseratio ac mæror; flexibile, Vultum verba decent; iratum, plena minarum ; gay, that, the severe. And, 2. [from ver. 111. to 119.] according to the outward circumstances of rank, age, office, or country. 108. Format enim natura, &c. As a comment on this passage we must again refer to Cicero, (ibid. 57.) "Omnis enim motus animi suum quendam à naturâ habet vultum et sonum et gestum; totumque corpus hominis, et ejus omnis vultus omnesque voces, ut nervi in fidibus, ita sonant, ut à motu animi quoque sunt pulsæ." 113. Equites peditesque. By this Horace means the people in gene ral; was of the greatest utility in the state, as an intermediate bond betwixt the patricians and plebeians, or pedites. See farther in Adam's Rom. Antiq. Art. EQUITES. At first they used to sit promiscuously with the people, when in the theatre; but a law was passed by one L. Otho, for the assignment of distinct seats; by this law fourteen rows of benches, next to those of the senators, were to be appropriated to their use; by which he secured them, as Cicero says, both their dignity and pleasure. "Non solùm dignitatem, sed etiam voluptatem." Pro Mur. 19. This law gave great offence, as it was a great affront to the people, to be removed yet farther from what of all things they were fondest of, the sight of plays and shows: it was carried, however, by the authority of the tribune; and is frequently referred to, by the classic writers, as an act very memorable, and what made much noise in its time. Sedilibusque magnus in primis eques Hor. Ep. iv. 15. Sic libitum vano, qui nos distinxit Othoni. |