Gleaned Fragments from A Discarded Copy of Aristotle’s Poetics
Let us discuss the art of poetry in general and its species.
Some people use the medium of colour and shape to produce imitations
Others do this by means of voice.
The medium of imitation is rhythm, language and melody employed separately or in combination. The art uses language unaccompanied.
We have no general term referring to Socratic dialogue.
But when speech was introduced nature itself found the appropriate form of verse.
In conversation with each other very often
In language made pleasurable
A single action of the kind we are discussing
These are the topics which would naturally follow on from what has just been said.
Necessarily, we are concerned with interactions between people who are closely connected.
Enough has been said about the structure of events
Complete with linguistuic expression
But what is the difference between singing interludes and transferring speech?
A riddle if it were made up entirely of metaphors
Expressions that nobody would use in conversations.
Diction should be handled with particular care in those parts in which little is happening
Contradictory utterances should be subjected to the same scrutiny.
Under reasoning fall those effects which must be produced by language
What would the speaker’s function be if the necessary effect were evident without the use of language?
Into the forms of utterance
Knowledge of these belongs.
