Pagina 822 de 1391

You have conceived my meaning perfectly; and if I mistake not,

what you failed to apprehend before is now made clear to you,

that poetry and mythology are, in some cases, wholly

imitative-instances of this are supplied by tragedy and comedy;

there is likewise the opposite style, in which the poet is the

only speaker-of this the dithyramb affords the best example; and

the combination of both is found in epic, and in several other

styles of poetry. Do I take you with me?

Yes, he said; I see now what you meant.

I will ask you to remember also what I began by saying, that we

had done with the subject and might proceed to the style.

Yes, I remember.

In saying this, I intended to imply that we must come to an

understanding about the mimetic art,-whether the poets, in

narrating their stories, are to be allowed by us to imitate, and

if so, whether in whole or in part, and if the latter, in what

parts; or should all imitation be prohibited?