Books by Demetrius
Poetics
by Aristotle, Longinus, Demetrius
Classic criticism.
This volume brings together the three most influential ancient Greek treatises on literature.
Aristotle’s Poetics contains his treatment of Greek tragedy: its history, nature, and conventions, with details on poetic diction. Stephen Halliwell makes this seminal work newly accessible with a reliable text and a translation that is both accurate and readable. His authoritative introduction traces the work’s debt to earlier theorists (especially Plato), its distinctive argument, and the reasons behind its enduring relevance.
The essay On the Sublime, usually attributed to “Longinus” (identity uncertain), was probably composed in the first century AD; its subject is the appreciation of greatness (“the sublime”) in writing, with analysis of illustrative passages ranging from Homer and Sappho to Plato and Genesis. In this edition, Donald A. Russell has judiciously revised and newly annotated the text and translation by W. Hamilton Fyfe and provides a new introduction.
The treatise On Style, ascribed to an (again unidentifiable) Demetrius, was perhaps composed during the secod century BC. It is notable particularly for its theory and analysis of four distinct styles (grand, elegant, plain, and forceful). Doreen Innes’ fresh rendering of the work is based on the earlier Loeb translation by W. Rhys Roberts. Her new introduction and notes represent the latest scholarship.
The Loeb Classical Library edition of Aristotle is in twenty-three volumes.
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Poetics
by Aristotle, Longinus, Demetrius
"What is poetry, how many kinds of it are there, and what are their specific effects?"
Aristotle's Poetics is the most influential book on poetry ever written. A founding text of European aesthetics and literary criticism, it has shaped much of our modern understanding of the creation and impact of imaginative writing, including poetry, drama, and fiction. This brief volume brims with Aristotle's timeless insights into such topics as the nature of tragedy and plot-a veritable gold mine for writers and anyone with a serious interest in literature.
Moreover, this volume boasts a marvelous new translation by our greatest living historian of philosophy, Anthony Kenny, who also provides an illuminating introduction to this classic work. Kenny sheds light on the philosophical underpinnings of Aristotle's literary criticism and he illuminates the ideas about poetry, drama, and tragedy that have influenced writers and dramatists ever since. Kenny also includes excerpts from key responses to Aristotle, ranging from Sir Philip Sidney's Apology for Poetry and Shelley's Defense of Poetry, to Dorothy L. Sayers' Aristotle on Detective Fiction.
The book also features helpful notes, a glossary of key terms, an index, a useful bibliography, and a chronology of Aristotle's life.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
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Poetics
by Aristotle, Longinus, Demetrius
Aristotle's Poetics is a work of transcendent importance, both for the history of literary criticism and in its own right.
In his masterful translation and accompanying notes, Dr. Else makes a special effort to achieve maximum clarity, while remaining faithful to the original. His constant aim is to provide -- for all readers -- a "way in" to Aristotle's processes of thinking about literature.
This important modern translation is made form the 1965 Oxford Classical Text edition of the Poetics by Rudolf Kassel and thus reflects the latest and most authoritative textual scholarship. Not only the translation but the valuable fund of commentary will delight anyone -- literary critic, philosopher, classicist, or general reader -- who want to learn what Aristotle really said.
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