Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the Epick Poem

by René le Bossu

Monsieur BOSSU's

TREATISE

OF THE

EPICK POEM:

Containing

Many Curious Reflexions, very useful and necessary for the Right Understanding and Judging of the Excellencies

OF

HOMER and VIRGIL.

 

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Done into English from the French, with a new Original
Preface upon the Same Subject, by W. J.

 

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To which are Added,

An Essay upon Satyr, by Monsieur D'Acier;

AND

A Treatise upon Pastorals, by Monsieur Fontanelle.

 

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LONDON, Printed for Tho. Bennet at the
Half-Moon in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1695.

Contents (not listed in original)

• Dedication
• Preface
• Errata

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THE

CONTENTS

 

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BOOK I.
Of the Nature of the Epick Poem; and of the Fable.
Chap. I.	THE Design of the whole Work.	Page 1.
Chap. II.	What is the Nature of the Epick Poem.	p. 2.
Chap. III.	The Definition of the Epick Poem.	p. 6.
Chap. IV.	Of the Parts of the Epick Poem. The Division of this Treatise.	p. 8.
Chap. V.	Of the Poem.	p. 9.
Chap. VI.	Of the Fable.	p. 13.
Chap. VII.	The Method of Composing a Fable.	p. 15.
Chap. VIII.	Of the Fable of the Iliad.	p. 17.
Chap. IX.	A Comparison of the Fable of the Iliad with that of Æsop.	p. 21.
Chap. X.	The Fable of the Odysseis.	p. 23.
Chap. XI.	Of the Fable of the Æneid.	p. 26.
Chap. XII.	Horace's Thoughts of the Epick Fable.	p. 31.
Chap. XIII.	Aristotle's Thoughts of the Epick Fable.	p. 34.
Chap. XIV.	Of Real Actions, the Recitals whereof are Fables.	p. 39.
Chap. XV.	Of Feign'd Actions, the Recitals whereof are Historical.	p. 41.
Chap. XVI.	Of the Vicious Multiplication of Fables.	p. 43.
Chap. XVII.	Of the Regular Multiplication of Fables.	p. 47.
Chap. XVIII.	The Conclusion of the First Book.	p. 50.
BOOK II.
Concerning the Subject-Matter of the Epick Poem, or concerning the Action.
Chap. I.	WHat the Subject-Matter of the Epick Poem is.	p. 53.
Chap. II.	Episodes consider'd in their Original.	p. 57.
Chap. III.	An Explication of the foregoing Doctrine, by an Instance.	p. 59.
Chap. IV.	Of the several sorts of Episodes, and what is meant by this Term.	p. 61.
Chap. V.	Concerning the Nature of Episodes.	p. 64.
Chap. VI.	The Definition of Episodes.	p. 67.
Chap. VII.	Of the Unity of the Action.	p. 69.
Chap. VIII.	Of the Faults which corrupt the Unity of the Action.	p. 74.
Chap. IX.	Of the Integrity of the Action.	p. 79.
Chap. X.	That the Action ought to be a Whole.	p. 81.
Chap. XI.	Of the Beginning, Middle, and End of the Action.	p. 85.
Chap. XII.	Of the Causes of the Action.	p. 89.
Chap. XIII.	Of the Intrigue, and the Unravelling thereof.	p. 92.
Chap. XIV.	The Way of Forming the Plot or Intrigue.	p. 95.
Chap. XV.	How to dispose or prepare the Unravelling.	p. 98.
Chap. XVI.	Of the several sorts of Actions.	p. 101.
Chap. XVII.	Of the Conclusion of the Action.	p. 103.
Chap. XVIII.	Of the Duration of the Action.	p. 107.
Chap. XIX.	Of the Importance of the Action.	p. 110.
BOOK III.
Concerning the Form of the Epick Poem; or, concerning the Narration.
Chap. I.	OF the Parts of the Narration.	p. 113.
Chap. II.	Of the Title of the Epick Poem.	p. 116.
Chap. III.	Of the Proposition.	p. 117.
Chap. IV.	Of the Invocation.	p.123.
Chap. V.	Of the Body of the Poem, or the Narration, properly so called.	p.127.
Chap. VI.	How the Narration is pleasant.	p.128.
Chap. VII.	Of Probability.	p.132.
Chap. VIII.	Of the Admirable, or the Marvellous.	p.137.
Chap. IX.	Of the Passions.	p.140.
Chap. X.	How the Narration ought to be Active.	p.145.
Chap. XI.	Of the Continuity of the Action, and the Order of the Narration.	p.149.
Chap. XII.	Of the Duration of the Narration.	p.154.
BOOK IV.
Concerning the Manners of the Epick Poem.
Chap. I.	COncerning the Manners in General.	p.159.
Chap. II.	Of the Causes of the Manners.	p.161.
Chap. III.	Concerning the Manners of other Sciences besides Poetry.	p.166.
Chap. IV.	Of the Manners of Poetry.	p.169.
Chap. V.	Whether the Hero of the Poem ought to be an honest Man, or no?	p. 173.
Chap. VI.	Of the Poetical Goodness of the Manners.	p.177.
Chap. VII.	Of the three other Qualifications of the Manners.	p.180.
Chap. VIII.	Of the Character of the Personages. Aristotle's Words about it.	p.186.
Chap. IX.	Of the Characters of Achilles, Ulysses, and Æneas.	p.191.
Chap. X.	Of the Character of the other Personages.	p.194.
Chap. XI.	What the Character is.	p.197.
Chap. XII.	Of the Unity of the Character in the Hero.	p.199.
Chap. XIII.	The Unity of the Character in the Poem.	p.202.
Chap. XIV.	Of the Justness of the Character.	p.205.
Chap. XV.	Of False Characters.	p.211.
BOOK V.
Concerning the Machines.
Chap. I.	OF the several sorts of Deities.	p. 215.
Chap. II.	Of the Manners of the Gods.	p. 218.
Chap. III.	How the Gods act in a Poem.	p. 222.
Chap. IV.	When one must make use of Machines.	p. 225.
Chap. V.	How the Machines are to be used.	p. 228.
Chap. VI.	Whether the Presence of the Gods is any Disparagement to the Heroes.	p. 230.
BOOK VI.
Concerning the Thoughts and the Expression.
Chap. I.	THe Foundation of this Doctrine.	p. 235.
Chap. II.	Concerning Descriptions.	p. 239.
Chap. III.	Of Comparisons or Simile's.	p. 244.
Chap. IV.	Concerning Sentences.	p. 247.
Chap. V.	Concerning disguis'd Sentences.	p. 251.
Chap. VI.	Concerning several other Thoughts.	p. 257.
Chap. VII.	Of the Expression.	p. 260.
Chap. VIII.	How one ought to judge of the Elocution of a Poem.	p. 263.
D'Acier's Essay upon Satyr.		p. 267.
Monsieur Fontanelle upon Pastorals.		p. 277.

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