
The On Poems by Philodemus (c. 110-35 BC), the Epicurean philosopher and poet who taught Vergil and influenced Horace, is our main source for Hellenistic literary theory. In Book 1 Philodemus summarizes a survey of previously unknown poetic and aesthetic theories. Compiled by Crates of Mallos this survey reviews the critical theories of earlier Epicureans, Peripatetics, and Stoics, who argued in some way that sound is the source of poetic excellence, and that the ear, unaided by the mind, can judge it. Philodemus led the reaction against this invasion of Hellenistic literary criticism by musical theory, arguing that form and content are interrelated, and that substantive content, not pretty sound, is what makes poetry worthwhile.The 200 fragments of Book 1 were entirely jumbled after its discovery at the site of Vesuvius' destruction of Herculaneum. This edition reconstitutes their original sequence, according to a new method, while exploiting previously unknown manuscript sources and new techniques for reading the extant pieces. In thus restoring this important aesthetic treatise from antiquity, it makes a major addition to the corpus of classical literature.
This work investigates the fundamental criteria for evaluating poetic excellence by contrasting the Hellenistic emphasis on auditory aesthetics with the Epicurean insistence on substantive content. Philodemus, a prominent Epicurean philosopher, utilizes this treatise to dismantle the prevailing theories of his contemporaries, specifically those who argued that poetic value resides primarily in sound. By re-examining the critical traditions of the Peripatetics and Stoics, the author establishes a framework that prioritizes the integration of form and content over mere sensory appeal.
What You Will Find
Scholars recognize this edition as a significant contribution to the study of ancient aesthetics due to its rigorous reconstruction of previously jumbled papyrus fragments. The text is considered a foundational resource for understanding the intellectual climate of the late Hellenistic period and the specific philosophical contributions of the Epicurean school.
Page Count:
624
Publication Date:
2001-03-29
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0198150415
ISBN-13:
9780198150411
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