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The diction should be elaborated only in the idle parts which do not reveal character or thought.The Messengers’ speeches, a regular feature of Greek tragedy, may serve to illustrate what is here called the idle part of a play, i.e., passages which, but for brilliant writing, might be dull, since no character is there elucidated and no important sentiments expressed. Too brilliant diction frustrates its own object by diverting attention from the portrayal of character and thought.
1
With regard to problems,A problem in this sense is a difficult passage or expression which explanation and may easily be censured by an unsympathetic critic. Aristotle here classifies the various grounds of censure and the various lines of defence. Most of his illustrations are drawn from the critical objections lodged against the Iliad by Zoilus and other hammerers of Homer. As the reader will see, many of them are abysmally foolish. and the various solutions of them, how many kinds there are, and the nature of each kind, all will be clear if we look at them like this.
2
Since the poet represents life, as a painter does or any other maker of likenesses, he must always represent one of three things—either things as they were or are; or things as they are said and seem to be; or things as they should be.
3
These are expressed in diction with or without rare words and metaphors, there being many modifications of diction, all of which we allow the poet to use.
