Samfon Agonistes,

A

DRAMATICK

POEM.

The AUTHOR

JOHN MILTON

Ariftot. Poet. Cap. 6.

Τραγωδία μίμησις πράξεως σπεδαίας, &c. Tragedia eft imitatio actionis feria, &c. Per mifericordiam & metum perficiens talium affectuum luftrationem.

LONDON,

Printed for Jacob Tonfon, within Grays-Inn Gate next Grays-Inn Lane. 1707.

Of that fort of Dramatick Poem which is call'd Tragedy.

T

Ragedy, as it was anciently compos'd, hath been ever held the graveft, moraleft, and moft profitable of all other Poems: therefore faid by Ariftotle to be of power by raifing pity and fear, or terrour, to purge the mind of thofe and fuch like paffions, that is, to temper and reduce them to just measure with a kind of delight, ftirr'd up by reading or feeing thofe paffions well imitated. Nor is Nature wanting in her own effects to make good his affertion: for fo in Phyfick things of melancholick hue and quality are us'd against melancholy, fowr against fowr, falt to remove falt humours. Hence Philofophers and other graveft Writers, as Cicero, Plutarch and others, frequently cite out of Tragick Poets, both to adorn and illustrate their difcourfe. The Apoftle St. Paul himself thought it not unworthy to infert a verfe of Euripides into the Text of Holy Scripture, 1 Cor. 15. 33. and Paraus commenting on the Revelation, divides the whole Book as a Tragedy, into Acts diftinguifh'd each by a Chorus of Heavenly Harpings and Song between. Heretofore Men in higheft dignity have labour'd not a little to be thought able to compofe a Tragedy. Of that honour Dionyfius the elder was no lefs ambitious, than before of his attaining to the TyranH

T

ny.

Of that fort of Dramatick Poem call'd Tragedy.

ny. Auguftus Cæfar alfo had begun his Ajax, but unable to please his own judgment with what he had begun, left it unfinisht. Seneca the Philofo

pher is by fome thought the Author of thofe Tragedies (at least the best of them) that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen, a Father of the Church, thought it not unbefeeming the fanctity of his perfon to write a Tragedy, which is entitl'd, Chrift fuffering. This is mention'd to vindicate Tragedy from the fmall efteem, or rather infamy, which in the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common interludes; hap'ning through the Poets error of intermixing Comick ftuff with Tragick fadness and gravity; or introducing trivial and vulgar perfons, which by all judicious hath been counted abfurd; and brought in without difcretion, corruptly to gratifie the people. And though ancient Tragedy ufe no Prologue, yet ufing fometimes, in cafe of felf-defence, or explanation, that which Martial calls an Epiftle; in behalf of this Tragedy coming forth after the ancient manner, much different from what among us paffes for beft, thus much before-hand may be Epiftl'd; that Chorus is here introduc'd after the Greek manner, not ancient only but modern, and ftill in use among the Italians. In the modelling therefore of this Poem, with good reason, the Ancients and Italians are rather follow'd, as of much more Authority and fame. The measure of Verfe us'd in the Chorus is of all forts, call'd by the Greeks Monoftrophick, or rather Apolelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antiftrophe or Epod, which were a kind of Stanza's fram'd only for the Mufick, then us'd with the Chorus

that

Of that fort of Dramatick Poem call'd Tragedy.

that fung; not effential to the Poem, and therefore not material; or being divided into Stanza's or Paules, they may be call'd Allaoftropha. Divifion into Act and Scene referring chiefly to the Stage (to which this work never was intended) is here omitted.

It fuffices if the whole Drama be found not produc'd beyond the fifth Ad, of the ftyle and uniformity, and that commonly call'd the Plot, whether intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but fuch economy, or difpofition of the fable as may ftand beft with verifimilitude and decorum; they only will beft judge who are not unacquainted with Eschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, the three Tragick Poets unequall'd yet by any, and the best rule to all who endeavour to write Tragedy. The circumfcription of time wherein the whole Drama begins and ends is according to ancient rule, and beft example, within the space of 24 hours.