How does Poetics XXII (Butcher) say to balance clarity and distinction, what does it say about critics who ridicule unusual wording, and what does it say about excess?
XXII's balance is mixed, not measured: a 'certain infusion' of unusual elements raises style above the commonplace, while proper words keep it perspicuous; deviating 'in exceptional cases' gains distinction, and partial conformity with usage gives clearness. Critics who ridicule the licences (Eucleides, Ariphrades) are said to be in error, yet obtrusive use is grotesque and any mode needs moderation; the same ludicrous effect arises from rare words or metaphors used without propriety. The text demonstrates by substitution: replace the unusual word by the current one and watch the verse go flat (its Euripides/Aeschylus example). It gives no ratio or threshold.
XXII's balance is mixed, not measured: a 'certain infusion' of unusual elements raises style above the commonplace, while proper words keep it perspicuous; deviating 'in exceptional cases' gains distinction, and partial conformity with usage gives clearness. Critics who ridicule the licences (Eucleides, Ariphrades) are said to be in error, yet obtrusive use is grotesque and any mode needs moderation; the same ludicrous effect arises from rare words or metaphors used without propriety. The text demonstrates by substitution: replace the unusual word by the current one and watch the verse go flat (its Euripides/Aeschylus example). It gives no ratio or threshold.
Curator qualifications: Qualitative balance with no measure; kept as a scoped negative.
Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.
Structured fields
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"url": "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1974/pg1974.txt",
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- [sourced_fact] XXII's balance is mixed, not measured: a 'certain infusion' of unusual elements raises style above the commonplace, while proper words keep it perspicuous; deviating 'in exceptional cases' gains distinction, and partial conformity with usage gives clearness. Critics who ridicule the licences (Eucleides, Ariphrades) are said to be in error, yet obtrusive use is grotesque and any mode needs moderation; the same ludicrous effect arises from rare words or metaphors used without propriety. The text demonstrates by substitution: replace the unusual word by the current one and watch the verse go flat (its Euripides/Aeschylus example). It gives no ratio or threshold. · locator: candidate evidence excerpts source
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| documentation | unknown | permitted | permitted | unknown | unknown | Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources. |