The Complete Aristotle (eng.)

necklaces, or the little
ark in the Tyro by which the discovery is effected. Even these
admit of more or less skilful treatment. Thus in the recognition of
Odysseus by his scar, the discovery is made in one way by the
nurse, in another by the swineherds. The use of tokens for the
express purpose of proof—and, indeed, any formal proof with or
without tokens—is a less artistic mode of recognition. A better
kind is that which comes about by a turn of incident, as in the
Bath Scene in the Odyssey.
    Next come the recognitions invented at will by the poet, and on
that account wanting in art. For example, Orestes in the Iphigenia
reveals the fact that he is Orestes. She, indeed, makes herself
known by the letter; but he, by speaking himself, and saying what
the poet, not what the plot requires. This, therefore, is nearly
allied to the fault above mentioned—for Orestes might as well have
brought tokens with him. Another similar instance is the ‘voice of
the shuttle’ in the Tereus of Sophocles.
    The third kind depends on memory when the sight of some object
awakens a feeling: as in the Cyprians of Dicaeogenes, where the
hero breaks into tears on seeing the picture; or again in the Lay
of Alcinous, where Odysseus, hearing the minstrel play the lyre,
recalls the past and weeps; and hence the recognition.
    The fourth kind is by process of reasoning. Thus in the
Choephori: ‘Some one resembling me has come: no one resembles me
but Orestes: therefore Orestes has come.’ Such too is the discovery
made by Iphigenia in the play of Polyidus the Sophist. It was a
natural reflection for Orestes to make, ‘So I too must die at the
altar like my sister.’ So, again, in the Tydeus of Theodectes, the
father says, ‘I came to find my son, and I lose my own life.’ So
too in the Phineidae: the women, on seeing the place, inferred
their fate—‘Here we are doomed to die, for here we were cast
forth.’ Again, there is a composite kind of recognition involving
false inference on the part of one of the characters, as in the
Odysseus Disguised as a Messenger. A said [that no one else was
able to bend the bow; … hence B (the disguised Odysseus)
imagined that A would] recognize the bow which, in fact, he had not
seen; and to bring about a recognition by this means—the
expectation that A would recognize the bow—is false inference.
    But, of all recognitions, the best is that which arises from the
incidents themselves, where the startling discovery is made by
natural means. Such is that in the Oedipus of Sophocles, and in the
Iphigenia; for it was natural that Iphigenia should wish to
dispatch a letter. These recognitions alone dispense with the
artificial aid of tokens or amulets. Next come the recognitions by
process of reasoning.
XVII
    In constructing the plot and working it out with the proper
diction, the poet should place the scene, as far as possible,
before his eyes. In this way, seeing everything with the utmost
vividness, as if he were a spectator of the action, he will
discover what is in keeping with it, and be most unlikely to
overlook inconsistencies. The need of such a rule is shown by the
fault found in Carcinus. Amphiaraus was on his way from the temple.
This fact escaped the observation of one who did not see the
situation. On the stage, however, the Piece failed, the audience
being offended at the oversight.
    Again, the poet should work out his play, to the best of his
power, with appropriate gestures; for those who feel emotion are
most convincing through natural sympathy with the characters they
represent; and one who is agitated storms, one who is angry rages,
with the most lifelike reality. Hence poetry implies either a happy
gift of nature or a strain of madness. In the one case a man can
take the mould of any character; in the other, he is lifted out of
his proper self.
    As for the story, whether the poet takes it ready made or
constructs it for himself, he should first sketch its general
outline, and then fill in the episodes and amplify in detail. The
general plan may be illustrated by the Iphigenia. A young girl is
sacrificed; she disappears mysteriously from the eyes of those who
sacrificed her; she is transported to another country, where the
custom is to offer up an strangers to the goddess. To this ministry
she is appointed. Some time later her own brother chances to
arrive. The fact that the oracle for some reason ordered him to go
there, is outside the general plan of the play. The purpose,