Imitation

Use in the book

After necessities the Athenian turns to a kind of play, largely imitative and “in no way serious” (975d). The examples span instruments, bodily imitations, words, all music, and painting's offspring in moist and dry materials. This breadth prevents reducing the criticism to dramatic poetry alone. The bodies' imitations are also qualified as not altogether seemly, giving the passage an evaluative dimension that exceeds mere accuracy of representation.

The closing clause produces a pointed tension: even someone who works with the greatest seriousness at these things is not made wise in anything by imitative art. Personal diligence and the philosophical rank of an activity are separated. The artist's effort is not denied; its sufficiency for wisdom is. The text supplies no inventory of particular artworks to test the conclusion, and the lexicon should not invent one.

Music soon re-enters more positively. The things of all music need movements and sounds counted out (978a). Its numerical structure becomes evidence of number's reach. This does not simply reverse the earlier verdict: an imitator's practical production and the rational understanding of what makes musical order possible are different objects of assessment. At 991a–b2 musical proportions belong to the preparatory studies, with rhythm and harmony explicitly given for play.

Most importantly, play is not uniformly derogatory. The lawgiver at 980a may liken the gods more finely and employ a “fine play” in honoring them. Clinias wishes that the Athenian's celebratory play should culminate in the best life and end. At 992b the Athenian affirms the wise person's destiny “in play and in earnest at once.” These uses keep the opening dismissal from becoming a rule that every act called play is intellectually worthless. The adjective “fine,” the object of representation, the account of truth, and the relation to the whole alter the force.

The reading at 980a is consequential: Burnet chooses paidia from the manuscript margins against paideia in their main texts. The edition's fine-play interpretation therefore follows an editorial choice, not an uncontested sequence of letters in every witness.

Places to read

1. 975dπαιδιά τις … μιμητικὴ μὲν τὸ πλεῖστον — The category is a kind of play, mostly imitative
2. 975dἀλλ’ οὐδαμῇ σπουδαία — The Athenian denies it seriousness in the relevant sense
3. 975dτά τε κατὰ λόγους καὶ μοῦσαν πᾶσαν — Words and all music are included
4. 975dὅσων γραφικὴ μήτηρ — Painting is mother of further products
5. 975dσπουδῇ τῇ μεγίστῃ δημιουργοῦντα — The maker can nevertheless work with utmost seriousness
6. 978aκινήσεώς τε καὶ φθόγγων — Counted movements and sounds expose music's numerical basis
7. 980aπαιδιᾷ καλῇ χρωμένῳ — The lawgiver's play is explicitly fine
8. 992bπαίζων καὶ σπουδάζων ἅμα — Play and earnestness are finally joined

Translation in this edition

“Play” at 980a translates the adopted παιδιᾷ, not the apparatus alternative παιδείᾳ. The note marks the identification of this play with honoring the gods as interpretation. “All music” for μοῦσαν πᾶσαν belongs to the local rendering and should not be mistaken for a claim that only instrumental music is in view.

Positive divine celebration — προσπαίζειν (prospaizein)

προσπαίζειν (prospaizein)

Positive divine celebration. The participle describes the Athenian’s celebratory play toward the gods in Clinias’ wish. It is related to paidia, not an occurrence of paideia. Attested: προσπαίσαντι (980b). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Earnest artistic making — δημιουργεῖν (dēmiourgein)

δημιουργεῖν (dēmiourgein)

Earnest artistic making. The imitative maker can craft with utmost seriousness and yet fail to acquire wisdom through that art. Attested: δημιουργοῦντα (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Material of imitation — ξηρός (xēros)

ξηρός (xēros)

Material of imitation. Dry materials pair with moist materials in the broad description of intricate imitative production; no named pigment or technique is specified. Attested: ξηροῖς (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Fine play — καλός (kalos)

καλός (kalos)

Fine play. The lawgiver’s honoring of gods is described through fine play, showing that play is not uniformly condemned. Attested: καλῇ (980a). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Honoring the gods in speech — ὕμνος (hymnos)

ὕμνος (hymnos)

Honoring the gods in speech. Hymns accompany happiness in the lawgiver’s life of honoring and glorifying gods; this is a positive role for expressive activity after the imitative critique. Attested: ὕμνοις (980b). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Varied representational media — μιμεῖσθαι (mimeisthai)

μιμεῖσθαι (mimeisthai)

Varied representational media. Imitation occurs through many instruments and bodily representations; the breadth prevents limiting the criticism to poetry alone. Attested: μιμοῦνται (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Bodily representation — μίμημα (mimēma)

μίμημα (mimēma)

Bodily representation. The imitations performed by bodies themselves are qualified as not altogether seemly, adding an evaluative concern to their representational status. Attested: μιμήμασιν (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Production without completed wisdom — μιμητικός (mimētikos)

μιμητικός (mimētikos)

Production without completed wisdom. The feminine adjective describes the art that imitates through instruments, bodies, words, music, and painting-derived products, without making its maker wise. Attested: μιμητικὴ (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Instrument of imitation — ὄργανον (organon)

ὄργανον (organon)

Instrument of imitation. The imitative arts work with many instruments as well as bodily representations; an instrument’s use does not determine that the activity yields wisdom. Attested: ὀργάνοις (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Elaborate imitative product — ποίκιλμα (poikilma)

ποίκιλμα (poikilma)

Elaborate imitative product. Many and diverse designs result in different moist and dry materials, extending the catalogue beyond one medium. Attested: ποικιλμάτων (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Better account of the gods — νομοθέτης (nomothetēs)

νομοθέτης (nomothetēs)

Better account of the gods. The lawgiver may speak in likening the gods more finely than earlier accounts, joining fine play, honor, hymns, and happiness. Attested: νομοθέτῃ (980a). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Improved divine representation — ἀπεικάζειν (apeikazein)

ἀπεικάζειν (apeikazein)

Improved divine representation. The lawgiver’s speech likens the gods more finely and better than what was previously said, preparing the renewed theological account. Attested: ἀπεικάζοντι (980a). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Material of imitation — ὑγρός (hygros)

ὑγρός (hygros)

Material of imitation. Moist kinds of material are paired with dry kinds in describing the varied media of painting and related production. Attested: ὑγροῖς (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Counted musical movement — κίνησις (kinēsis)

κίνησις (kinēsis)

Counted musical movement. Movement in all music must be counted along with sounds, providing a concrete example of number’s wider role. Attested: κινήσεώς (978a). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Comprehensive imitative field — μοῦσα (mousa)

μοῦσα (mousa)

Comprehensive imitative field. All mousa is included alongside works in words in the imitative catalogue. The edition renders it all music, without restricting it to a named instrument. Attested: μοῦσαν (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Mother of further products — γραφικός (graphikos)

γραφικός (graphikos)

Mother of further products. The feminine substantivized form names painting, described as mother of many intricate products in moist and dry media. Attested: γραφικὴ (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Imitative amusement — παιδιά (paidia)

παιδιά (paidia)

Imitative amusement. The arts following necessity are called a kind of play, largely imitative and in no way serious for the wisdom inquiry. Attested: παιδιά (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Fine divine celebration — παιδιά (paidia)

παιδιά (paidia)

Fine divine celebration. The lawgiver who likens the gods better is compared to someone using fine play in honoring them. This follows Burnet’s adopted reading rather than the apparatus alternative education. Attested: παιδιᾷ (980a). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Qualified bodily imitation — εὐσχήμων (euschēmōn)

εὐσχήμων (euschēmōn)

Qualified bodily imitation. The bodily imitations are not altogether seemly; the adjective evaluates their presentation rather than denying that they are imitations. Attested: εὐσχήμοσι (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Denied status of imitative play — σπουδαῖος (spoudaios)

σπουδαῖος (spoudaios)

Denied status of imitative play. The imitative play is said to be in no way serious under the inquiry’s standard, even though its maker can work earnestly. Attested: σπουδαία (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Diligence insufficient for wisdom — σπουδή (spoudē)

σπουδή (spoudē)

Diligence insufficient for wisdom. The maker may work with the greatest seriousness without being made wise by imitative art. Effort and intellectual rank are distinguished. Attested: σπουδῇ (975d). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Counted musical sound — φθόγγος (phthongos)

φθόγγος (phthongos)

Counted musical sound. Musical sounds are counted with movements; the passage connects music’s organization with number rather than merely with imitation. Attested: φθόγγων (978a). Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Mostly imitative in no way serious (contextual phrase)

μιμητικὴ μὲν τὸ πλεῖστον ἀλλ’ οὐδαμῇ σπουδαία (975d)

The first qualification allows that the category is largely rather than absolutely imitative; the second strongly denies its seriousness under the present standard. Later fine play shows that this is not a permanent lexical equation of all play with worthlessness. The local art and its ability to produce wisdom are at issue. Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Greatest seriousness without wisdom (contextual phrase)

σπουδῇ τῇ μεγίστῃ δημιουργοῦντα (975d)

The maker can work with maximal earnestness while the imitative art still does not present him as wise. The adverbial dative concerns how he works; the earlier denial of seriousness concerns the activity’s rank in the wisdom inquiry. Keeping those grammatical tasks separate reveals the point of the apparent paradox. Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Fine play in honoring gods (contextual phrase)

οἷον παιδιᾷ καλῇ χρωμένῳ καὶ τιμῶντι θεούς (980a–b)

The comparison joins fine play and honoring the gods in the lawgiver’s improved representation. The positive adjective and religious purpose differentiate it from the imitative activity dismissed at 975d. Burnet prints παιδιᾷ, play, from marginal readings; the main-text alternative παιδείᾳ, education, is not the adopted attestation. Imitation music and the changing value of play.

Use in the book

The poetic imitation of the divine makes much with little, even seemingly nothing; its thinness concerns material body rather than poverty of meaning. In a philosophical report, imitating heaven concerns both works and actions, while its unnamed subjects should not be assigned to an invented school. The later fine-arts fragment connects imitation with illusion and with representing to oneself and tracing anew. Art’s injunction to resemble art without resembling any work supplies a useful limit: fidelity to an artistic principle may differ from resemblance to a prior object.

Places to read

1. I, p. 319, entry 8, ¶1Poetry imitates the divine economy of making with little.
2. II, p. 588, entry 6, ¶1The unnamed philosophy links imitation to works and actions.
3. II, p. 843, entry 4, ¶1Imitation is related to illusion and renewed representation.
4. II, p. 898, entry 3, ¶1Resembling art is distinguished from resembling any work.

Translation in this edition

The English translation uses little substance for peu de pâte, preserving material thinness. In II.843 en may refer to the fine arts or to imitation; the English their selects the arts contextually without excluding the other reading.

Use in the book

At pp. 89–902 he acknowledges that silverness and goldness belong to silver and gold and that like produces like. He then grants the maxim that Art must imitate Nature in principles and seeds. This concession does not settle the dispute. The question remains how those metals become regenerated and more-than-perfected rather than merely elaborately prepared.

The ensuing answer requires their return to the proper mother or fountain. Nature-conforming imitation preserves the relation of seed to field and of generated fruit to original ground. A clever manipulation cannot replace those relations simply because its product resembles another stage of the work.

The margin of p. 95 also limits how imitation may be argued. Metallic generation differs from vegetable and animal propagation, so analogies drawn from them cannot automatically prove the metallic case. Nature provides both the model and the restrictions upon its interpretation. The later apple example fails when it is used to make a metal its own field.

Places to read

1. 1599 p. 89Like-kind generation motivates the use of silver or gold.
2. 1599 p. 90The obligation to imitate Nature in principles and seeds is expressly conceded.
3. 1599 p. 92The proper maternal ground supplies the required regenerative relation.
4. 1599 p. 95 · marginThe difference between metallic and animal or vegetable generation limits analogy.

Translation in this edition

The source prints principijs and pairs it explicitly with natural seeds. Rendering the maxim merely “follow Nature” would lose the material focus of this concession.