TY - JOUR

T1 - Aristotle and sappho (To the interpretation of one Poetic dialogue from Rhet. 1367a7-15)

AU - Myakin, Timothey

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - In the article, I prove that the dialogical ritual obscene songs, in which Sappho "scolds" (elenchei) Gorgo and Andromeda, are the closest parallel to Aristotle's poetic dialogue of Sappho with Alcaeus (cf. Sapph. Frr. 68(a), 70, 145, 99(a) etc. Campbell; cf. Max Tyr., 18. 9 (p. 230s.) Hobein). Also I prove that this poetic dialogue was most likely included in the text of the "Rhetoric" in mid-340s., when Aristotle and his young wife Pythias were living in Mytilene. Aristotelian verb tetimekasin indicates that, even in his time, these Sapphic dialogical songs had traditionally been performed in Mytilene during religious festivals (cf. SEG XV, 517, 16-19; Schol. In Pind. Nem. II, schol. 1c, 8 etc.). It becomes clear that Aristotle, while quoting this dialogue of Sappho with Alcaeus, seeks to "elevate" Sappho over the obscene songs of the Mytilenean ritual chorus, leaving all the responsibility for aischrologia entirely with Alcaeus (cf. Arist. Pol. 1336b4-7).

AB - In the article, I prove that the dialogical ritual obscene songs, in which Sappho "scolds" (elenchei) Gorgo and Andromeda, are the closest parallel to Aristotle's poetic dialogue of Sappho with Alcaeus (cf. Sapph. Frr. 68(a), 70, 145, 99(a) etc. Campbell; cf. Max Tyr., 18. 9 (p. 230s.) Hobein). Also I prove that this poetic dialogue was most likely included in the text of the "Rhetoric" in mid-340s., when Aristotle and his young wife Pythias were living in Mytilene. Aristotelian verb tetimekasin indicates that, even in his time, these Sapphic dialogical songs had traditionally been performed in Mytilene during religious festivals (cf. SEG XV, 517, 16-19; Schol. In Pind. Nem. II, schol. 1c, 8 etc.). It becomes clear that Aristotle, while quoting this dialogue of Sappho with Alcaeus, seeks to "elevate" Sappho over the obscene songs of the Mytilenean ritual chorus, leaving all the responsibility for aischrologia entirely with Alcaeus (cf. Arist. Pol. 1336b4-7).

KW - Mysteries of Artemis in Mytilene

KW - Poetic quotations in Aristotle's Rhetoric

KW - Pythias and Aristotle in Mytilene

KW - Sappho and Aristotle

KW - mysteries of Artemis in Mytilene

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047643311&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.21267/AQUILO.2018.12.10421

DO - 10.21267/AQUILO.2018.12.10421

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85047643311

VL - 12

SP - 122

EP - 136

JO - Schole

JF - Schole

SN - 1995-4328

IS - 1

ER -