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| Thomas Stearns Eliot |
VII lezione
pp. 29-41
Methodology
Now we say some words with
regard to the method.
You know, to proceed with method means,
etymologicly, proceed in a street (oJdov" - ou', hJ) . My method is comparative or mithical, as called it
T. S. Eliot (1888-1965). It
consists in finding connection between books, authors, literatures, topics.
Greek and Latin are the running blood, sanguineous running of european
literature (T. S. Eliot).
You must read and write
"with a feeling that the whole of the literature of Europe from Homer and,
within it, the whole of the literature of his own country has a simultaneous
existence and composes a simultaneous order"[1].
In
the fifth century Eschilo[2] said that his tragedies were
just slices of the great homeric banquet[3], and Callimaco[4] declares: all that I sing is
already testified. ("ajmavrturon oujde;n ajeivdw"[5])
This confession of depedence
on models, mostly greek, goes on in latin literature and further: the comedy
writer Terenzio (190-159) in the prologue of Eunuchus [6] declares: "Denique/nullum est iam dictum quod
non dictum sit prius" (vv. 40-41), after all, nothing by this time is
said that is not said before. Orazio in his Ars
poetica (13 b. C.) prescribes: “vos
exemplaria Graeca/nocturna versate manu, versate diurna” (vv. 268-269), you
must read and read the greek models, turning the pages, the roll, with nocturnal
and diurnal hand.
Quintiliano
(35-95) supports that orator Demostene is “longe
perfectissimus Graecorum”, by far the most perfect among greeks, sed non qui maxime imitandus, et solus
imitandus est” (Institutio oratoria,
X, 2, 24), but the orator who must be imitated more than others, must not be
exclusive, must not exclude other models.
So, among latins, is not enough Cicero as
model: “Plurium bona ponamus ante oculos,
ut aliud ex alio haereat, et quod cuique loco conveniat aptemus”[7], let us put before eyes the good
works of many models, so that remain something from one and another, and we can
apply and adapt what is fitting, what fits our works.
In short, Leopardi (1798-1837) writes: “Tutto si è perfezionato da Omero in poi, ma
non la poesia"[8],
all improved itself after Omero, but not poetry. To choose some models, better many models, is
non a plagiarism: Leopardi declares that he is arrived at originality “a forza
di moltiplicare i modelli” [9] by persisting in multiplying models.
You can think to jOdusseuv"-Ulixes who is the
protagonist or anyway a very important character of several epic poems (by
Homer, Vergil, Dante), tragedies (f. e. Aiace,
Filottete by Sofocle; Ecuba by
Euripide), elegies (Heroides1 and Metamorfosi
XIII by Ovidio), novels (Joyce, Ulixes). All the european literature has
a simultaneous existence. In this great organic body there are many tovpoi, loci comunes,
common places“argumenta quae transferri
in multas causas possunt” (Cicerone,
De inventione [10],2, 48), topics,
subjects that you can transfer, use, in many causes, situations. They are
means, instruments of writing, speaking, persuading. Argumentum implies also explanation and revelation (cfr. ajrgov" , shining); arguo, I reveal, disclose, denounce; argutus,
significant, expressive, and english “to argue”, discutere, provare). So
this tovpoi, loci are sedes argumentorum
Precisely Quintiliano (35-95) defines loci
with this words "locos appello
argumentorum sedes, in quibus latent, ex quibus sunt petenda " (Institutio oratoria, V, 10, 20), I call
the loci seats of topics, seats where
they are placed, sometimes hidden, and whence one must deduce, extract
So the study of classic books,
ancient and modern, gives topics for speaking, writing, working. It develops
the talents: aesthetic and also moral, ethical sense, critical (cf.- compare- krivnw, I judge[11])
ability. Communes loci of literatur
and philosophy constitute an antidote against the poison of common places of
publicity and every vulgarity and cunning, astute propaganda that wants to
force people to think in conformity with the “orthodoxy” of advertising agents,
propagandists. See the ethymology of orthodoxy that is composed of ojrqov"-(hv), right and dovxa, opinion, i. e, the opinion of salesmen.
In several authors one can
find dissoi; lovgoi, contrasting speeches, and these writers, non dogmatic, drive the
reader to think, and even if they are inclined to believe that one horn of a
dilemma is better, they leave their readers free to choose. What every
propaganda and publicity tries to prevent.
The high literature was born
from deep feelings, high thinkings, hard brainwork.
The philosophy was born from wonder.
In the dialogue Teeteto by Platone (428-347), the character of Socrate argues, deduces, the
tendency, the bent of Teeteto for philosophy from the fact that this man is
disposed to wonder and to be amazed (155d).
Aristotele (384-322) asserts that man
have began to make philosophy in origin and now because of wonder : "dia; ga;r to; qaumavzein oiJ a[nqrwpoi kai; nu'n kai; to; prw'ton
h[rxanto filosofei'n"[12].
The study of classic author,
if is put in touch with the life, can develop the same life. Culture strenghten
the nature. The studious, the teacher must be an educator able to excite moral
and aesthetic energies.
Petronio elegantiae
arbiter[13], teacher of elegance, of emperor
Nerone, introduces the protagonist of the novel Satyricon, Encolpio who says: “nondum
umbraticus doctor ingenia deleverat, (2, 3-5), not yet an erudite grown up
in the shadow had destroyed the talents, when the great poetry was connected
with life.
Sapientia (sofiva, wisdom) asserts Seneca "res tradit, non
verba"[14], teaches to
act, non only to speak. And in another Letter:
"Sic ista ediscamus ut quae fuerint verba sint opera" (Epistula,
108, 35), let us try to learn philosophy so that the words may become actions.
The persons
can feel their energies, intellectual, moral and even physical increased by
learning and wisdom
In Ep. 37 Seneca writes: “sapientia quae sola libertas est”, the
wisdom is the only freedom. And: "unum
studium vere liberale est quod liberum facit, hoc est sapientiae, sublime,
forte, magnanimum: cetera pusilla et puerilia sunt " (Ep. 88), the
only study really liberating, freeing, is that who makes free, i.e. the study
of wisdom, sublime, strong, magnanimous, the rest is small and childish stuff.
“Sapientia est mens perfecta (…) ars enim
vitae est (117) the wisdom is the pefect mind (…) in fact is the art of the
life.
“Sapere sapientiae usus est” (Ep. 117, 17) to be wise is the use of
wisdom. Wisdom investigates what is the good. “Quod bonum est utĭque prodest (…) Si non prodest, bonum non est; si
prodest iam est” (117, 27), what is good however does good, is beneficial
(…) if it is not beneficial it is not good; if it is beneficial it is already,
it is at once.
“Unde adcognoscitur bonum? Si perfecte
secundum naturam est” (Ep. 118), where the good is recognized from? If it
is completely in accordance with nature.
In fact the
nature is good since is the creation of a good God: “quaeris quod sit propositum deo? Bonitas.
Ita certe Plato ait: “quae deo faciendi mundum fuit causa? Bonus est: bono nulla cuiusquam boni invidia est;
fecit itaque quam optimum potuit” (Ep.
65, 10), you ask which is the purpose of God? The goodness. At least Plato
says: which reason had God to make the world? He is good; who is good has no
refusal of making any good. And so he made the best possible world. Plato in Timeo writes: if
this universe is beautiful, (eij me;n dh; kalovς ejstin o{de oJ
kovsmoς) the creator is good
(o Jdhmiourgo;ς ajgaqovς).
He is the best of authors (a[ristoς tw'n aijtivwn), and he has looked at the eternal model (pro;ς to; ajivdion e[blepen). So the cosmos is the most beautiful between
the things born (kavllistoς tw'n gegonovtwn
29a).
The author is good and turned the disorder into order (29d).
We can see
through this words an example of the dramatic style of philosopher Seneca: he
often writes sentences, that are the stylistic cells of his writing. Often his sententiae “adfectus ipsos tangunt” (Ep. 94,
28), they touch the emotional part of
our mind, not only the rational, and have a moral effect: “erigitur virtus cum tacta est et impulsa” (94, 29), the virtue
rises when is touched and stimulated
Euripide in his last tragedy (Baccanti, 405 b. C.) writes: “to sofo;n d j ouj sofiva” , the knowledge, erudition, is not
wisdom. To; sofo;n is
neuter, hJ sofiva is
female and creates life.
‘cleverness
is not wisdom’, ‘the world’s Wise are not wise’ (Murray). Here again the
Chorus take up a thought expressed in the preceding scene: to; sofovn has the same
implication as in 203 [15];
it is the false wisdom of men like Pentheus, who fronw'n oujde;n fronei' (332, cf. 266 ff.,
311 ff.), in contrast with the true wisdom of devout acceptance (179, 186)…”[16],
Marziale (40-104), author of epigrams writes: "Non hic Centauros, non Gorgonas
Harpyasque/invenies: hominem pagina nostra sapit "(X, 4, 9-10), here
you will not find mythological, hybrid, imaginary creatures: our page tastes of
man.
CONTINUA
[1]
T. S. Eliot Tradition and the Individual Talent, 1919.
[2] 525-455 a . C.
[3] Ateneo (II-III sec. d. C.) I
Deipnosofisti, VIII, 39. Aijscuvlo" … o}" ta;" auJtou' tragw/diva" temavch ei\nai e[legen
tw'n JOmhvrou megavlwn deivpnwn
[4]305 ca-240ca a. C.
[5] Fr. 612 Pfeiffer.
[6] 161 a. C.
[7] Institutio oratoria, X, 2, 26.
[10]The
young orator (106-43) composed this treatise in two books in '84
b. C.
[11]
In the film Seize the day, the
teacher says: education is to learn to think for yourself.
[12] Metafisica , 982b.
[13]
Tacito, Annales, XVI, 18.
[14]Seneca, Epist. ad Luc. ,
88, 32.
[15] The traditions
received by fathers, our traditions
Coeval with the time, no reasoning will otherthrow
Nor if the knowledge is found by pointed minds
(oujd j eij di j a[krwn to; sofo;n hu{rhtai frenw'n) (Baccanti, vv. 201-203), is speaking
Tiresia.
Giovanna Tocco
RispondiElimina