Aristotle on defining tragedy. A tragedy, then, is the imitation of an action . . . its catharsis of such emotions . VI.

Tragedy is essentially an imitation not of persons but action . . . a certain kind of activity, not a quality VI. We maintain that Tragedy is primarily . . . personal agents VI. "We have laid it down that a tragedy . . . by nature after one thing and has also another after it" VII. Tragedy, however, is an imitation . . . of the marvelous in them then than if they happened of themselves or by mere chance IX. We assume that, for the finest form of Tragedy . . . so that there will be nothing either piteous or fear-inspiring XIII. The tragic pleasure is that of pity and fear . . . included in the incidents of the story XIV. As Tragedy is an imitation of personages . . . as Agathon and Homer have represented Achilles XV. Every tragedy is in part Complication and in part Denouncement . . . all from the beginning of the change to the end XVIII. There are four distinct species of Tragedy . . . and in all the plays with the scene laid in the nether world XVIII.