This second reason, which more especially concerns the Essence and Nature of Poesy, does likewise exclude from the number of Epick Poems, any Piece of Morality writ in Verse, and a plain History, such as Lucan's Pharsalia, the Punick War of Silius Italicus, and such like real Actions of some singular Persons without a Fable, and in short every thing that is describ'd in Verse after this manner.
I shall not trouble my head to take notice how the Epopéa, differs from the Satyr, the Eclogue, the Ode, the Elegy, the Epigram, and other lesser Poems: For this is self-evident.
But it will not be amiss to reflect upon what has been already said, and from thence to conclude that the Epopéa has some relation to Four Things; viz. to the Poem, to the Fable, to Moral Philosophy, and to History.
It has a relation to History, because as well This as That relates one or more Actions: But the Actions of History are singular and true, so that the Epopéa is neither a History, nor a Species of History.
It has a necessary relation to Morality, since both one and the other instructs Men in their Morals; but the Action and the Allegories which are proper to it, is the cause why properly speaking it is not Moral Philosophy, although it may be stil'd a Species of it; and in short, it has a great deal more relation to this than to History.
But it belongs altogether to the Poem and the Fable, since it is properly and truly a Poem and a Fable; and is only distinguish'd from other Poems and Fables, as several Species, which equally partake of the same Genus, are distinguish'd from one another. Besides, the Definition does exactly include both, since a Poem is a Discourse in Verse, and a Fable is a Discourse invented to form Men's Morals by Instructions disguis'd under the Allegories of an Action. So that one might abridge the Definition we have given of the Epick Poem, and only say, that it is a Fable gracefully form'd upon an important Action, which is related in Verse after a very probable and surprising manner.
CHAP.
