Aristotle's Poetics is a work of transcendent importance, both for the history of literary criticism and in its own right.

In his masterful translation and accompanying notes, Dr. Else makes a special effort to achieve maximum clarity, while remaining faithful to the original.  His constant aim is to provide -- for all readers -- a "way in" to Aristotle's processes of thinking about literature.

This important modern translation is made form the 1965 Oxford Classical Text edition of the Poetics by Rudolf Kassel and thus reflects the latest and most authoritative textual scholarship.  Not only the translation but the valuable fund of commentary will delight anyone -- literary critic, philosopher, classicist, or general reader -- who want to learn what Aristotle really said.

GERALD F. ELSE was professor of Greek and Latin and directed the Center for Ancient and Modern Studies at the University of Michigan.  Educated at Harvard, he taught there and at the University of Iowa.  He is the author of The Origin and Early Form of Greek Tragedy and the well-known Aristotle's Poetics: The Argument.