Longinus - On the Sublime Chapterwise Summary

On the Sublime is a work on Literature by Longinus that

falls into the category of Literary Criticism of modern world.
This work is actually in the form of a letter written by Longinus
to Terentian. (his
friend)

I
In the first chapter, he holds the opinion that Caecilius's
attempt to define/interpret/explicate what 'Sublime is' was in
vain. So, now he (Longinus) is going to define and discuss some
important features of Sublimity through this letter to the friend
we mentioned before.

Sublime consists of a certain loftiness and excellence of

language. But sometimes a lofty passage confounds and eclipses (covers) reason....Sublime
thought is an important thing that makes a work Sublime.
II
There is a common notion that the gift of genius is in accordance with the fortune. But
Longinus has a slightly opposing view. He does not think that good literature is the product
of genius alone. To substantiate this he tries to substitute fortune for genius and counsel for
art. Which means, if good counsel is absent even the most gifted soul will go to
gutters. III
He criticizes high flown ornamentation: "We cannot pardon a tasteless
grandiloquence(High-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation); how much more
must it seem in sober prose". He mocks this situation by saying: "Who fails in great
endeavor, nobly fails". This is an impediment to attain Sublimity.
Another impediment to attain Sublimity is puerility (Displaying or suggesting a lack
of maturity; childishness). It is a pedantic (Marked by a narrow focus on or display of
learning especially its trivial aspects) habit of mind. This over elaboration ends
in frigidity (A lack of affection or enthusiasm).

IV
Now he observes the fault frigidity in Timaeus when he talks about Alexander: "Who
annexed the whole Asia in a fewer years than Isocrates spent in writing his panegyric
(Formally expressing praise) oration in which he urges the Greeks to make war on Persia".
The same fault frigidity can also be observed in
Plato.
V
Longinus observes that "human ills and blessings flow from the same source
(Genius; the faculty; brain).
VI
In this chapter he wants to discuss how faults of style can be avoided. So he finds the
need to define what true Sublime is.
VII
When does a work become Sublime?: "When it is hard, nay (and also) impossible to
distract the attention from it (a work in Literature) and when it takes a strong and lasting hold
on the memory, then we may be sure that we have lighted the true Sublime".
Irrespective of the profession, age, aspirations and language (Even in a translated form)., a
good work can be enjoyed equally by everyone.
VIII
In this chapter he discusses 5 Principal Sources of Sublimity.

In his opinion the preliminary gift on which all these sources (yet to come) depend is the
command of language.

5 Sources of Sublimity
1. "Grandeur (greatness) of thought"
2. "a vigorous and spirited treatment of passion"
3. Artifice in the employment of figures. (They are of 2 kinds)
i) figures of thought.
ii) figures of speech.
4.Dignified expression (Further divided into 2)
i) proper choice of words
ii) the use of metaphors and other ornaments of fiction.
5. Majesty and Elevation of structure.

...He then observes that most pathetic orators have little skill in panegyric (Formally
expressing praise) and conversely those who are powerful in panegyric, generally fail n
pathos (A quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow)).
...Passion is absent in Caecilius's poetry which is very crucial to attain
Sublimity. IX
Of all the sources of Sublimity the first one is the most important which is Great thought.
A definition for sublimity is that 'Sublimity is the image of greatness of soul'.
...A person with "majestic thoughts" will have the same caliber to arrange words that can
attain sublimity.
Now he shows some works that attained Sublimity. To that purpose he takes Homer.
He (Longinus) quotes Ajax's cry (imploring to God) (From Homer's Iliad):

"Almighty sire,
Only from darkness save Achaia's sons;
No more I ask, but give us back the day;
Grant but our sight, and slay us, if thou wilt"

But later Longinus also observes that this preservation of Sublimity in Iliad by Homer cannot
be seen in his "Odeyssey" since it is composed during the decline of Homer's poetic genius.

Longinus’s Ideas on the Sublime

Abstract:
This paper gives an account for Longinus’s Ideas on the Sublime. The paper mainly deals
with what Sublime is--- “the image of greatness of mind”, the five main sources of sublimity-
-- grandeur of thoughts, a vigorous and spirited treatment of the passions, a certain artifice in
the employment of figures, dignified expression, majesty and elevation of structure. Finally,
the paper presents the influences On the Sublime exerted on literary criticism.
Key words:
Longinus ideas Sublime
I. Introduction.
On the Sublime is an important treatise of literary criticism by Longinus, originally, it was
written in Greek, and it wasn’t discovered until 16 th century. But Longinus is not an easy
subject for evaluation. He was long thought to be Cassius Longinus, a Roman-Greek minister
to Zenobia, queen of Palmyra, but this person certainly did not write the Peri hypsous’( On the
sublime) , Also troublesome yet is the work’s English title, which was originally, in the first
English translation(John Hall,1852), Of the Height of Eloquence’ and sometimes On Elevation
in Poetry. The trouble is that “sublime” is not a cognate for “hypsous”, which means “on high’’
in the sense of height, as in “top”. Thus the work’s current title obscures that Longinus focus
on the elevation of language as “a kind of supreme excellent of discourse.” In doing so, the
title leaves the theoretical work more vulnerable to the Kantian gloss on the meaning of the
sublime.

In his essay, Longinus gives a detailed elucidation on five principal sources from which
sublimity is derived. He says, “Sublime is the image of greatness of mind” (On the sublime,
chapter 7). The dignity, grandeur, and energy of a style largely depend on a proper employment
of images. Figures of speech play an important part in producing Sublimity. The essay puts
emphasis on ingenuity, excitement, imagination and shocking artistic effects. Longinus’s ideas
on Sublime are of great influence to Romantic literature and Criticism. He was once regarded
by Drydon as the greatest critic after Aristotle. Factually, the treatise is an insult towards the
political persecution, moral decadence, and literary corruption.

II. What Sublime is.

To understand the writer’s ideas, one should make sure what sublime is. Sublime,
according to the essay, “consists in a certain loftiness and excellence of language”, it “is the
image of greatness of mind” (On the Sublime, chapter 1), wherever it occurs, only by sublime
can the greatest poets and prose-writers gain eminence and win themselves long-lasting fame.
It “sways every reader whether he is willingly or not” (On the Sublime, chapter 1). A sublime
thought, “if happily timed, illuminate the entire subject vividly like a lightening-flash, and
exhibit the whole power of the orator in a moment of time” (On the Sublime, chapter 1). In
chapter 35, he describes the objects of sublimity like this:
“ Among many others especially this, that it was not in nature’s plan for us her
chosen children to be creatures base and ignoble, no, she brought us into life, and into
the whole universe, as into some great field of contest, that we should be at once
spectators and ambitious rivals of her mighty deeds, and from the first implanted souls
an invincible yearning for all that is great, all that is diviner than ourselves…. When
we survey the whole circle of life, and see it abounding everywhere in what is elegant,
grand, and beautiful, we learn at once what is the true end of man’s being. And this is
why nature prompts us to admire, not the clearness and usefulness of a little stream, but
the Nile, the Danube, the Rhine, and far beyond all ocean; not to turn our wandering
eyes from the heavenly fires, though often darkened, to the little frame kindled by
human hands, however pure and steady its light; not to think that tiny lamp more
wondrous than the caverns of Aetna, from those raging depths are hurled up stones and
 whole masses of rock, and torrents sometimes come pouring from earth’s center of
living fire”.(On the sublime, chapter 35)

Sublimity is not innate; it can be acquired by instruction. The great passion can be
controlled by reasoning. Otherwise they will be in the same danger as a ship let drive without
ballast. In all cases, sublimity should not be merely specious, and emptiness should be avoided.
“If any work on being frequently submitted to the judgment of an acute critic, and fails to
dispose his mind to lofty ideas; if the thoughts which suggests can not be expressed clearly;
and I the work can not extend beyond what is actually expressed, and if the longer you read it
the less you think of it, the work can not be true sublime. But when a passage is pregnant in
suggestion, when it is hard, even impossible to distract the attention of the reader and, we may
be sure that we have lighted on true Sublime. (On the Sublime, chapter 7) In general, true
sublimity always pleases and pleases all readers regardless of their difference in the pursuits,
of their manner of life, of their aspirations, their ages, and of their languages. Our souls would
be lifted up by the true sublimity.

III. The principal source of all sublimity

In the essay, Longinus enumerates five principle sources of sublime language, namely---
(1)Grandeur of thoughts;
Of the five sources, grandeur of thoughts is the most important of all. A loft cast of mind
is a “natural faculty rather than acquired” (On the Sublime, chapter 9). Sublimity is “the image
of the greatest soul” (On the Sublime, chapter 9). Even though a thought is a simple and uttered
one, it sometimes can be admirable by the force of its simplicity. True eloquence can be found
in those whose spirit is generous and aspiring. A writer whose thoughts are full of majesty, his
words should be full of sublimity.
(2)A vigorous and spirited treatment of the passions;
These two conditions of sublimity depend mainly on natural endowments. Whereas those
which follow derive assistance from art. One cause of sublimity is the choice of the most
striking circumstances involved in whatever we are describing, the other is the power of
afterwards combining them into one animate whole.
(3)A certain artifice in the employment of figures, which are of two kinds, figures of
thought and figures of speech;
Figures play an important part in producing sublimity if they are properly employed. But
on the other hand, “the use of figures has a peculiar tendency to rouse a suspicion of
dishonesty, to create an impression of treachery, scheming and false reasoning” (On the
Sublime, chapter 17). “The figures of question and interrogation also possess a specific quality
which tends to stir an audience and give energy to the speaker’s words” (On the Sublime,
chapter 18). But nothing is conducive to energy as a combination of different figures.
（4). Dignified expression, which is sub-divided into two aspects;
（a）The proper choose of words；
（b）The use of metaphors and other ornaments of diction;
On this respect, the author mentioned that juxtaposition of different case, the enumeration
of particulars, and the use of contrast and climax, add much vigor, give beauty and great
elevation to a style. The diction also gains greatly in diversity and movement by change of
case, time, person, number and gender.
(5) Majesty and elevation of structure;
 If we separate the elements of a fine passage, their qualities are simultaneously dissipated
and evaporated, but when we join them together as an organic whole, and still further company
them by the bond of harmony, we can gain the power of tone.
IV. Faults which should be avoided in writing
In the essay, Longinus points out a few faults which we should avoid in writing.

Firstly---bombast. In this case, the writers are ambitious of a lofty style, but are afraid of
feebleness and poverty of language. They naturally slide into the opposite extreme—bombast.

Secondly---puerility. Unlike bombast, which transcendent the sublime, Puerility is

diametrically opposed to grandeur, it is caused by pedantic habit of mind. This kind of fault is
made by the writer who is aiming at brilliancy, polish, and attractiveness.

The third kind of vice in writing is false sentiment---an ill-time and empty display of
emotion. Under this condition, the writer often endeavors to display his feelings, but
unfortunately, the feelings he expressed is too personal to call for any emotion, worst of all,
has nothing to do with the subject.

The last of the faults which Longinus mentions is frigidity. Sometimes, the writer is well-
learned and full of ingenuity, and he is quiet a savvy writer, he is eager to strike out new
thoughts but falls into frigidity—one of the most childish absurdities. Such errors should not
be permitted to deface the pages of an immortal work, even though the writer has dramatic
motives.

V． Conclusion．
In all, On the Sublime was a letter written to a friend, it is also a profound, insightful
literary treatise, looked into the essay, the writer was also an erudite man. In order to explore
the essence of Sublime, the writer studied many phenomena in reality, in psychology, and in
art. And he also studied philosophy history, including epics of Homer, Demosthenes’
eloquence, Herodotus’s history, Plato’ philosophy, Archilochus’s tragedies, etc. The real value
of the treatise is that the writer put forward the definition of Sublime on aesthetic level by the
first time, which is the greatest contribution Longinus made to western literary criticism. The
treatise is canonized by the European classiest. In 1674, Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux translated
Longius’s On the Sublime, to which, he added in 1693 certain critical reflections, conforming
the real value of the literary woks that most of the readers enjoyed. He claimed that only the
appreciation of the afterworld can confirm the value of a work. Moreover, many British and
German men of letters were also influenced by Sublime. E.g. Milton once claimed that
Longinus was always the tutor he worshipped.
Preference:
1. M. H. Abrams. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Foreign Language and Research Press. 2005
2．Encyclopedia Americana 1972
Who is Gaius Cassius Longinus? Information on Gaius Cassius
Longinus biography, life story, political and military career and
works.
Gaius Cassius Longinus; (died 42 b. c.),
Roman politician and general, who was the leading assassin of
Julius Caesar. Shakespeare’s often-quoted description of Cassius as a
man with a “lean and hungry look” is based on Plutarch. It seems an apt
summation; Cassius was of sour, grim disposition, his words laced with
sarcasm and temper. He was frequently impatient with friends and ruthless with enemies. Late
in life Cassius became a devotee of Epicurean philosophy, which emphasized simple pleasures
and withdrawal from the active life. However, its effect on Cassius was to sharpen his
principles and deepen his resolve for tyrannicide.
Military and Political Career:
Cassius’ first notable appearance in history came in 53 b. c. when he was quaestor, or
chief financial assistant, to the commander Marcus Crassus in the ill-fated campaign against
Parthia. After the disastrous defeat of the Romans at Carrhae in Mesopotamia, Cassius escaped
(or deserted) with the surviving Roman troops and managed to
reorganize successful resistance to the Parthians. In 51 he saved the Roman province of Syria
from Parthian assault, thereby establishing his military reputation. In 49, Cassius was tribune
in Rome when civil war erupted between Caesar and Pompey. The war split many families
down the middle. A relative, Quintus Cassius, fled to Caesar and fought under him. But
Gaius Cassius joined the forces of Pompey and served as a naval commander. Cassius was
among several Pompeian lieutenants who surrendered following Caesar’s victory over
Pompey at Pharsalus in 48. Caesar could afford to be merciful and generous. Cassius received
pardon and then honors befitting his rank. Caesar named him to the praetorship for 44.
But this served only to increase the resentment of the proud and bitter Cassius. He became
chief organizer of the plot to assassinate Caesar. The conspiracy included not only ex-
Pompeians but even friends of the dictator. Cassius brought unity to this scattered and
disparate group by inducing his brother-in-law, the much-admired Marcus Brutus, to join the
conspiracy.
Post-Assassiriation Campaign:
Caesar was slain in March 44, but his lieutenant Mark Antony was spared. Brutus had
overridden Cassius’ insistence than Antony too be killed. This proved to be a fatal mistake. In
the succeeding months Antony consolidated his position as the new leader of the Caesarian
faction. The conspirators found their support dwindling in Italy and went abroad, Brutus to
Macedonia, Cassius to Syria. Cassius still had friends in the East and was able to gather forces
and raise money. In 43 he defeated Dolabella, the commander sent to the East
by Antony. Cassius expanded his forces with Dolabella’s troops. By 42, Cassius had pooled
his resources with those of Brutus, who had been equally successful in Macedonia. Together
they had at their disposal 19 legions and a multitude of forces from client princes all over the
East. The armies of the West, however, had gathered under Antonyand Caesar’s heir Octavian;
28 legions crossed the Adriatic to face the assassins at Philippi in Thrace in October 42. The
battle was inconclusive. Brutus fared better than Cassius, but Cassius despaired. A defect in
his eyesight, so it is reported, led him to the mistaken belief that Brutus too had been defeated;
as a result Cassius committed suicide. In a subsequent battle, three weeks later, Brutus was
indeed beaten and also took his own life. Any hopes of restoring the republic had vanished.
But Cassius’ memory lived on and his name became synonymous with tyrannicide and
republicanism.
The Jurist Cassius:
The most famous of Cassius’ descendants was also named Gaius Cassius Longinus. A
prominent and respected jurist, he reached the consulship in 30 a. d. He inherited his ancestor’s
severity, rigor, and devotion to Roman traditions. From 45 to 49 he served as governor of
Syria.
The emperor Nero, having barely escaped a major attempt on his life in 65, began to crack
down on enemies and potential enemies. Cassius’ reverence for his ancestor and his general
attitude made the emperor suspicious of him, and Nero exiled the legal scholar to Sardinia.
But Cassius survived, to be recalled later by the emperor Vespasian, during whose reign (69-
79) he died peacefully in Rome. Cassius’ writings on Roman law were eventually incorporated
into the Justinian code.

Write a note on the contribution of Longinus.

Longinus is the first romantic critic. He is a pioneer in the field of literary appreciations.
"On the Sublime" is the first and a unique treatise on style. His prescriptions for sublimity are
universal.
He asks quite different questions about literature from those asked by Plato and Aristotle.
His vision is large. He constantly views poetry in relation to the author and the time of the
author. He makes use of both the historical and thought provoking comments.
His mind is free from prejudice. A great deal of his work is original and illuminating and
is of permanent or universal significance. He attaches importance to emotion, imagination and
beauty of words. He thus becomes a pioneer in the field of aesthetic appreciation. He finds the
permanent and universal qualities in the works of Homer. According to him, the function of
literature is not didactic, but aesthetic. That is why Scott-. james calls him the first romantic
critic, but Atkins calls him an exponent if real classic spirit.
He is a romantic critic because he believes in the romantic function of literature and
discards the moral function of literature. But he joins romanticism with classicism. On the one
side, there is importance for emotion, on the other hand, there is importance for grandeur. "He
is subjective rather than objective. He is an enthusiast rather than analyst. He is better fitted to
fire the young than to convince the sceptical. He speaks rather of transport or inspiration than
of purgation.
Longinus is the most modern of the ancient critics. Horace was very much influenced by
Longinus. He classified certain important matters like the moderns. He talks sense. After
Aristotle, he is the greatest critic among the Greeks. He represents the lastrorrfanticism and
classicism. He gave an effective theory of literature. He drew upon a number of literatures.
Style for him was the life and blood, the very spirit of the work and the personality of its
author. He was the first to assert that "style" is the man.
He is the first European critic who gave particular prominence to creative faculty of man
which the romantic poets call imagination. He unified inspiration and perspiration.
"On the Sublime" is a classic gift of Longinus. It is a fragmentary treatise. It is not yet
known who Longinus really was. It is written in Greek and is addressed to a Roman.
It has gone to a number of translations. Nevertheless, it is a bright essay on style.
According to Longinus, the purpose of the greatest writers has been to introduce, to delight
and to persuade. But their greatness lies in sublimity. Sublimity is the echo of a great soul, of
a lofy mind; it is not merely an excellence in language. It is the note that rings from a great
mind. It lies in intensity—"on a certain distinction and consummation of excellence in
expression." A work of genius must aim at ecstasy. In Indian terms, it is the combination
of Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram (the true, the good and the beautiful) that makes a work
sublime.
Longinus discovers five main sources of the sublime—grandeur of thought, capacity for
strong emotion, appropriate use of figures of speech, nobility of diction and dignified and
elaborated composition. Without grandeur of thought the writer cannot soar to great heights.
That is why servilities do not create sublimity. Great accents fall from the lips of those whose
thoughts have always been deep and full of majesty. The truly eloquent must be free from low
and ignoble thoughts. Sublimity can be acquired by imitating and emulating the example of
the previous greatness. Only noble thoughts can lead to noble ideas which will ultimately lead
to the noble deeds. Works of Homer and Milton are full of sublimity because their thoughts
are sublime and style is grand.
Sublime thought can be attained by strong emotions—emotions such as fear, grief, pity are
far removed from the sublime. A writer who indulges in avoiding such inferior type of
emotions falls close to the standard of the sublime.
Figures of speech are the artistic aids to sublimity. The chief figures are the
rhetorical questions, hyperbatons, apostrophe, and peripherisis. The figures of speech should
be carefully used.
Diction includes choice and arrangement of words as well as the use of figures of speech.
Verbal magic has its own effect. Diction relates to style. Style is the wise and systematic
selection of the most important elements, events or passions into a single whole. The use
of questions and answers often makes the speeches more effective and impressive. Low and
indignified works tend to disfigure sublimity.
A work of art should be harmonious and complete. For this, it should have a dignified and
elaborate composition. It should have sufficient length. Here Longinus has perhaps Aristotle
in his mind. Aristotle also says that the plot should have a beginning, a middle and an end. By
arrangement and composition Aristotle means verbal order which is usually called rhythm.
Words must be harmoniously set, for the resulting harmony is a natural instrument. Not only
of persuasion and pleasure but also of lofty emotion.
Such a harmonious combination of words appeals to the soul and enables the reader to
share in the emotions of the author. At last, Longinus warns against extreme conciseness of
expression : it cramps and cripples the thought.

POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. The-first romantic critic; a pioneer in literary appreciation; the first critic to emphasize the
importance of style so elaborately; asked new
and fresh questions about literature; makes both historical and thought-provoking comments.
2. Original and illuminating, permanent and universal. According to him, the function of
literature is not moral but aesthetic.
3. Scott-James calls him the first romantic critic and Atkins calls him an exponent of real
classic spirit. In fact, he makes a happy compromise between the romantic and classical
approaches.
4. A romantic because of his aestheticism, emphasis on strong emotion, subjectivity,
beauty; a classicist because of his emphasis on grandeur.
5. He gave a theory of the Sublime.