the style of an original can be closely followed; but no translation
which aims at being written in normal English can reproduce the style
of Aristotle. I have sometimes played with the idea that a ruthlessly
literal translation, helped out by bold punctuation, might be the
best. For instance, premising that the words _poesis_, _poetes_ mean
originally 'making' and 'maker', one might translate the first
paragraph of the _Poetics_ thus:--

MAKING: kinds of making: function of each, and how the Myths ought to
be put together if the Making is to go right.

Number of parts: nature of parts: rest of same inquiry.

Begin in order of nature from first principles.

Epos-making, tragedy-making (also comedy), dithyramb-making (and most
fluting and harping), taken as a whole, are really not Makings but
Imitations. They differ in three points; they imitate (a) different
objects, (b) by different means, (c) differently (i.e. different
manner).

Some artists imitate (i.e. depict) by shapes and colours. (Obs.
sometimes by art, sometimes by habit.) Some by voice. Similarly the
above arts all imitate by rhythm, language, and tune, and these either
(1) separate or (2) mixed.

Rhythm and tune alone, harping, fluting, and other arts with same
effect--e.g. panpipes.

Rhythm without tune: dancing. (Dancers imitate characters, emotions,