On the Sublime

The last element that contributes to greatness in writing is word arrangement. The principle governing good word arrangement is the “sense of melody” that Longinus claims is “inborn in man,” allied with a “free flow of passion” (51). Longinus’s own lyrical, eloquent word order illustrates the literary passion that good writing can pass from the writer to the audience:

Does not the music of the flute stir the emotions of an audience, take them out of themselves, fill them with Corybantic frenzy, and by its rhythmic beat compel him who hears it to step to its rhythm and identify himself with its tune…? (51).

Word arrangement is “the music of rational speech” (51) that appeals both to the ear and to the mind. A well-constructed prose sentence has a compelling rhythm, much like meter in poetry. A writer may use commonplace words, yet by skillful arrangement they take on a “dignity” and “distinction” so as to seem out of the ordinary.

Word arrangement is related to the larger element of structure. Structure gives “dignity” to writing. Each constitutive element in a piece of writing gains power and significance by being effectively arranged as a part of a whole, Longinus compares the elements of a well-structured text to the way the parts of the body work together.