Abstract

GONZALEZ ROLDAN, Aurora. Ars et ingenium: Democritus and the risible in Agudeza by Gracián. Nova tellus [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.2, pp.9-29. ISSN 0185-3058.  https://doi.org/10.19130/iifl.nt.2015.33.2.732.

It must be added to the richness of Heraclitus and Democritus’ subject, as a symbol of the tragicomic blend, of the control of affections or the skeptic tendency, amongst other meanings, that of Democritus, solely, as an inspired poet. Given that the Abderite is a source of the platonic topics on the subject, it turns into a symbol of the poetic inspiration, particularly in the context of the long debate on the opposition between ars et ingenium. This article draws the attention to the dominant figure of Democritus in Agudeza y arte de ingenio by Baltasar Gracián, representing the summit of the wit’s claim undertaken in the XVIIth century. Likewise, it points out the importance of the platonic base in this work, that surpasses the repercussion of the byzantine rhetoric in Spain -as considered to this day- in relation to his particular position towards the debate on art and wit.

Keywords : Risible; Agudeza; Gracián; Democritus.

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