The plot then is the first principle and as it were the soul of tragedy: character comes second. It is much the same also in painting; [1450b][1] if a man smeared a canvas with the loveliest colors at random, it would not give as much pleasure as an outline in black and white.35 And it is mainly because a play is a representation of action that it also for that reason represents people. Third comes “thought.” This means the ability to say what is possible and appropriate. It comes in the dialogue