# On the Sublime

**Author:** 1st Longinus
**Tags:** Sublime, The, Rhetoric, Ancient
**Price:** Free
**Formats:** DOCX, EPUB, FB2, PDF, TXT
**Downloads:** 31
**Added:** 10.07.2026
**URL:** https://samolit.com/books/96266

## Description

On the Sublime delves into the profound question of what makes writing truly great, moving beyond mere persuasion to achieve an experience of transcendent power. This influential ancient Greek treatise, traditionally attributed to Longinus, explores the concept of "the sublime" in literature—a quality of greatness that elevates and transports the reader. Through incisive analysis of both exemplary and flawed works spanning a millennium, the author outlines the essential elements contributing to this literary ideal. Readers will discover the five principal sources of sublimity, including grandeur of thought, powerful emotion, skillful use of figures of speech, noble diction, and dignified composition. The work also offers vital cautions against stylistic excesses and insincerity that can undermine true literary excellence. A foundational text in literary criticism and aesthetics, On the Sublime encourages writers to cultivate both innate genius and meticulous craft, inspiring a pursuit of moral and imaginative power that resonates deeply with audiences across time.