<w lemma="%2Adokei%3D">Δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fsxhma">πρόσχημα</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndra">ἄνδρα</w> <w lemma="zhtei%3Dn">ζητεῖν</w>.
<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="%2Apla%2Ftwn">Πλάτων</w> <w lemma="fhsi%5C">φησὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="ta%29nqrw%2Fpeia">τἀνθρώπεια</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcein">ἕξειν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="filo%2Fsofoi">φιλόσοφοι</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fswsin">βασιλεύσωσιν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="filosofh%2Fswsi:">φιλοσοφήσωσι·</w>
<w lemma="ka%29gw%5C">κἀγὼ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fpoimi">εἴποιμι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcei">ἕξει</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="pragmatikoi%5C">πραγματικοὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w> <w lemma="e%29pixeirh%2Fswsi">ἐπιχειρήσωσι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w>,
<w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="pare%2Frgws">παρέργως</w>, <w lemma="nomi%2Fsantes">νομίσαντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkaiota%2Ftwn">ἀναγκαιοτάτων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kalli%2Fstwn">καλλίστων</w>, <w lemma="a%29peri%2Fspastoi">ἀπερίσπαστοι</w> ?<w lemma=""></w>* <w lemma="para%2Fsxwntai">παράσχωνται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>,
<w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w> <w lemma="e%29piballo%2Fmenoi">ἐπιβαλλόμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcin">ἕξιν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fan">ἀναγκαίαν</w> <w lemma="h%28gh%2Fswntai">ἡγήσωνται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fan">ἱστορίαν</w>. <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w> <w lemma="pau%3Dla">παῦλα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28storiogra%2Ffwn">ἱστοριογράφων</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoi%2Fas">ἀγνοίας</w>. <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaios">Τίμαιος</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29laxi%2Fsthn">ἐλαχίστην</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fnoian">πρόνοιαν</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fmenos">θέμενος</w>,
<w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="katabiw%2Fsas">καταβιώσας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%28ni%5C">ἑνὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpw%7C">τόπῳ</w> <w lemma="ceniteu%2Fwn">ξενιτεύων</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29peipa%2Fmenos">ἀπειπάμενος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29nerghtikh%5Cn">ἐνεργητικὴν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="polemika%5Cs">πολεμικὰς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="politika%5Cs">πολιτικὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pla%2Fnhs">πλάνης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fas">θέας</w> <w lemma="au%29topa%2Fqeian">αὐτοπάθειαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="oi%29%3Dd%27">οἶδ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fpws">ὅπως</w> <w lemma="e%29kfe%2Fretai">ἐκφέρεται</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Flkwn">ἕλκων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fws">συγγραφέως</w> <w lemma="prostasi%2Fan">προστασίαν</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dto%2Fs">τοιοῦτός</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqomologou%2Fmenon">ἀνθομολογούμενον</w> <w lemma="eu%29xere%5Cs">εὐχερὲς</w> <w lemma="parasth%3Dsai">παραστῆσαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaion">Τίμαιον</w>.
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prooi%2Fmion">προοίμιον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkths">ἕκτης</w> <w lemma="bu%2Fblou">βύβλου</w> <w lemma="fhsi%2F">φησί</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="u%28polamba%2Fnein">ὑπολαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tino%5Cs">τινὸς</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fzonos">μείζονος</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dtai">δεῖται</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsews">φύσεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="filoponi%2Fas">φιλοπονίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraskeuh%3Ds">παρασκευῆς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pideiktikw%3Dn">ἐπιδεικτικῶν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgwn">λόγων</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas:">ἱστορίας·</w> <w lemma="tau%2Ftas">ταύτας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcas">δόξας</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29efo%2Frw%7C">Ἐφόρῳ</w> <w lemma="fhsi%5C">φησὶ</w> <w lemma="prospesei%3Dn">προσπεσεῖν</w>,
<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="dunhqe%2Fntos">δυνηθέντος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%28kanw%3Ds">ἱκανῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnou">ἐκείνου</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgontas">λέγοντας</w> <w lemma="a%29panth%3Dsai">ἀπαντῆσαι</w>, <w lemma="peira%3Dtai">πειρᾶται</w> <w lemma="sugkri%2Fnein">συγκρίνειν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="parabolh%3Ds">παραβολῆς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fan">ἱστορίαν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pideiktikoi%3Ds">ἐπιδεικτικοῖς</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgois">λόγοις</w>, <w lemma="pra%3Dgma">πρᾶγμα</w> <w lemma="poiw%3Dn">ποιῶν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="a%29topw%2Ftaton">ἀτοπώτατον</w>,
<w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="katayeu%2Fsasqai">καταψεύσασθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fws">συγγραφέως</w>. <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feforos">Ἔφορος</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fan">πραγματείαν</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fsios">θαυμάσιος</w> <w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="fra%2Fsin">φράσιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xeirismo%5Cn">χειρισμὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fnoian">ἐπίνοιαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="lhmma%2Ftwn">λημμάτων</w>, <w lemma="deino%2Ftato%2Fs">δεινότατός</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="parekba%2Fsesi">παρεκβάσεσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29f%27">ἀφ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="gnwmologi%2Fais">γνωμολογίαις</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sullh%2Fbdhn">συλλήβδην</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="pou">που</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pimetrou%3Dnta">ἐπιμετροῦντα</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="diati%2Fqhtai:">διατίθηται·</w>
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="suntuxi%2Fan">συντυχίαν</w> <w lemma="eu%29xaristo%2Ftata">εὐχαριστότατα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="piqanw%2Ftata">πιθανώτατα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sugkri%2Fsews">συγκρίσεως</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhke">εἴρηκε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28storiogra%2Ffwn">ἱστοριογράφων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="logogra%2Ffwn">λογογράφων</w>.
<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fch%7C">δόξῃ</w> <w lemma="katakolouqei%3Dn">κατακολουθεῖν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29efo%2Frw%7C">Ἐφόρῳ</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="kateyeu%3Dsqai">κατεψεῦσθαι</w> '<w lemma="kei%2Fnou">κείνου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="loipw%3Dn">λοιπῶν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fgnwke:">κατέγνωκε·</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="deo%2Fntws">δεόντως</w> <w lemma="kexeirisme%2Fna">κεχειρισμένα</w> <w lemma="makrw%3Ds">μακρῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="a%29safw%3Ds">ἀσαφῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w> <w lemma="panti%5C">παντὶ</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dron">χεῖρον</w> <w lemma="e%29chgou%2Fmenos">ἐξηγούμενος</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fna">οὐδένα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w>
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<head>Mere Inquiry Is Insufficient</head>It is such a man that the dignity of history appears to<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note50">Historians must be practical men.</note>me to require. Plato says that "human affairs will not go well until either philosophers become kings or kings become philosophers."<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note51"><bibl n="Plat. Rep. 473c" default="NO" valid="yes"><title>Republic,</title>v. 473 C</bibl>.<bibl n="Plat. Rep. 499b" default="NO" valid="yes">vi. 499 B</bibl>.</note>So I should say that history will never be properly written, until either men of action undertake to write it (not as they do now, as a matter of secondary importance; but, with the conviction that it is their most necessary and honourable employment, shall devote themselves through life exclusively to it), or historians become convinced that practical experience is of the first importance for historical composition. Until that time arrives there will always be abundance of blunders in the writings of historians. Timaeus, however, quite disregarded all this. He spent his life in one place, of which he was not even a citizen; and thus deliberately renounced all active career either in war or politics, and all personal exertion in travel and inspection of localities: and yet, somehow or another, he has managed to obtain the reputation of a master in the art of history.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note52">Timaeus on ephorus.</note>To prove that I have not misrepresented him, it is easy to bring the evidence of Timaeus himself. In the preface to his sixth book he says that "some people suppose that more genius, industry, and preparation are required for rhetorical than for historical composition." And that "this opinion had been formerly advanced against Ephorus." Then because this writer had been unable to refute those who held it, he undertakes himself to draw a comparison between history and rhetorical compositions: a most unnecessary proceeding altogether. In the first place he misrepresents Ephorus. For in truth, admirable as Ephorus is throughout his whole work, in style, treatment, and argumentative acuteness, he is never more brilliant than in his digressions and statements of his personal views: in fact, whenever he is adding anything in the shape of a commentary or a<pb n="115" />note. And it so happens that his most elegant and convincing digression is on this very subject of a comparison between historians and speech-writers. But Timaeus is anxious not to be thought to follow Ephorus. Therefore, in addition to misrepresenting him and condemning the rest, he enters upon a long, confused, and in every way inferior, discussion of what had been already sufficiently handled by others; and expected that no one living would detect him.
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Walbank Commentary