- Source
- Polybius. Vols. 1-4. Büttner-Wobst, Theodor, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1893.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.25b.1-12.25b.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
The author argues that the essence of history lies not just in telling bare facts, but in knowing the actual words and investigating the causes of success or failure to serve as lessons for the future, criticizing Timaeus for failing to do so.
ὅτι τῆς ἱστορίας ἰδίωμα τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ τὸ1 πρῶτον μὲν αὐτοὺς τοὺς κατʼ ἀλήθειαν εἰρημένους, οἷοί ποτʼ ἂν ὦσι, γνῶναι λόγους, δεύτερον τὴν αἰτίαν πυνθάνεσθαι, παρʼ ἣν2 ἢ διέπεσεν ἢ κατωρθώθη τὸ πραχθὲν ἢ ῥηθέν·
That the peculiar character of history is, first, to know the words actually spoken, of whatever kind they may be, and second, to inquire into the cause by reason of which what was done or spoken either failed or succeeded.
ἐπεὶ ψιλῶς λεγόμενον αὐτὸ τὸ γεγονὸς ψυχαγωγεῖ μέν, ὠφελεῖ δʼ οὐδέν· προστεθείσης δὲ τῆς αἰτίας ἔγκαρπος ἡ τῆς ἱστορίας γίνεται χρῆσις.
For the event itself, when told bare, may entertain, but is of no benefit; but when the cause is added, the utility of history becomes fruitful.
ἐκ γὰρ τῶν ὁμοίων ἐπὶ τοὺς οἰκείους μεταφερομένων καιροὺς ἀφορμαὶ γίνονται καὶ προλήψεις εἰς τὸ προϊδέσθαι3 τὸ μέλλον, καὶ ποτὲ μὲν εὐλαβηθῆναι, ποτὲ δὲ μιμούμενον τὰ προγεγονότα θαρραλεώτερον ἐγχειρεῖν τοῖς ἐπιφερομένοις·
For from similar cases applied to appropriate occasions, there arise means and anticipations for foreseeing the future, and at one time for taking precautions, and at another, by imitating past events, for embarking more courageously upon what is coming.
ὁ δὲ καὶ τοὺς ῥηθέντας λόγους καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν παρασιωπῶν, ψευδῆ δʼ ἀντὶ τούτων ἐπιχειρήματα καὶ διεξοδικοὺς λέγων λόγους, ἀναιρεῖ τὸ τῆς ἱστορίας ἴδιον· ὃ μάλιστα ποιεῖ Τίμαιος· καὶ διότι τούτου τοῦ γένους ἐστὶ πλήρη τὰ βυβλία παρʼ αὐτῷ, πάντες γινώσκομεν.
But he who suppresses both the speeches actually delivered and the cause, and instead of these speaks of false arguments and verbose discourses, destroys the peculiar character of history; which is precisely what Timaeus does, and we all know that his books are full of this kind of thing.
- 12.25b.1τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ τὸ
The demonstrative pronoun τοῦτο is in apposition to the two articular infinitive clauses that follow (τὸ πρῶτον μὲν ... γνῶναι and δεύτερον ... πυνθάνεσθαι), anticipating their content.
- 12.25b.1παρʼ ἣν
The antecedent of the relative pronoun ἣν is the preceding τὴν αἰτίαν. The preposition παρά with the accusative here expresses cause or dependency ("by reason of which," "owing to which"), indicating the causal link to the outcome.
- 12.25b.3εἰς τὸ προϊδέσθαι
The prepositional phrase εἰς τὸ governs not only the first aorist infinitive προϊδέσθαι but also the subsequent infinitives εὐλαβηθῆναι and ἐγχειρεῖν, indicating the purpose or result of the preceding action.