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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §5.1.1-5.1.4

Arrangement in History: Ephorus and Timaeus

Passage 323 of 406 · Greek

Summary

Discusses the importance of arrangement in historical writing, citing Timaeus as a failed example due to excessive censure, and Ephorus as a successful example of thematic organization, whose method Diodorus resolves to follow.

§5.1.1πάντων μὲν τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἀναγραφαῖς χρησίμων προνοητέον τοὺς ἱστορίαν συνταττομένους, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς κατὰ μέρος οἰκονομίας.
Those who compose histories must give thought to all things that are useful in their records, and especially to the arrangement of the details.
αὕτη γὰρ οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖς ἰδιωτικοῖς βίοις πολλὰ συμβάλλεται πρὸς διαμονὴν καὶ αὔξησιν τῆς οὐσίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἱστορίας οὐκ ὀλίγα ποιεῖ προτερήματα τοῖς συγγραφεῦσιν.
For this arrangement not only contributes much in private life to the preservation and increase of property, but also in histories it produces no small advantages for the writers.
§5.1.2ἔνιοι δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὴν λέξιν καὶ κατὰ τὴν πολυπειρίαν τῶν ἀναγραφομένων πράξεων ἐπαινούμενοι δικαίως, ἐν τῷ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν χειρισμῷ διήμαρτον, ὥστε τοὺς μὲν πόνους καὶ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν αὐτῶν ἀποδοχῆς τυγχάνειν παρὰ τοῖς ἀναγινώσκουσι, τὴν δὲ τάξιν τῶν ἀναγεγραμμένων δικαίας τυγχάνειν ἐπιτιμήσεως.
For some, though justly praised both for their style and for their wide knowledge of the deeds they record, have failed in their handling of the arrangement, with the result that, while their labors and diligence meet with acceptance from their readers, the order of the things recorded meets with well-deserved censure.
§5.1.3Τίμαιος μὲν οὖν μεγίστην πρόνοιαν πεποιημένος τῆς τῶν χρόνων ἀκριβείας καὶ τῆς πολυπειρίας πεφροντικώς, διὰ τὰς ἀκαίρους καὶ μακρὰς ἐπιτιμήσεις εὐλόγως διαβάλλεται, καὶ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως Ἐπιτίμαιος ὑπό τινων ὠνομάσθη.
Now Timaeus, though he made the greatest provision for the accuracy of his chronology and was concerned with wide knowledge, is reasonably defamed because of his untimely and lengthy censures, and because of the excess of his censure was named Epitimaeus by some.
§5.1.4Ἔφορος δὲ τὰς κοινὰς πράξεις ἀναγράφων οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὴν λέξιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐπιτέτευχε· τῶν γὰρ βίβλων ἑκάστην πεποίηκε περιέχειν κατὰ γένος τὰς πράξεις.
Ephorus, on the other hand, in recording common events, succeeded not only in his style but also in his arrangement; for he made each of his books contain events grouped by topic.
διόπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῦτο τὸ γένος τοῦ χειρισμοῦ προκρίναντες, κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἀντεχόμεθα ταύτης τῆς προαιρέσεως.
Therefore we also, preferring this kind of treatment, adhere to this policy so far as possible.

Notes

  1. §5.1.1προνοητέον — The verbal adjective προνοητέον ("one must give thought to") governs the accusative of agent τοὺς ἱστορίαν συνταττομένους and the genitive of object πάντων μὲν τῶν... χρησίμων... μάλιστα δὲ τῆς κατὰ μέρος οἰκονομίας.
  2. §5.1.2ὥστε — The conjunction ὥστε introducing a result clause takes the infinitives (the twice-repeated τυγχάνειν) with their subject accusatives (τοὺς μὲν πόνους... τὴν δὲ τάξιν...).
  3. §5.1.3Ἐπιτίμαιος — This is a play on words combining the historian's name Timaeus (Τίμαιος) with Ἐπιτίμαιος ("Fault-finder" or "Censorious"), derived from the verb ἐπιτιμάω ("to censure, find fault").
  4. §5.1.4κατὰ γένος — Refers to the method of arranging and describing events "by topic" or "by subject matter" rather than strictly chronologically (annalistic method).

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §5.1.1-5.1.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc5:5.1.1-5.1.4

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