§12.27.1δυεῖν γὰρ ὄντων κατὰ φύσιν ὡς ἂν εἴ τινων ὀργάνων ἡμῖν, οἷς πάντα πυνθανόμεθα καὶ πολυπραγμονοῦμεν [ἀκοῆς καὶ ὁράσεως], ἀληθινωτέρας δʼ οὔσης οὐ μικρῷ τῆς ὁράσεως κατὰ τὸν Ἡράκλειτον — ὀφθαλμοὶ γὰρ τῶν ὤτων ἀκριβέστεροι μάρτυρες — τούτων Τίμαιος τὴν ἡδίω μέν, §12.27.2ἥττω δὲ τῶν ὁδῶν ὥρμησε πρὸς τὸ πολυπραγμονεῖν.
For since we have naturally, as it were, two organs by which we learn and inquire about everything, namely [hearing and sight], and since sight is not a little more truthful according to Heraclitus—for eyes are more accurate witnesses than ears—Timaeus set out for his inquiry by choosing the more pleasant, but inferior of these ways.
§12.27.3τῶν μὲν γὰρ διὰ τῆς ὁράσεως εἰς τέλος ἀπέστη, τῶν δὲ διὰ τῆς ἀκοῆς ἀντεποιήσατο.
For he completely withdrew from the path of sight, and devoted himself to that of hearing.
καὶ ταύτης διμεροῦς οὔσης τινός, τοῦ μὲν διὰ τῶν ὑπομνημάτων τὸ δὲ περὶ τὰς ἀνακρίσεις ῥᾳθύμως ἀνεστράφη, καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς ἀνώτερον ἡμῖν δεδήλωται.
And although this latter is also two-fold, consisting of the study of memoirs on the one hand and personal inquiries on the other, he conducted himself slackly regarding the latter, as has already been shown by us in the earlier part.
§12.27.4διʼ ἣν δʼ αἰτίαν ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν αἵρεσιν εὐχερὲς καταμαθεῖν· ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἐκ τῶν βυβλίων δύναται πολυπραγμονεῖσθαι χωρὶς κινδύνου καὶ κακοπαθείας, ἐάν τις αὐτὸ τοῦτο προνοηθῇ μόνον ὥστε λαβεῖν ἢ πόλιν ἔχουσαν ὑπομνημάτων πλῆθος ἢ βυβλιοθήκην που γειτνιῶσαν.
It is easy to understand the reason why he made this choice; because the inquiry from books can be conducted without danger or hardship, if only one makes this single provision of securing either a city containing an abundance of memoirs or a library somewhere nearby.
§12.27.5λοιπὸν κατακείμενον ἐρευνᾶν δεῖ τὸ ζητούμενον καὶ συγκρίνειν τὰς τῶν προγεγονότων συγγραφέων ἀγνοίας ἄνευ πάσης κακοπαθείας.
For the rest, one only needs to search for what is sought while lying down, and compare the errors of previous writers without any hardship.
§12.27.6ἡ δὲ πολυπραγμοσύνη πολλῆς μὲν προσδεῖται ταλαιπωρίας καὶ δαπάνης, μέγα δέ τι συμβάλλεται καὶ μέγιστόν ἐστι μέρος τῆς ἱστορίας.
But personal inquiry requires much hardship and expense, yet it contributes greatly and is the most important part of history.
§12.27.7δῆλον δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν τὰς συντάξεις πραγματευομένων.
This is clear from the words of those who actually composed historical treatises.
ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἔφορός φησιν, εἰ δυνατὸν ἦν αὐτοὺς παρεῖναι πᾶσι τοῖς πράγμασι, ταύτην ἂν διαφέρειν πολὺ τῶν ἐμπειριῶν· §12.27.8ὁ δὲ Θεόπομπος τοῦτον μὲν ἄριστον ἐν τοῖς πολεμικοῖς τὸν πλείστοις κινδύνοις παρατετευχότα, τοῦτον δὲ δυνατώτατον ἐν λόγῳ τὸν πλείστων μετεσχηκότα πολιτικῶν ἀγώνων.
For Ephorus says that, if it were possible for them to be present at all events, this experience would far surpass all others; and Theopompus says that he is best in military affairs who has been present in most dangers, and he is most capable in speech who has participated in most political contests.
§12.27.9τὸν αὐτὸν δὲ τρόπον συμβαίνειν ἐπʼ ἰατρικῆς καὶ κυβερνητικῆς.
And he states that the same holds true in the case of medicine and navigation.
§12.27.10ἔτι δὲ τούτων ἐμφαντικώτερον ὁ ποιητὴς εἴρηκε περὶ τούτου τοῦ μέρους.
Even more vividly than these, the Poet has spoken about this part.
ἐκεῖνος γὰρ βουλόμενος ὑποδεικνύειν ἡμῖν οἷον δεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν πραγματικὸν εἶναι, προθέμενος τὸ τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως πρόσωπον λέγει πως οὕτως· ἄνδρα μοι ἔννεπε, Μοῦσα, πολύτροπον, ὃς μάλα
πολλὰ πλάγχθη, καὶ προβάς, §12.27.11πολλῶν δʼ ἀνθρώπων ἴδεν ἄστεα καὶ νόον ἔγνω,
πολλὰ δʼ ὅγʼ ἐν πόντῳ πάθεν ἄλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμόν, καὶ ἔτι
ἀνδρῶν τε πτολέμους ἀλεγεινά τε κύματα πείρων.
For wishing to show us what the practical man ought to be, and taking the character of Odysseus as his subject, he speaks somewhat as follows: "Tell me, Muse, of the man of many devices, who wandered full many a way," and going on, "and saw the cities of many men and knew their mind, and many pains he suffered in his heart on the sea," and further, "cleaving his way through wars of men and grievous waves."