§8.11.1προθέμενος γὰρ ὡς περὶ βασιλέως εὐφυεστάτου πρὸς ἀρετὴν γεγονότος οὐκ ἔστι τῶν αἰσχρῶν καὶ δεινῶν ὃ παραλέλοιπε.
For having proposed to write as if about a king most naturally gifted for virtue, there is none of the shameful and terrible things that he has omitted.
§8.11.2λοιπὸν ἢ περὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ προέκθεσιν τῆς πραγματείας ἀνάγκη ψεύστην καὶ κόλακα φαίνεσθαι τὸν ἱστοριογράφον, ἢ περὶ τὰς κατὰ μέρος ἀποφάσεις ἀνόητον καὶ μειρακιώδη τελείως, εἰ διὰ τῆς ἀλόγου καὶ ἐπικλήτου λοιδορίας ὑπέλαβε πιστότερος μὲν αὐτὸς φανήσεσθαι, παραδοχῆς δὲ μᾶλλον ἀξιωθήσεσθαι τὰς ἐγκωμιαστικὰς ἀποφάσεις αὐτοῦ περὶ Φιλίππου.
Consequently, the historian must inevitably appear either a liar and a flatterer with regard to the beginning and preface of his work, or completely foolish and childish with regard to his detailed statements, if he supposed that by means of unreasonable and far-fetched abuse he would himself appear more trustworthy, and that his encomiastic statements about Philip would be deemed more worthy of acceptance.
§8.11.3καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ περὶ τὰς ὁλοσχερεῖς διαλήψεις οὐδεὶς ἂν εὐδοκήσειε τῷ προειρημένῳ συγγραφεῖ· ὅς γʼ ἐπιβαλόμενος γράφειν τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς πράξεις ἀφʼ ὧν Θουκυδίδης ἀπέλιπε, καὶ συνεγγίσας τοῖς Λευκτρικοῖς καιροῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐπιφανεστάτοις τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν ἔργων, τὴν μὲν Ἑλλάδα μεταξὺ καὶ τὰς ταύτης ἐπιβολὰς ἀπέρριψε, μεταλαβὼν δὲ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν τὰς Φιλίππου πράξεις προύθετο γράφειν.
And indeed, no one would approve of the aforementioned historian even regarding his general plans; seeing that, having undertaken to write Greek history from where Thucydides left off, and having come close to the times of Leuctra and the most illustrious of Greek achievements, he cast aside Greece and her undertakings midway, and changing his subject, proposed to write the history of Philip.
§8.11.4καίτοι γε πολλῷ σεμνότερον ἦν καὶ δικαιότερον ἐν τῇ περὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ὑποθέσει τὰ πεπραγμένα Φιλίππῳ συμπεριλαβεῖν ἤπερ ἐν τῇ Φιλίππου τὰ τῆς Ἑλλάδος.
And yet, it was much more dignified and just to include Philip's achievements in the history of Greece, than those of Greece in that of Philip.
οὐδὲ γὰρ προκαταληφθεὶς ὑπὸ βασιλικῆς δυναστείας, §8.11.5καὶ τυχὼν ἐξουσίας, οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐπέσχε σὺν καιρῷ ποιήσασθαι μετάβασιν ἐπὶ τὸ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ὄνομα καὶ πρόσωπον· ἀπὸ δὲ ταύτης ἀρξάμενος καὶ προβὰς ἐπὶ ποσὸν οὐδʼ ὅλως οὐδεὶς ἂν ἠλλάξατο μονάρχου πρόσχημα καὶ βίον, ἀκεραίῳ χρώμενος γνώμῃ.
For no one, even if preoccupied by a royal dynasty, and having obtained freedom of speech, would have hesitated to make a transition at the proper time to the name and character of Greece; whereas, having begun with her and having advanced to some extent, no one at all, if using an unbiased judgment, would have exchanged her for the prestige and life of a monarch.
§8.11.6καὶ τί δήποτʼ ἦν τὸ τὰς τηλικαύτας ἐναντιώσεις βιασάμενον παριδεῖν Θεόπομπον;
And what on earth was it that forced Theopompus to overlook such great contradictions?
εἰ μὴ νὴ Δίʼ ὅτι ἐκείνης μὲν τῆς ὑποθέσεως τέλος ἦν τὸ καλόν, τῆς δὲ κατὰ Φίλιππον τὸ συμφέρον.
Unless, by Zeus, it was because the end of that former subject was the honorable, while that of the subject concerning Philip was profit.
§8.11.7οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ πρὸς μὲν ταύτην τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καθὸ μετέβαλε τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, ἴσως ἂν εἶχέ τι λέγειν, εἴ τις αὐτὸν ἤρετο περὶ τούτων· §8.11.8πρὸς δὲ τὴν κατὰ τῶν φίλων αἰσχρολογίαν οὐκ ἂν οἶμαι δυνηθῆναι λόγον αὐτὸν ἀποδοῦναι, συγχωρῆσαι δὲ διότι πολύ τι παρέπεσε τοῦ καθήκοντος. [εχξ. πειρ. π. 18; 9, 6 — 9, 13 οὐδʼ ὁποίους ατηεν. ιϝ, 62 π. 167β; ϝι, 77 π. 260δ; 9, 9 τί γὰρ — οὐκ ἀπῆν ξοδ. υρβ. φολ. 107 μαργο. ]
Nevertheless, with regard to this error, in that he changed his subject, he might perhaps have had something to say if anyone had questioned him about it; but with regard to his foul language against the friends, I do not think he would be able to give any account, but would have to admit that he fell far short of his duty.