On the Greek Historians

a In the first book of the Aeneid.

b Book 1 of the Etymologies, chapter 40.

c From the fact that it stops the flow.

[The art of history] arranges the rules; the former for the production of history, the latter for poetry. And the very name of the art of history indicates this, since it is derived from "history." From this also comes the verb to inquire into or relate original: ἱστορεῖν (historein), and not the other way around, as Servius and Isidore believed. But "history" itself, as Simplicius rightly wrote in his commentary on the first book On the Soul, is so named from knowing original: ἀπὸ τοῦ ἴσασθαι (apo tou isasthai), which means to know or to recognize. Truly, knowing or skilled original: ἐπιστήμων (epistēmōn) and one who knows original: ἴσωρ (istōr) are of the same origin, from which "history" is derived. Plato, indeed, in the Cratylus, derives it from stopping the flow original: παρὰ τὸ ἱστάναι τὸ ῥοῦν (para to histanai to rhoun): because, of course, it stops flowing and, as it were, fleeing antiquity, like some Jupiter the Stayer Iuppiter Stator was a title for the god when he stopped retreating Roman troops from fleeing the battlefield. But the learned are well aware of what should be thought of Plato’s Cratylus, just as they are of the origins proposed by Varro, who often in his books On the Latin Language deliberately and knowingly deceives or is deceived. Now, if the art of history, as we were saying, prepares the way for writing history, and since the word "history" is used in many ways, we must first see which kind of history is meant. d That it may be taught correctly, it is necessary first to examine the words. For, as the philosopher says, for the sake of teaching correctly, it is necessary first to examine the names original Greek: πρὸς τὸ ὀρθῶς διδάσκειν, δεῖ πρῶτον ἐξετάζειν τὰ ὀνόματα. To make this more convenient, we must explain what subjects history is concerned with. We will do this briefly for now, because a more suitable place for discussing this will present itself below.

Things are either universal or singular. The former are considered in two ways: either with a "thicker Minerva" a Latin idiom for a plain, common-sense approach without excessive subtlety, when only what a thing is is explained; or accurately, when we bring forth the more hidden causes of the matter. Singular things are either from God and nature, such as an eclipse of the sun, earthquakes, floods, portents, and other such things; or they are from the human will. These are either actions, such as deeds; or works, such as structures, automata, and others; or finally, they arise from both causes, such as regions, cities, gardens, and the like.

e Narrative.

f Mixed.

g The doctrine concerning the soul.

h Very appropriately.

Because of such diverse things and different ways of considering them, history is divided into philosophical original: φιλοσοφικήν (philosophikēn), which concerns universals; narrative original: ἐξηγητικήν (exēgētikēn), which is about singular things; and mixed original: μικτήν (miktēn), which treats both. An example of that history which explains either universals alone, or at least not only singulars, is provided to us by Theophrastus, who titled his work The History of Plants. Likewise Pliny, who wrote the History of the World, and Aristotle himself, when he gave the name History of Animals to a most choice work, though one too little read in our age. But the same Philosopher Aristotle, in chapter 1 of the first book On the Soul, calls the history of the soul psychology original: ψυχολογίαν (psychologian): most properly original: κυριωτάτως (kyriōtatōs) indeed, if