On the Greek Historians

THE WORKS OF GERARD JOHANNES VOSSIUS

CHAPTER II.

That there is a certain discipline which teaches the method of composing history. Zabarella is refuted. Varro’s Sisenna. How the annals of the ancient high priests were usually written. Why annals are compared to fables by Sempronius Asellio. Whether the name of science or art can fit history. Sextus Empiricus is refuted. The opinion of Francesco Pico della Mirandola is examined.

As well known as the name of "history" is, it is almost unknown to many that there is an organic discipline called the Art of History. It is right to forgive the unlearned for this. Among them, there has always been such a deep silence on this art that they seem to have sacrificed and made offerings to Harpocrates The Greek god of silence and secrets. or Agenoria A Roman goddess associated with silence or industry.. However, the most sharp and learned philosopher, indeed the prince of the philosophers of our age, Jacopo Zabarella, acts in a similar way. In his books On the Nature of Logic, he tried to prove that no historical art exists. He used arguments that were quite flimsy, and even "colder than the syllogisms of Chrysippus" original: "ψυχροτέροις τῶν Χρυσίππου συλλογισμῶν" (psychroterois tōn Chrysippou syllogismōn). This was a proverbial phrase for overly dry or dull logic. b. He denies the existence of the Art of History because it was not written about by Aristotle or anyone else. He also suggests it might not be worthy of the effort of writing.

But we know that Lucian once wrote How one should write history original: "πῶς δεῖ ἱστορίαν συγγράφειν" (pōs dei historian syngraphein) c. We also know that even earlier, Dionysius of Halicarnassus showed the rule for weaving history in his judgment of Thucydides addressed to Gnaeus Pompey. I have no doubt that Varro also dealt with this art in the book titled Sisenna, or On History. Aulus Gellius uses the testimony of that book in his sixteenth book, chapter nine. Among more recent authors, we are aware that Giovanni Gioviano Pontano treated this matter in his work Actius. Furthermore, Hermolaus Barbarus, Francesco Patrizzi, Giovanni Antonio Viperano, Francesco Robortello, Uberto Foglietta, Sebastian Fox Morcillo, Ventura Ceco, and several others have polished commentaries on it. Even if this were not the case, many historical precepts are brought forward by many ancient and modern writers. Who does not see that these, collected into one body and in a proper