This History is Not Difficult to Understand
Another mistake is to look upon my history as difficult
to obtain or master, because of the number and size of the
books. Compare it in these particulars with the various
writings of the episodical historians. Is it not much easier to
purchase and read my forty books, which are as it were all in
one piece, and so to follow with a comprehensive glance the
events in Italy, Sicily, and Libya from the time of Pyrrhus to
the fall of Carthage, and those in the rest of the world from
the flight of Cleomenes of Sparta, continuously, to the battle
between the Achaeans and Romans at the Isthmus? To say
nothing of the fact that the compositions of these historians
are many times as numerous as mine, it is impossible for their
readers to get any certain information from them: first,
because most of them differ in their account of the same
transactions; and secondly, because they omit contemporary
history,—the comparative review of which would put a very
different complexion upon events to that derived from isolated
treatment,—and are unable to touch upon the most decisive
events at all. For, indeed, the most important parts of history
are those which treat the events which follow or accompany a certain course of conduct, and pre-eminently so those
which treat of causes. For instance, we see that the war with
Antiochus took its rise from that with Philip; that with Philip
from the Hannibalian; and the Hannibalian from the Sicilian
war: and though between these wars there were numerous
events of various character, they all converged upon the same
consummation. Such a comprehensive view may be obtained
from universal history, but not from the histories of particular
wars, such as those with Perseus or Philip; unless we fondly
imagine that, by reading the accounts contained in them of
the pitched battles, we gain a knowledge of the conduct
and plan of the whole war. This of course is not the
case; and in the present instance I hope that there will be
as wide a difference between my history and such episodical
-- 194 --
compositions, as between real learning and mere listening.
