Extension of the First Plan of the Work
And if our judgment of individuals and constitutions,
for praise or blame, could be adequately formed from a simple
consideration of their successes or defeats, I must necessarily
-- 169 --
have stopped at this point, and have concluded my history as
soon as I reached these last events in accordance with my
original plan. For at this point the fifty-three years were
coming to an end, and the progress of the Roman power had
arrived at its consummation. And, besides, by this time
the acknowledgment had been extorted from all that the
supremacy of Rome must be accepted, and her commands
obeyed. note But in truth, judgments of either side
founded on the bare facts of success or failure
in the field are by no means final. It has
often happened that what seemed the most
signal successes have, from ill management, brought the
most crushing disasters in their train; while not unfrequently the most terrible calamities, sustained with spirit,
have been turned to actual advantage. I am bound, therefore, to add to my statement of facts a discussion on the
subsequent policy of the conquerors, and their administration of their universal dominion: and again on the
various feelings and opinions entertained by other nations
towards their rulers. And I must also describe the tastes
and aims of the several nations, whether in their private
lives or public policy. The present generation will learn
from this whether they should shun or seek the rule
of Rome; and future generations will be taught whether to
praise and imitate, or to decry it. The usefulness of my
history, whether for the present or the future, will mainly lie
in this. For the end of a policy should not be, in the eyes
either of the actors or their historians, simply to conquer others
and bring all into subjection. Nor does any man of sense
go to war with his neighbours for the mere purpose of
mastering his opponents; nor go to sea for the mere sake of
the voyage; nor engage in professions and trades for the sole
purpose of learning them. In all these cases the objects are
invariably the pleasure, honour, or profit which are the results
of the several employments. Accordingly the object of this
work shall be to ascertain exactly what the position of the several
states was, after the universal conquest by which they fell under
the power of Rome, until the commotions and disturbances
which broke out at a later period. These I designed to
-- 170 --
make the starting-point of what may almost be called a new
work, partly because of the greatness and surprising nature of
the events themselves, but chiefly because, in the case of most
of them, I was not only an eye-witness, but in some cases one
of the actors, and in others the chief director.
