As lições de história universal da Biblioteca Histórica de Diodoro de Sicília como processo educativo da humanidade. / The history lessons from the library history of Diodorus of Sicily as educative process of humanity

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

Diodorus Siculus a historian that lived in the first century before the Common Era wrote a work entitled Library of History constituted of forty volumes from which remained intact only the books I through V (fragments of the books VI through X), and from the books XI through XX (fragments of the books XXI through XL). The author wrote in this monumental work of universal history since the primordial times (including egyptian history, barbaric peoples history, greek and roman history) through his own (last date mentioned by Diodorus concerns the Tauromenion colonization that took place during the reign of Octavian [XVI, VII, 1]). However, Diodorus has never been considered, not even on his own time, nor in the eras after that, an original historian: His writings were considered an inexorable copy of others authors. The focus of this controversy in modern times (starting in the XIX century) was the Quelleforschung (sources research) that intended to search on the diodorian texts for lost authors (that he explicitly quotes in his Library) from the Hellenistic era as if they were solely copied. This research had for objective to reclaim the originality of the Library of History seeking to confer to its author the authorship of his writings. Far from being a mere copyist, Diodorus is a historian-educator that seeks to instruct his readers giving a utility character in the learning of a correct and just life. The Library can be divided in two parts: the first one (books I to V), of ethnographicgeographical connotation, narrates how humankind was able to walk towards civilization (or not, in the case of the barbarians). The recurrent terms parádoxa and thaumázein meaning amazement, admiration and marvelous-ment, show how humanity was capable of overcoming the difficulties of a hostile existence and becoming apt to live in society. The second part (books XI to XX) of the Library, Diodorus dedicates into narrating the history of the world (specially Greece), by setting the example of great men, especially in the battle field. Parádoxa does not signify marvelous or amazed and, allied to Fortune (tých), it gains the meaning of contrary to all expectations. Hence, Diodorus shows that the Divine Providence (theia pronoía) interfere in human business and its up to the historian demonstrate how the great men behaved facing the success and failures of existence. The moralizing character from the Library attributes to history an extremely important role, for it is up to it demonstrate who deserves to figurate in glory or abasement through the perennially that only history can confer. Diodorus behaves as a judge that points out those who, in their acts, have succeeded and made mistakes, not only narrating the facts, but incentivizing his reader to a virtuous behavior and to a moral aret.

ASSUNTO(S)

historiografia antiga período helenístico diodoro de sicília grécia antiga diodorus of sicily ancient greece hellenistic period historiography

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