Polybius - "The Histories (Book I)" (Chap. 5) lyrics

1 I shall adopt as the starting-point of this Book the first occasion on which the Romans crossed the sea from Italy. This follows immediately on the close of Timaeus' History and took place in the 129th Olympiad [264‑261 B.C.]. 2 Thus we must first state how and when the Romans established their position in Italy, and what prompted them afterwards to cross to Sicily, the first country outside Italy where they set foot. 3 The actual cause of their crossing must be stated without comment; for if I were to seek the cause of the cause and so on, my whole work would have no clear starting-point and principle. 4 The starting-point must be an era generally agreed upon and recognized, and one selfapparent from the events, even if this involves my going back a little in point of date and giving a summary of intervening occurrences. 5 For if there is any ignorance or indeed any dispute as to what are the facts from which the work opens, it is impossible that what follows should meet with acceptance or credence; but once we produce in our readers a general agreement on this point they will give ear to all the subsequent narrative.