At Rome, while' the republic flourished, and the senate and the people gained alternate victories over each other, it was the business of the true politician, to study the manners and tempers of the multitude', in order to restrain within due bounds a tumultuous and discordant mass; and, on the other hand, he who best knew the senate, and the character of the leading members, was deemed the most accomplished statesman of his time. At present, since a violent convulsion has overturned the old republic, and the government of Rome differs in nothing from a monarchy, the objects of political knowledge are changed, and, for that reason, such transactions as it is my business to relate, will not be without their use.
Beraz, baldin lehenago, populua ahaltsua edo gurasoak boteretsuak zirenean, populuaren izaera eta hura nola goberna zitekeen ezagutu behar bazen, eta senatuaren eta goi gizonen izaeran gehien barnatu zirenak garaien aditu eta jakintsutzat jotzen baziren, oraintxe ere, egoera aldatu eta erromatar herria bakarrak agintzen duenetik bereizten ez den honetan, gertaerok aztertze eta kontatzeari onuragarri deritzot, gutxik bereizten baitute, zuhurtziaz, zintzoa txarragotik, bidezkoa kaltegarritik, eta gehienek inoren esperientzietatik ikasten baitute.