CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NARRATIVE.

The atmosphere of Dio's Roman History is serious to a degree. Its
author never loses sight of the fact that by his labor he is
conferring a substantial benefit upon mankind, and he follows,
moreover, a particular historical theory, popular at the time, which
allows little chance for sportiveness or wit. Just as the early French
drama could concern itself only with personages of noble or royal
rank, so Dio's ideal compels him for the most part to restrict himself
to the large transactions of governments or rulers and to diminish the
consideration that idiosyncrasies of private life or points of
antiquarian interest might otherwise seem to claim. The name of this
ideal is "Dignity" ([Greek: onkos] is the Greek), a principle of
construction which is opposed to a narration adorned with details.
However much it may have been overworked at times, its influence was
certainly healthful, for it demanded that the material be handled in
organic masses to prevent the reader from being lost in a confused
mass of minutiæ. Racy gossip and old wives' tales are to be replaced
by philosophic reflection and pictures of temperament. Instead of mere
lists of anecdotes there must be a careful survey of political
relations. Names, numbers, and exact dates may often be dispensed
with. Still, amid all this, there is enough humor of situation in the
gigantic tale and enough latitude of speech on the part of the acting
personages to prevent monotony and to render intellectual
scintillations of the compiler comparatively unnecessary.
Occasionally, for the sake of sharper focus on the portrait of some
leader, Dio will introduce this or that trivial incident and may
perhaps feel called upon immediately, under the strictness of his
self-imposed régime, to apologize or justify himself.