Etymologiae, Book I, chapters 41-44: De historia to De generibus historiae
Chapter XLI. On history History is a narration of a thing done, by which those things that were done in the past are made known. It is called history in Greek from historein, that is, from seeing or knowing. For among the ancients no one wrote history unless he had been present and had seen the things that were to be written. For we grasp what is done better with the eyes than what we gather by hearing. For what is seen is set forth without lie. This discipline belongs to Grammar, because whatever is worthy of memory is committed to letters. Histories are called monuments because they give memory of things done. The series (series) is so called by transference from garlands (serta) of flowers woven one into another.
Chapter XLII. On the first authors of histories Among us Moses was the first to write history, of the beginning of the world. Among the Gentiles Dares the Phrygian was the first to publish a history, of the Greeks and Trojans, which they say was written by him on palm leaves. After Dares, in Greece, Herodotus was first held to be a historian. After him Pherecydes flourished, in the times when Esdras wrote the law.
Chapter XLIII. On the usefulness of history The histories of the nations do not hinder readers in those things which they have said that are useful. For many wise men have put into histories the past deeds of men for the instruction of the present, since through history the sum of times and years past is also comprehended, and through the succession of consuls and kings many necessary things are searched out.
Chapter XLIV. On the kinds of history The kind of history is threefold. The ephemeris is the record of one day. Among us it is called a diary. For what the Latins call diurnum the Greeks call ephemeris. Calendars are those which are arranged by single months. Annals are the matters of single years. For whatever things worthy of memory, at home and in war, by sea and land, were done year by year were set down in commentaries, and from the yearly deeds they called them annals. History is of many years or times, whose diligence has carried the yearly commentaries into books. Between history and annals there is this difference, that history is of those times which we have seen, but annals are of those years which our age has not known. Hence Sallust consists of history; Livy, Eusebius and Jerome consist of annals and history. There is likewise a difference between history, argument and fable. For histories are true things which were done; arguments are things which, although they were not done, yet can be done; fables are things which neither were done nor can be done, because they are against nature.