--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The historian should be fearless and…" description: "\"The historian should be fearless and incorruptible; a man of independence, loving frankness and truth; one who, as the poets says, calls a fig a fig an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6a/lucian-23536_acknowledge_the-historian-should-be-fearless-and-inc_2033881.jpg" --- # The historian should be fearless and incorruptible; a man… ![“The historian should be fearless and incorruptible; a man of independence, loving frankness and truth; one who, as the poets says, calls a fig a fig and a spade a spade. He should yield to neither hatred nor affection, not should be unsparing and unpitying. He should be neither shy nor…” quote by Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6a/lucian-23536_acknowledge_the-historian-should-be-fearless-and-inc_2033881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6a/lucian-23536_acknowledge_the-historian-should-be-fearless-and-inc_2033881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6a/lucian-23536_acknowledge_the-historian-should-be-fearless-and-inc_2033881.jpg) > “The historian should be fearless and incorruptible; a man of independence, loving frankness and truth; one who, as the poets says, calls a fig a fig and a spade a spade. He should yield to neither hatred nor affection, not should be unsparing and unpitying. He should be neither shy nor deprecating, but an impartial judge, giving each side all it deserves but no more. He should know in his writing no country and no city; he should bow to no authority and acknowledge no king. He should never consider what this or that man will think, but should state the facts as they really occurred.” [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A historian must be bold, impartial, and truthful, refusing bias, fear, or flattery, and report facts without regard to power or opinion. **In simple terms:** Historians should be honest and unbiased. Key Takeaway Report facts, not opinions. Themes integrity objectivity truth independence courage Mood critical serious Type analytical ethical When to use this quote - academic research - journalism - legal testimony - policy analysis - education Key Concepts philosophy ethics historical methodology Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure impartiality in your work? - What pressures might compromise truth? A Different Perspective Bias can still infiltrate through selection of sources or framing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Bows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bows/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fairness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairness/) [Fearless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearless/) [Figs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figs/) [Frankness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frankness/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Historian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historian/) [Historian Fearless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historian-fearless-3750038/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Impartial Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impartial-judge-3750039/) [Incorruptible Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incorruptible-man-3750040/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Man Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-independence-3674029/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Shy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shy/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Spades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spades/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Yield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yield/) ## Related quotes > [It is not open to the cool bystander . . . to set himself up as an impartial judge of events which would never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-not-open-to-the-cool-bystander-to-set-himself-up-as-an/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“When an independent company undertakes to travel across the plains, they are generally too independent for their own safety and good. There never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/when-an-independent-company-undertakes-to-travel-across-the-plains/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [Degrees of ability vary, but the basic principle remains the same: the degree of a man's independence, initiative and personal love for his work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/degrees-of-ability-vary-but-the-basic-principle-remains-the-same-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“What was the point, I told myself, of trying to explain to people who would never understand? Frankness just stirred up trouble amoung women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-dalby/what-was-the-point-i-told-myself-of-trying-to-explain-to-people-who/) [Liza Dalby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-dalby/) > [The 'frankness' of people sunk below shame is a very cheap frankness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-frankness-of-people-sunk-below-shame-is-a-very-cheap-frankness/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Frankness is a jewel; only the young can afford it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/frankness-is-a-jewel-only-the-young-can-afford-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I have a different idea of elegance. I don't dress like a fop, it's true, but my moral grooming is impeccable. I never appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-rostand/i-have-a-different-idea-of-elegance-i-don-t-dress-like-a-fop-it-s/) [Edmond Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-rostand/) > [We are franker towards others than towards ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-are-franker-towards-others-than-towards-ourselves/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There are too many false things in the world, and I don't want to be a part of them. If you say what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-bench/there-are-too-many-false-things-in-the-world-and-i-don-t-want-to-be-a/) [Johnny Bench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-bench/) > [Revealing yourself, physically or emotionally, to cast and crew is frequently uncomfortable. But it is essential if you want to to tell the truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/revealing-yourself-physically-or-emotionally-to-cast-and-crew-is/) [Gale Harold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-harold/) > [The love of their country is with them only a mode of flattering its master; as soon as they think that master can no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-custine/the-love-of-their-country-is-with-them-only-a-mode-of-flattering-its/) [Marquis De Custine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-custine/) > [You must study to be frank with the world: Frankness is the child of honesty and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/you-must-study-to-be-frank-with-the-world-frankness-is-the-child-of-2/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Oh yes, I am frequently driven to an enraged frenzy by the blatantly crass actions of others. But to be painfully honest, that anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/oh-yes-i-am-frequently-driven-to-an-enraged-frenzy-by-the-blatantly/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [...and yet could swear it was just then that I fell in love. It wasn't, of course, simply the onions -- it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/and-yet-could-swear-it-was-just-then-that-i-fell-in-love-it-wasn-t-of/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/you-must-study-to-be-frank-with-the-world-frankness-is-the-child-of/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) ## More by Lucian > [I was still more concerned (a preference which you may be far from resenting) to strike a blow for Epicurus, that great man whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/i-was-still-more-concerned-a-preference-which-you-may-be-far-from/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [The truth is hidden from us. Even if a mere piece of luck brings us straight to it, we shall have no grounded conviction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/the-truth-is-hidden-from-us-even-if-a-mere-piece-of-luck-brings-us/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [How gracious are the gods in bestowing high positions; and how reluctant are they to insure them when given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/how-gracious-are-the-gods-in-bestowing-high-positions-and-how/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [The world is fleeting; all things pass away; Or is it we that pass and they that stay?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/the-world-is-fleeting-all-things-pass-away-or-is-it-we-that-pass-and/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [Everybody dies. Some just need a little help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/everybody-dies-some-just-need-a-little-help/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [The lips are closed, for the dancer has plenty of other voices at his service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/the-lips-are-closed-for-the-dancer-has-plenty-of-other-voices-at-his/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [The historian's one task is to tell the thing as it happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/the-historian-s-one-task-is-to-tell-the-thing-as-it-happened/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [The American soldier demonstrated that, properly equipped, trained and led, he has no superior among all the armies of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/the-american-soldier-demonstrated-that-properly-equipped-trained-and/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [Be grateful. By slaying you now, I spare you an eternity of torment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/be-grateful-by-slaying-you-now-i-spare-you-an-eternity-of-torment/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [Wise is the person at either end. Who can in due measure spare as well as spend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/wise-is-the-person-at-either-end-who-can-in-due-measure-spare-as-well/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [Dancing is as old as love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/dancing-is-as-old-as-love/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [The effort only shifted me from the frying-pan into the fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/the-effort-only-shifted-me-from-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [Death is a mercy, and I have enough mercy to go around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/death-is-a-mercy-and-i-have-enough-mercy-to-go-around/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [There is no happiness without tears, no life without death. Beware! I am going to make you cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/there-is-no-happiness-without-tears-no-life-without-death-beware-i-am/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) > [The poor wretches have convinced themselves that they are going to be immortal and live for all time, by worshipping that crucified sophist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/the-poor-wretches-have-convinced-themselves-that-they-are-going-to-be/) [Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) [Explore all 25 Lucian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/actually-when-i-look-at-my-old-notebooks-i-think-i-have-been-a-bit/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I would like, then, to end by putting in a good word for the non-industrious poor. At least they aren’t hurting anyone. Insofar as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/i-would-like-then-to-end-by-putting-in-a-good-word-for-the-non/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [As objects of contemplation, images of the atrocious can answer to several different needs. To steel oneself against weakness. To make oneself more numb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/as-objects-of-contemplation-images-of-the-atrocious-can-answer-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Browse all 1,475 Acknowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The historian should be fearless and incorruptible; a man of independence, loving frankness and truth; one who, as the poets says, calls a fig a fig and a spade a spade. He should yield to neither hatred nor affection, not should be unsparing and unpitying. He should be neither shy nor deprecating, but an impartial judge, giving each side all it deserves but no more. He should know in his writing no country and no city; he should bow to no authority and acknowledge no king. 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