Historia magistra vitae and its (dis)continuity in Pinheiro Chagas

Abstract

The topos historia magistra vitae, systematized by Cicero to affirm the exemplary and moral character of history, was appropriated by Portuguese chroniclers and historians throughout the 15th-19th centuries. In the 19th century, commonplaces from exemplary history, associated with romantic devices (expressive, psychological, scientific, nationalistic, patriotic, etc.) and circulated abundantly in Portuguese letters. The antagonism between historians and novelists should not overshadow shared topics, dialogues and common projects, especially those with national appeal. The antagonism between historians and scholars should not overshadow shared topics, dialogues and common projects, especially those with national appeal. It is intended to evaluate how the Portuguese historiography of the nineteenth century took up precepts that once constituted and defined the historia magistra vitae, paying special attention to the writings of Pinheiro Chagas. Through this work, we noticed two simultaneous movements when it comes to 19th century Portuguese historiography: the perseverance of epistemic, normative and pedagogical aspects formerly brought together in the conception of exemplary history and the discontinuity of the topos, as noticeable the greater our interest in historicizing the past.