It is one thing to write as poet and another to write as a historian: the poet can recount or sing about things not as they were, but as they should have been, and the historian must write about them not as they should have been, but as they were, without adding or subtracting anything from the truth.
In Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quixote," the distinction between the roles of a poet and a historian is highlighted. A poet has the creative freedom to narrate events in an idealized manner, focusing on how things ought to be rather than their actual occurrences. This allows for the expression of emotions and aspirations, painting a picture that resonates with deeper truths rather than factual realities.
On the other hand, a historian's responsibility is to record events as they truly happened, adhering strictly to factual accuracy. This commitment demands that the historian presents events without embellishment or distortion, ensuring the integrity of historical narrative. Cervantes emphasizes the importance of this distinction, illustrating the different purposes and approaches found in poetry and history.
