In Thucydides' presentation of events and their interpretation, there is nothing metaphysical. He insists that human nature ("the human") is the constant factor that gives rise to historical events. He looks for the causes that act beneath the surface of the events.

Thucydides' work bears the mark of the philosopher Anaxagoras' saying: "outward appearance reveals the hidden" (from the superficial "appearance", we can see what is not visible). Moreover, the person who acts for Thucydides is primarily the politician, the dynamic citizen of the specific city, followed by the generals.

Both capable politicians and generals are those who can assess the strengths and weaknesses of their city, as well as calculate the capabilities of their opponents.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]