Cicero's Analysis

Both Marcus Aurelius and Cicero try to create a guide, based on their stoic views, on how a person is supposed to live a purposeful life. Marcus Aurelius was an emperor and Cicero was a politician, so both serve somebody or something. In Cicero’s “On Friendship” he bases his guides on what he has learned from important people in his life. In Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” he bases his guide off of what he has learned as an emperor with stoic views. Some of what he Aurelius has learned is different from Cicero’s view of stoicism; an example of this is in section seven of Meditations. Section seven of Meditations is about what Aurelius learned from his tutor. He states, “Endure hardship, and have few needs; to do things for myself and not

The Commonwealth is a voluntary intergovernmental association between many different states that are mostly ruled by the Britain

A commonwealth is a constitution of the entire people. Hobbes says that the only way to erect such common power is to confer all the power they have and strength they have to an unto will (Source 2).Many people have different views

Following the political defeat of Catiline, Cicero started giving speeches about the Catiline Conspiracy in October of 63 BCE. Cicero realized Catiline was backed by commoners, so to combat this, Cicero’s first speech was aimed at calling out Catiline for his conspiracy. It is important to take into consideration that this story is completely one sided from Cicero’s point of view. Catiline’s arguments, for the most part, have been lost in history. With this in mind, Cicero announced to the senate that Catiline “…watches and notes and marks down with his gaze each one of us he plots to assassinate” (Cicero, 76). Instead of sentencing Catiline to death, he demands that Catiline leave the city. In doing this, he claims that Catiline’s

If we are to consider the governorship of Cicero in Cilicia based on his letters, we are left to assume that he was one of the best governors of his time. Though he did not particularly care to be governor, he performed excellently, reinstituting or maintaining many of the traits of Roman governors, such as justice, self-control, and approachability. His aims were only to fulfil the role of governor well and return home. His attitude, however, was far from that of a model Roman governor. He valued himself and those around him before the state of Rome. As such, though he may have been an excellent governor in conduct, his attitude leaves Cicero far removed from being a model governor.

Patricia Rosenmeyer wrote the article about Cicero’s Verrine orations that explain about the capture of Roman sculpture and Greek art by Gaius Verres. Cicero explains about the collecting habits of Greek art but accused Verres for abusing political office, and corruption in Sicily from 73-71 BC. From all the accusation, Cicero is concerned about the theft of a statue of Sappho kept by the Syracusans for their town hall. The theft of Sappho is similar to a pattern in Verres’ behavior of removing images of women and female divine pictures from their civic buildings and transferring to his private hideout. Cicero accuses Verres for using the public images or statues for his enjoyment. Cicero points that Verres passionate for art and images ruins the statue’s

Among the virtues, Cicero grants precedence to the fellowship of men and deems justice “the most illustrious of the virtues, on account of which men are called ‘good’” (9). Consequently, Cicero enumerates in detail the ways in which one can exemplify this virtue, so as to be considered a good man. The duties of justice concern themselves “with preserving fellowship among men, with assigning to each his own, and with faithfulness to agreements one has made” (7). For the political man, maintaining community among citizens is the foremost duty of justice. As to the subliminal caveat for the populace, which allows one to determine the justness of a man, Cicero posits, “on the question of keeping faith, you must always think of what you meant, not of what you said” (18). Furthermore, of injustice, Cicero asserts, “nothing deserves punishment more than that of men who, just at the time when they are most betraying trust, act in such a way that they might appear to be good men” (19). This interpolation, as Cicero completes the doctrine concerning justice, portends the purpose of his third virtue.

Cicero’s definition of duty is a term in which in this course, is far reached than what we would have ever thought duty would stand for. Defining duty can be said to be a commitment or obligation to someone or something that causes them to pursue a certain action. Duty is split into two parts which consist of dealing with what is the “supreme” good and second, practicing rules which are strictly regulated in all means of daily life. Another classification of duties are duties which are middle or complete. Complete duty is link to being what is “right”. Middle duty is the reasoning behind why has it been done. When Cicero writes about individual activism we consider the duties that are honorable and dishonorable. What is honorable or

Cicero’s De Officiis or On Duty was written to his son Marcus. Cicero wrote this stating what a good citizen is and what a good man is. Cicero was fairly absent from Marcus’s life and Cicero wrote this letter to him to say all the things he never had the chance to say. This letter was written shortly before he was killed while trying to escape.

In Dictator, Harris tells the story of Cicero’s final years, but through Tiro’s eyes and through Tiro’s invented Latin shorthand. The language that Tiro invents is still used today. The facts, written in a reportorial style, are fascinating. Harris made a 2,000-year-old story a modern memoir that could happen in today’s world. The novel is documented and written by Cicero, but the bitter language and profound portraits of conflict are perfectly interlaced additions by Harris.

Cicero What does this dialogue by Cicero tell us on how he views the Roman Republic? Cicero was defending the Roman Republic and disapproved having just one man ruling over people as a King. Cicero agreed with the Roman Republic which was made up of two consuls in which would rule Rome, but overall the Senate was the center of power. The senate would make laws and government policies but would have the people assembly approve the law before becoming final.

Commonwealth can be created either through acquisition, gaining control over a group of people by force, or institution, people covenanting to put a sovereign in place

Gaius Julius Caesar was a military commander, a Roman consul, and Dictator of Ancient Rome. His military victories, cult of personality, and influence on Roman life brought him respect in Rome. Cicero, an orator of the era, confirmed Cesar’s accounts of his role during the civil war. In representing his own role in the Roman Civil War, Julius Caesar sketches a picture of his influence on his contemporaries that rings true when compared to Cicero's documentation of the same period. Though Caesar praises himself while Cicero scorns him, a consistent picture of Caesar's influence emerges from a close reading of the two authors: he instilled fear in the hearts of Roman Senators and inspired loyalty in Roman Citizens.

One underlying problem with Cicero’s theory of natural law is the difficulty of making predictions of good or wrongdoing without any points of reference. Doubt does not seem to adequately address the problem of men mistaking good for what appears to be good, even as they try to act according to natural law. Cicero states that pleasure, though leading to sin, beguiles through its “lightness and charm” and resembles “what is naturally good” (Laws 1:32). Therefore, men may fall prey to acting in ways opposed to nature, even as they try to follow law’s command of virtue.  Similarly, men may avoid pain or death as a “misconception” of the law’s prohibition of wrongdoing. Cicero asserts the need for a more teleological understanding of good and wrongdoing that escapes the pathology of pain and pleasure. Cicero states that those who are “slaves of their own bodies” and live by the “yardstick of pleasure of pain” should not participate in public life (Laws 1:39). If so, then the politics that emerge from one law must be predicated upon seeking good for the common and and not for self-advantage as “to look for profit from justice” is the “worst kind of injustice” (Laws

Another common point is the conception of justice,for Cicero the law should always be in agreement with justice,as justice is the result of the right reason that is present in God and the man,also for Cicero justice is unchangeable,”And there will be not be different laws at Rome and at Athens,or different laws now and in the future,but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and all time” (p.138). Also,we can recognize this unalterability in the Nature concept,as neither virtue or vice can be changed as they are established by the Nature,and not by opinion. In consonance with Cicero,St. Augustine agrees with the unchangeable justice,”Justice being taken away,then what are kingdoms but great