Cicero's Laelius: On Friendship

Aristotle once said, “Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” There are many things that go into the process of friendship. Some people deal with friendship one way while others deal with it in another way. Cicero had a lot to say about the different aspects of friendship in his time, but how would he view modern friendship? Some friendships Cicero may not be proud of; like the common relationships that are forced on in a classroom or work place and the lack of allowing nature to take control and make the friendships that are meant to happen. However, Cicero would be happy with the way the higher level friendships have developed in virtue

Cicero makes holds friendship to a very high standard. Cicero writes about three rules of friendship that his explicitly states that he disagrees with. The first view states “…that a man should show toward his friend the same affection that he shows toward himself.” (Cicero 71). Cicero makes the claim that one should do even more for a friend than for themselves. “And there are many circumstances in which good men give up on many an advantage quite properly their own, or even allow such advantage to be wrested from them, in order that their friends rather

This point goes with what was previously stated, Cicero encourages doing things together and allowing a friend to help. He also encourages interference with a friend’s hardships or needs. In section 73, Cicero answers the question, how much should we aid our friends? His answer is, “We must give them only such aid as is within our powers; second, only as much as the man we love and wish to help can himself sustain” (Cicero 77). Cicero definitely believes we should get involved with our friend’s issues but to a certain extent. As long as we can handle the amount of aid given and they can sustain the amount given. Cicero does not believe friends should help with every little issue but he would say that they should help with the larger issues that we cannot handle ourselves.

Aristotle’s Book 9 of Nicomachean Ethics discusses the importance of friendship in an individual's life. Throughout the book, he hints at this idea of friendship. In Book 8.1, he writes, “In poverty as well as in other misfortunes, people suppose that friends are their only refuge. And friendship is a help to the young, in saving them from error, just as it is also to the old, with a view to the care they require and their diminished capacity for action stemming from their weakness; it is a help also to those in their prime in performing noble actions, for 'two going together' are better able to think and to act.” (N. Ethics 8.1). In other words, Aristotle emphasizes this idea that life is easier when there is a friend to support you; it is difficult

I believe Cicero position in the discussion about friendship is stronger than Aristotle’s position because Cicero believes friendship exists between two people, he also went deep in talking about friendship, the limits of friendship, how loyalty is important in friendship, the way friendships get stronger and older, which is also talked about the golden rule of friendship which he stated in section nineteen “put yourself on a level with your friends”. He also talked about the cause of friendship which he stated in section eleven that a belief in a man’s virtue is the original cause of friendship that friendship can hardly remain if virtue be abandon. By this , he made me understand virtue

According to Aristotle, one can experience three different types of friendship. The first type is a friend who is used for utilitarian purposes. Aristotle, however, quickly dismisses this type. As an example, Aristotle explains that one could never be friends with wine; while wine is satisfying to the person drinking the wine, no person ever wishes wine good fortune (Aristotle, 32). In order for a relationship between two people to be considered a friendship, one must want good things for the person who they consider their friend and vice versa (Aristotle, 32). Aristotle continues to describe another type of friendship, which is friendship for pleasure. According to Aristotle, young adults are most likely to pursue pleasure-related friendships, because the young are more likely to live to please their emotions; they develop friendships and erotic relationships quickly (Aristotle, 33). Aristotle notes that since young people make decisions based on their emotions, they are quick to change passions, friendships, and lovers (Aristotle, 33). Although both parties receive equal pleasure in this type of friendship, Aristotle says that it is not a complete type of friendship because it is short-lasting (Aristotle, 33). Aristotle considers only one type of friendship to be complete, and that is friendship that is devoted to the other person’s virtue. This type of friendship, Aristotle says, is a friendship that is developed slowly and infrequently; this is the only type of

Background Cicero was one of the greatest orators in Ancient Rome. He was not of noble birth, but in 64 BCE became consul, one of the most powerful offices in the Roman Republic. Cicero's time as consul was difficult, and he successfully prevented an overthrow of the Republic and his own assassination. Once Julius Caesar began to amass more and more personal power, however, he receded from active politics because he believed the ideals of the Republic would be diffused with tyranny. Once Caesar was assassinated, Cicero again became popular but because of his dislike (public and private) of Mark Antony, as Antony's power grew, Cicero's diminished. He was killed in December 43 BCE after being declared an enemy of the Republic.

We are social creatures. We surround ourselves with other human beings, our friends. It is in our nature. We are constantly trying to broaden the circumference of our circle of friends. Aristotle understood the importance of friendship, books VIII and IX of the Nicomachean Ethics deal solely with this topic. A modern day definition of a friend can be defined as “one joined to another in intimacy and mutual benevolence independently of sexual or family love”. (Oxford English Dictionary). Aristotle’s view on friendship is much broader than this. His arguments are certainly not flawless. In this essay I will outline what Aristotle said about friendship in the Nichomachaen Ethics and highlight possible

A quote that shows this comes from the end of book nine when Odysseus has escaped the cyclops and lost men because of it “So we mover out, sad in the vast offing having our precious lives , but not our friends” (Homer 9.483-484). This is and evidence of how Odysseus has to deal with loss on his adventures. This is similar to my life today because my friend moved away. This quote would relate to my future when my friends go to different colleges then me and I lose contact with them. I have to deal with loss in my life just as Odysseus has to deal with oss in his adventures.

In the early nineteen century, Abigail Adams, wife to then president John Adams, constructs a letter to her son John Quincy Adams. She narrates comparisons and congenial tone to advise her son of the fearful journey he will endure with his father.

I am Marcus Tullius Cicero, born on January sixth, 106 BC. I am a patrician and I worked extremely hard to become one. My family wasn’t very wealthy so I had to work my way up through the rankings. I did this by advancing in government. I had to make good decisions so people voted for me to become a politician of a higher ranking. I started out as a low ranked magistrate and slowly worked my way up to become a part of the senate. As a politician, with the different rankings, you have different responsibilities. My position as a senator requires me to give advice, control finances, and elect consuls. There are other responsibilities too, but those are the main responsibilities I have (“Marcus Tullius Cicero”).

Within book 8 and 9 of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, he concludes that an excellent friendship is the most choice-worthy good an individual can externally attain (Aristotle 149, 1170a, section 7). However, in chapter 3 of book 8, Aristotle asserts the finest friendships are enduring insofar the individuals are good, and the virtues remain similar. However, his proposal about the similarities of virtues doesn't seem entirely correct since people gradually change over time, but the relationship can continue to be good and the individuals remain close friends. Aristotle would assert that if the virtuous character of the friend were to change, the friendship could potentially dissolve; unless the agent can return their friend to their original state of similarity. This is because his assertion about an enduring friendship requires that the individuals are both good and similar in virtuous behaviour. Nevertheless, this essay aims to argue that friendships are enduring through the means of gaining/building a state of mutual confidence in our friend, rather individuals being similar in virtue.

In life there are many changes that can cause a true friendship to go wary such as marriage, divorce, birth of children, new careers, and sickness. However, through each of those events the two must remember to keep the intimacy, the letting down of emotional barriers and the expression of innermost thoughts and feelings, “that which makes friendships thrive must be an enjoyable one” and to “always interact” (Karbo 3). Although psychologists continue to research the formation of friendships the great philosopher Aristotle knew exactly how friendships formed and how the lasted.

“No one would choose a friendless existence on condition of having all the other things in the world (Aristotle).” Humans are social beings, social beyond any other creature in the world. Human interaction is a must for survival. It is in our nature. Aristotle understood this, he even had his own analysis of friendship. In the Nicomachean Ethics written by Aristotle, books VIII and IX are based off of friendship. Today, the definition of a friend is, “A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations (Oxford Dictionary).” To Aristotle, friendship is much more than this. In this research paper, I will evaluate whether or not Aristotle’s analysis of friendship is applicable to the modern world.

The Dream of Scipio is an important novel that supports a fundamental lesson of this class. It conveys a philosophy or message by using three narratives that face difficult moral decisions in different periods of time. First, Manlius writes the original manuscript that is then found by Olivier de Noyen. Olivier de Noyen lives in France during the outbreak of the bubonic plague. He is a poet who drew in the next character in his story by writing about content that related to Julien. Julien, who also lived in France during World War II was intrigued by de Noyen’s poetry because “He, too, had a debt to honor, one owed to both Manlius and Olivier, to continue the great task they had begun” (Pears, 32). All three episodes in this novel intertwine and have many similarities.