Cicero: On Duties (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)
by Marcus Tullius Cicero
(Click here)
Book Summary Information
Author: Marcus Tullius CiceroEditor: E. M. Atkins
Translator: M. T. Griffin
Edition: Paperback
Audio: Latin (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1991-02-22
ISBN: 0521348358
Number of pages: 241
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Book Reviews of Cicero: On Duties (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)
Book Review: Fatherlove
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm not sure why we ignore our ancient wisdom. We seem to be well-fed on eastern paradox and mysticism, but we have lost the tradition of reason and cross-examination that brought stability and technology to the world. We heard the cry, "If we can send a man to the moon, why can't we . . ." Part of the reason is that the nature of a moon-shot may be different than the nature of curing breast cancer, wining the war on terrorism within the time-frame of WWII, or solving social problems.
The other part of the reason is that we have abandoned the fundamental principles of Western Civilization that brought us Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. When we left theses core truths, we undid several thousand years of progress, and have returned to a faux primitive and savagery. Emotion has supplanted, reason, mercy has robbed justice, and catchphrases have replaced fundamental platitudes. In short, we have abandoned the mind, and are left with the stomach.
In "On Duties," Cicero drives a dagger in the heart of today's ills. This book's theme is justice as it related to social duties. It is essentially pedagogical, and like Aristotle's Ethics, is written as advice to his growing son. We speak of Motherlove, but this book embodies Fatherlove, or all the good and ideal aspects of paternalism.
As with all good philosophers, he is easy to understand, once you get the feel for philosophical banter. C. S. Lewis observed "The simplest student will be able to understand, if not all, yet a very great deal of what Plato said; but hardly anyone can understand some modern books on Platonism. It has always therefore been one of my main endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than secondhand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire."
As you read "On Duties," you get the feel that Cicero is operating under a very different set of values. As I mentioned, the ancient world was founded upon justice and reason, and our post-modern world is founded upon mercy and emotion, with disastrous consequences. We need to be sensitive to these differences, since our assumptions are blind spots. As Lewis added, "It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones."
This book is good for understanding the ancient mind, and great for personal development. Clearly and logically, Cicero explains the interplay between duty, advantage and righteousness. You many not agree with him, but Cicero did do his homework, has a point, and when he is wrong, he is wrong for the right reasons.
Summary of Cicero: On Duties (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)
De Officiis (On Duties) is Cicero's last theoretical work and contains his analysis, in a Greek theoretical framework, of the political and ethical values of the Roman governing class in the late Republic. It has often been treated merely as a key to the Greek philosophical works that Cicero used, but this volume aims to render De Officiis, which had a profound impact upon subsequent political thinkers, more intelligible by explaining its relation to its own time and place. All the standard series features are present, including a wholly new translation, a concise introduction by a leading scholar, select bibliography, chronology, notes on vocabulary and brief biographies of the most prominent individuals mentioned in the text.Reference Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Books You'll Never Be Graded on Except by Reality
Cicero: On Duties (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)by Marcus Tullius Cicero
Cambridge University Press; Published: 1991-02-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.90
Price in other shops:
The Imitation of ChristIgnatius Press; Published: 2005-10-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.78
Price in other shops:
The Last Days of Socrates: Euthyphro; The Apology; Crito; Phaedo (Penguin Classics)by Plato
Penguin Classics; Published: 1993-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.51
Confessions of Augustineby Saint Augustine
Hackett Publishing Company; Published: 2007-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.49
Price in other shops:
The Gospel of John: Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Revised Standard Version (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)by Scott Hahn, Curtis Mitch
Ignatius Press; Published: 2003-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.27
Price in other shops:
Douay-Rheims Bible, Standard size, Flexible Cover, Black colourby Richard Challoner
Baronius Press; Published: 2005-04-01; Leather Bound; Book
Best price: $54.95
Similar Books and other products
On the Good Life (Penguin Classics)by Marcus Tullius Cicero
Penguin Classics; Published: 1971-09-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.00
Price in other shops:
Meditations (Penguin Classics)by Marcus Aurelius
Penguin Classics; Published: 2006-10-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.44
Price in other shops:
Nicomachean Ethicsby Aristotle
Hackett Publishing Company; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.99
Price in other shops:
Cicero: On Moral Ends (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy)by Marcus Tullius Cicero
Cambridge University Press; Published: 2001-08-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.37
Price in other shops:
Leviathan (Penguin Classics)by Thomas Hobbes
Penguin Classics; Published: 1982-02-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.50
Price in other shops:
Plato: Republicby Plato, G. M. A. Grube, C. D. C. Reeve
Hackett Publishing Company; Published: 1992-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
The Prince (Bantam Classics)by Niccolo Machiavelli
Bantam Classics; Published: 1984-09-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.16
Price in other shops:
Cicero: On the Commonwealth and On the Laws (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)by Marcus Tullius Cicero
Cambridge University Press; Published: 1999-12-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $22.49
Price in other shops:
City of God (Penguin Classics)by Augustine of Hippo
Penguin Classics; Published: 2004-01-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops:
Politics (Dover Thrift Editions)by Aristotle
Dover Publications; Published: 2000-11-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.85
Price in other shops: