Book description
In the first century BC, Marcus Tullius Cicero, orator, statesman,
and defender of republican values, created these philosophical
treatises on such diverse topics as friendship, religion, death, fate
and scientific inquiry. A pragmatist at heart, Cicero's philosophies
were frequently personal and ethical, drawn not from abstract
reasoning but through careful observation of the world. The resulting
works remind us of the importance of social ties, the questions of
free will, and the justification of any creative endeavour.
This lively, lucid new translation from Thomas Habinek, editor of
Classical Antiquity and the Classics and Contemporary
Thought book series, makes Cicero's influential ideas accessible
to every reader.
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), Roman orator and statesman, was
born at rural Arpinum (in the south of modern Italy) to a wealthy
local family. He was taken to Rome for his education with the idea of
a public career and, by the year 70 BC, he had established himself as
the leading barrister in Rome. In the meantime, his political career
was well under way and he was elected praetor in 66 BC. In addition to
his speeches, Cicero produced a large number of works on the theory
and practice of rhetoric, on religion, and on moral and political
philosophy. He was put to death in 43 BC.
Thomas Habinek is Professor of Classics at University of Southern
California. His most recent books include The World of Roman Song:
From Ritualized Speech to Social Order and Ancient Rhetoric
and Oratory. He is an editor of the journal Classical
Antiquity and editor of the book series Classics and
Contemporary Thought.
