“What is morally wrong is never advantageous.”
— Marcus Tullius Cicero
Why It's Lindy
Carried across two millennia by continuous use in education. It defined what Romans meant by virtue, what Renaissance humanists meant by the active life, and what the American founders meant by republican duty.
About This Volume
Written in the final months of his life, Cicero's meditation on moral duty draws on Stoic philosophy to define the obligations of citizens, leaders, and friends. The most printed secular book in early modern Europe, it shaped the Renaissance conception of civic virtue and was among the first classical texts Gutenberg printed.
Frequently Asked
Why should I read De Officiis?
Carried across two millennia by continuous use in education. It defined what Romans meant by virtue, what Renaissance humanists meant by the active life, and what the American founders meant by republican duty.
What is De Officiis about?
Written in the final months of his life, Cicero's meditation on moral duty draws on Stoic philosophy to define the obligations of citizens, leaders, and friends. The most printed secular book in early modern Europe, it shaped the Renaissance conception of civic virtue and was among the first classical texts Gutenberg printed.
