Treatises on Friendship and Old Age and Selected Letters

by Marcus Tullius Cicero, Evelyn Shirley Shuckburgh (Translator)

In this collection we find two of Cicero's philosophical treatises, "On Friendship" and "On Old Age". In Cicero's treatise on friendship we learn of his belief that true friendship with someone is derived from complete honesty, truth and trust. Cicero placed a high value upon friendship and saw it as a relationship of mutual benefit in which friends do things for each other without expectation of repayment. In a related philosophical writing on the human condition, the treatise on old age, Cicero writes of his views on getting older and ultimately death. In addition to these treatises a collection of Cicero's letters are included in this volume which will give the reader great insight into how he actually practiced his beliefs of friendship and the other values that he derived from his philosophies on the human condition.

107 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Born 3 January 106 BC, Arpinum, Italy
Died 7 December 43 BC (aged 63), Formia, Italy

Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. Cicero is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.

Alternate profiles:
Cicéron
Marco Tullio Cicerone
Cicerone

Note: All editions should have Marcus Tullius Cicero as primary author. Editions with another name on the cover should have that name added as secondary author.

Reviews

[Miller Wortham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could feel my reading comprehension increasing with each page I read of this book.
My takeaways are as follows.
On friendship: virtue is the foundation for friendship. Be friends with virtuous people, and only ask your friends do for virtuous things.
On old age: old age is not so bad because I still have my faculties, enjoy life, and can practice law. In fact, it’s better than being young because people don’t expect you to work so hard and you’re not stupid anymore. (Must be nice to have reached old age without discomfort or decline in senses, Cicero)
Letters: what a chaotic life this man led. I also can’t get over the one letter where he basically says, “I hope you won’t find it forward if I ask you to write a very flattering biography of me, and write it ASAP.” I was however charmed by how modern the buying and selling and renovating properties and inviting people over for dinners felt.

[Virginia Rouco]

'On Friendship' and 'On Old Age' are two classic pearls. Specially 'On Frienship', where Cicero beautifully notes a symbiosis between frienship and virtue. However, Cicero's letters, besides some interesting quotes and his exquisite writing style, felt irrelevant if not used as primary sources. For this reason, I would not like to give a biased grade to the piece as a whole, and leave it unranked.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

But if I am wrong in thinking the human soul immortal, I am glad to be wrong; nor will I allow the mistake which gives me so much pleasure to be wrested from me as long as I live.