Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BCE- 43 BCE) was a prominent lawyer, politician, philosopher, writer, and orator in Ancient Rome. Though he is recognized for creating a unique form of rhetoric, Ciceronian Rhetoric, he did not take credit for the themes of his famous speeches and writings. “They are transcripts; I simply supply words, and I’ve plenty of those.” Cicero merely sought to “ provide Rome with a kind of philosophical encyclopedia,”( Cicero 2011). Despite the seeming humility of this statement, Cicero was from humble. His flagrant antagonism of other Roman politicians led to both his exile and his eventual assassination. He was equally eloquent and enthusiastic in the extolment of his friends as he was in the slandering of his enemies. He was a prolific letter writer, and over 900 of his letters are still in existence. These letters are often an important tool in dating history. However, they can’t be taken in absolute authority due to Cicero’ tendency to exaggerate. Though he was a known hyperboilizer, Cicero was still a brilliant writer and made great additions to Latin prose and philosophy.
Cicero’s political motivations, along with his personal passions, cloud his true meaning in On Friendship. The purpose he sought this writing was to guide his fellow Romans in their formulation of personal friendship in a way that would appeal to the ideals of the Roman State. In his own life, Cicero had set aside certain friendships due to politics, and he defended this in his writing. He suggests that friendship should be developed very slowly with serious meditation and consideration. In reality he may have been trying to warn his fellow Romans and his own personal friends of the dangers of aligning with people from opposing political backgrounds. It makes sense that he would advise others to think long and hard before they bonded themselves to others, being that Cicero was himself exiled and would eventually be assassinated because of his political beliefs. Despite his cold and calculating tone, Cicero’s true feelings can be seen in certain beautiful and poetic passages such as, “How can there be any real life which is not founded in the good will of a friend? What is sweeter than to have one with whom you dare to tell all the things as with yourself? What joy so great would there be in prosperity unless you had one who rejoiced in it equally as you yourself?” ( Keith 1929).
Cicero’s political motivations, along with his personal passions, cloud his true meaning in On Friendship. The purpose he sought this writing was to guide his fellow Romans in their formulation of personal friendship in a way that would appeal to the ideals of the Roman State. In his own life, Cicero had set aside certain friendships due to politics, and he defended this in his writing. He suggests that friendship should be developed very slowly with serious meditation and consideration. In reality he may have been trying to warn his fellow Romans and his own personal friends of the dangers of aligning with people from opposing political backgrounds. It makes sense that he would advise others to think long and hard before they bonded themselves to others, being that Cicero was himself exiled and would eventually be assassinated because of his political beliefs. Despite his cold and calculating tone, Cicero’s true feelings can be seen in certain beautiful and poetic passages such as, “How can there be any real life which is not founded in the good will of a friend? What is sweeter than to have one with whom you dare to tell all the things as with yourself? What joy so great would there be in prosperity unless you had one who rejoiced in it equally as you yourself?” ( Keith 1929).