Work

On Duties

De Officiis

Cicero·44 BCE·Latin

About this text

A treatise on moral obligation addressed to his son Marcus. The most copied philosophical text of the Middle Ages. It asks: when duty and advantage seem to conflict, which should win?

No one, however, should think that because Socrates was completely absorbed in the discussion of moral questions, he had abandoned natural philosophy and the other branches of learning. On the contrary, his mind embraced the whole range of knowledge.

But the whole glory of virtue is in activity. Activity, however, is principally occupied in providing for the necessities of life, in managing public affairs, and in performing social duties.

There is nothing so royal as doing good. The foundation of justice is good faith, that is, truth and constancy in what has been agreed upon and in promises.

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