On Duties

by Marcus Tullius Cicero

Overview

On Duties was written in October-November of 44 B.C. during Cicero's last year at age sixty-two in an attempt to define the ideals of public behavior. Active in politics, the practical philosopher tried to prevent revolutionary forces from taking control of the Roman Republic. Despite his efforts, the republican system failed to revive even upon the assassination of Caesar, and Cicero was himself assassinated shortly thereafter. Fortunately, his writings on how citizens of a republic should live have survived in this remarkable book, with as much relevance now as it had 2,000 years ago. Written in the form of a letter to Cicero's son, On Duties expounds the philosopher's conception of the best way to live, behave, and observe moral obligations--something desperately needed in the midst of today's political turmoil.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781434102911
Publisher:	The Editorium
Publication date:	11/23/2010
Pages:	156
Product dimensions:	0.36(w) x 9.00(h) x 6.00(d)

About the Author

Cicero was a preeminent Roman statesman, orator, and philosopher who introduced philosophy into Rome, and through Rome, into Christendom and the modern world.

Benjamin Patrick Newton is Assistant Professor of Political Science and Coordinator of the Legal Studies Program at Tarleton State University.

Editorial Reviews

"Benjamin Patrick Newton's translation of On Duties is fluent and clear, and Newton is careful to explain and to elucidate textual, interpretative, and philosophical issues presented by the text. Newton does a very good job in accomplishing his primary aim: namely, to give the reader a true and faithful rendering of the original in a modern style that is at once readable and contemporary. The translation ably captures the sense of Cicero's language as well as the meaning of his ideas and arguments. Newton's introduction situates Cicero’s life and work within his historical context, relating his ideas to the past and to various contemporary schools of thought."—Benedetto Fontana, Baruch College and the Graduate Center of CUNY, author of Hegemony and Power: On the Relation between Gramsci and Machiavelli

"This book is a gem in the renaissance of Cicero studies now occurring. A literal translation at times throws new light on long troublesome passages in Cicero. This is just what happens in reading Benjamin Patrick Newton's literal, lucid, and often elegant translation of Cicero’s most influential work. This book is enriched both with informational notes that make the text accessible to a first-time reader of Cicero and with an interpretative essay informed by recent scholarship and marked by the author’s notable insights."—Walter Nicgorski, University of Notre Dame

"This new translation of Cicero's De Officiis, which combines scrupulous faithfulness to the Latin text with smooth readability in English, is a welcome gift to students of manners, morals, ethics, and politics. Cicero’s classic book, somewhat neglected over the last century or so, is due for a revival of interest; this translation, together with its helpful aids to interpretation, should contribute to that end."—James H. Nichols, Claremont McKenna College

From the Publisher