Laelius, on Friendship and the Dream of Scipio

by Marcus Tullius Cicero (Translator), J.G.F. Powell

Cicero's essay On Friendship (Laelius de amicitia) is of interest as much for the light it sheds on Roman society as for its embodiment of ancient philosophical views on the subjects of friendship. The Dream of Scipio was excerpted in late antiquity from Cicero's De Republica, a dialogue in six books which now only survives in fragmentary form.

Genres: Philosophy, Classics, Nonfiction, Ancient History

188 pages, Paperback

Published January 15, 1990

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


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

[Nikola Jankovic]

Nakon što sam pročitao (odličnu) trilogiju Roberta Harrisa o poslednjim godinama Rimske republike (Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome), Ciceron mi je jedno vreme bio nekakav super-heroj antike. Zapravo mi je te godine bio jedna od omiljenih osoba ljudske istorije generalno. Političar i advokat, ali pre svega kao borac za istinu, za vrednosti u koje veruje, borac za republiku po svaku cenu - pa i svog života.

Kad više čitaš, jasno ti je da nije sve tako jednostavno. Dugo sam odbijao da poverujem u njegovu reakciju kad komentariše vest da je izgorela zgrada u kojoj je iznajmljivao stanove (sve sa stanarima), a on na to reagovao u stilu "nema veze, sagradićemo bolju, renta će biti viša".

Što se njegove filozofije tiče, ovo je prvo što sam čitao. Stoik po usmerenju, pa se tako njegova razmišljanja poklapaju sa mislima kasnijeg stoika, Seneke. A opet, većina ih temelji na Grcima (kao i sve u poslednjih 2300 godina?), u ovom slučaju pogotovo na Aristotelu.

Temelja prijateljstva su, kao i kod Aristotelove Nikomahove etike, tri. Prijateljstvo može biti iz zabave, iz koristi, a te dve vrste prijateljstva mogu ponekad, veoma retko, da prerastu u pravo prijateljstvo. Da bi se to desilo, potrebna je vrlina, sa obe strane.

Ciceron govori o takvom retkom prijateljstvu, za koje je potrebno da se dvoje slažu, da "njihov karakter i narav odgovaraju našim osobinama", i koje ima mnoge prednosti. Tu je međusobna dobra volja, naklonost, korist (koja može biti srećan rezultat pravog prijateljstva, ne njegov razlog), uzajamna ljubav, deljenje dobrog i lošeg, dobronamerna (i iskrena) kritika... "Prijatelji budućnost obasjavaju nadom, ne dozvoljavaju duhu da slabi."

Osim prijateljstva, tu je i večito aktualno pitanje 'voleti stvari ili ljude'. "Šta bi moglo biti gluplje - nabavljaju ono što se novcem može steći - a prijatelje ne stiču." Piše i o tome dokle sme ići ljubav u prijateljstvu ("Kad vrlina pravi ustupke prijateljstvu, teško će se prijateljstvo održati kad nestane poštenja.").

Sve je to na mestu, ispravno rečeno i veoma jasno napisano. S druge strane, dosta je direktno, povremeno zvuči kao nekakav moderan vodič za prijateljstvo sa polica knjiga za self-help. Ciceron je veliki mudrac, nema sumnje, ali nema ovde literarne vrednosti Platona, a nakon Nikomahove etike (koju sam pročitao odavno ali se iz poštovanja plašim da išta napišem o njoj), ovi saveti su često ponavljanje onoga što je tamo već rečeno. Još bolje i jasnije.

[Jovana Autumn]

Brilliant. There is a reason why ancient Rome and Greece have been respected and idealized as much as they have.

Everyone should read Cicero at one point of their life, 5/5.

[Ray LaManna]

Cicero writes so clearly and beautifully-and this translation is great. His central idea about friendship is that it should be based on the good not on evil intentions...an idea which is extremely relevant today just as it was 2000 years ago. The Dream of Scipio is eerily similar to Christian beliefs about like after heath and the joys of heaven...which is why it was so popular in the Middle Ages Church.

[Eoin M]

More down to earth introduction to Stoic philosophy with the grounded topic choice - probably could've been written in 10 pages but that's the way of some of these ancient philosophers. Scipio's dream is a bit random, don't know what's going on there.

[Karima Wehbe]

Un autore classico che esprime, attraverso Laelio, il suo concetto di amicizia. Un concetto che personalmente condivido e reputo valido anche adesso, nonostante la differenza di periodi. Li consiglio soprattutto ai giovani.

[Greyson Bell]

Cicero presents a cosmic vision that situates human virtue within the order of the universe. The text argues that moral excellence aligns the soul with eternal reason. It invites reflection on the immortality of the rational mind.

[izzie]

amicus verus…est tamquam alter idem

[Layne-Grace A]

I don’t usually give 5 stars but this was incredible, heartfelt, and intriguingly philosophical. Like I literally read this whole book in 3 hours. I LOVE CICERO.

[Isabel]

Don't love the contrivance of the dialogues (Laelius as told to Scaevola as told to Cicero) - lengthy pretexts before we get to the actual think piece on Friendship - but still I can respect it.

[Buck Wilde]

Pretty standard issue Roman fare. "It's better to have friends and be poor than to not have friends and be rich because having friends is cool and the mark of a better human being than a dude who doesn't have friends." It was always civic-mindedness with those kids.

[Highlyeccentric]

Good clear // text & translation. Note: is a 24-hour loan book in Science Anciennes

[Elisa Neal]

Love this essay! I use it as my way of guiding my friendships! Plus, My Little Pony mirrors this, btw, lol. ;)