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On Government
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) was a key figure in the turbulent closing years of the Roman Republic. The principles he expounded, occasionally compromised, and eventually died for, draw on wide practical experience as well as deep knowledge and reflection.
Against Verres (II, 5) : how not to govern a province --
For Murena : when to sacrifice a principle --
For Balbus : the admission of foreigners to citizenship --
On the state (III) : the ideal form of government ; (V, VI): the good statesman --
On laws (III) : how to run the ideal government --
The Brutus : the importance of oratory --
The Philippics (IV, V, X) : against rule by one man --
Appendix 1: Some of the arguments used in For Balbus --
Appendix 2: Minor orators mentioned in the Brutus.
Against Verres (II, 5) : how not to govern a province --
For Murena : when to sacrifice a principle --
For Balbus : the admission of foreigners to citizenship --
On the state (III) : the ideal form of government ; (V, VI): the good statesman --
On laws (III) : how to run the ideal government --
The Brutus : the importance of oratory --
The Philippics (IV, V, X) : against rule by one man --
Appendix 1: Some of the arguments used in For Balbus --
Appendix 2: Minor orators mentioned in the Brutus.
421 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1994
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About the author
Marcus Tullius Cicero
8,046 books1,956 followersBorn 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 23, 2008
After reading Imperium, and being inspired by the Robert Harris novel, I wanted to find out as much as I could about the original source of his inspiration. Cicero's On Government is a good place to start, as it's first chapter he takes on the rotten Sicilian governor Verres. Very impressive speeches follow that, and plenty of accusations flying about while Cicero says he will not accuse the villains of whatever he has spent the last half hour explaining. Must have been really trying to be a senator at the end of the Republic! However, most of the material presented here are his note made before the trial, and sometimes not even used in the Forum. More amusing to see how well Cicero did contradicting himself, as he defends shady characters like Murena and Balbus against his better judgment. All the more fortunate for us to imagine what it would have been like, back then, when such powerful words - especially when he calls upon the gods who have been offended - and we can't even imagine someone working up the nerve to contradict him.
His dialogues On the State, On Laws and with Brutus (although it is not very clear until the tenth Philippic at the end of the book that the Brutus to whom he is speaking is soon to be Caesar's assassin, and not the handful of other Marcus J Brutus from populating Rome's history) show a more approachable Cicero, perhaps as he saw himself as Socrates or Demosthenes amongst their followers. How supportive these companions would have actually been toward him, especially as modest Cicero assigns them praise for himself, could be a bit of a fabrication. However, one of the sad truths with his Philippics was Cicero's praise for Gaius Caesar and Marcus Lepidus as protectors of Rome from a lunatic gladiator like Mark Antony, not suspecting that the three would soon become the "pillar of the world," and once Octavius knocked his two triumvirs down, would be the death of the Republic Cicero did so much to preserve. Having already read his first and second Philippic (in Penguin's Great ideas series), I only now need to get my hands on the third, sixth to ninth, and the final four, which all seem scattered amongst various other writing. I am looking forward to reading as many books by Cicero as I can find (and hopefully more Robert Harris novels set in ancient Rome).
His dialogues On the State, On Laws and with Brutus (although it is not very clear until the tenth Philippic at the end of the book that the Brutus to whom he is speaking is soon to be Caesar's assassin, and not the handful of other Marcus J Brutus from populating Rome's history) show a more approachable Cicero, perhaps as he saw himself as Socrates or Demosthenes amongst their followers. How supportive these companions would have actually been toward him, especially as modest Cicero assigns them praise for himself, could be a bit of a fabrication. However, one of the sad truths with his Philippics was Cicero's praise for Gaius Caesar and Marcus Lepidus as protectors of Rome from a lunatic gladiator like Mark Antony, not suspecting that the three would soon become the "pillar of the world," and once Octavius knocked his two triumvirs down, would be the death of the Republic Cicero did so much to preserve. Having already read his first and second Philippic (in Penguin's Great ideas series), I only now need to get my hands on the third, sixth to ninth, and the final four, which all seem scattered amongst various other writing. I am looking forward to reading as many books by Cicero as I can find (and hopefully more Robert Harris novels set in ancient Rome).
February 14, 2024
" A house without books is like the body without souls ", and
" It's depressing for a country with its heores, buy worse when it have heroes, but have forgotten about them " - Cicero
Good extension to further understand the public speech art in Ancient Rome (Italy), which I really enjoyed since Pericles during Peloponnesian War.
Compelled speech and Cicero's ideals are clearly illustrated and gathered into this work, and it suits well.
The translation of the Vietnamese version also does a great job in converting the vibe and the context without losing too much meaning.
Highlights of the book: Chapter 1, 4, 5
Against Verres was outstanding, On Gorverment and On Laws is also great.
Score: 3.5/5
" It's depressing for a country with its heores, buy worse when it have heroes, but have forgotten about them " - Cicero
Good extension to further understand the public speech art in Ancient Rome (Italy), which I really enjoyed since Pericles during Peloponnesian War.
Compelled speech and Cicero's ideals are clearly illustrated and gathered into this work, and it suits well.
The translation of the Vietnamese version also does a great job in converting the vibe and the context without losing too much meaning.
Highlights of the book: Chapter 1, 4, 5
Against Verres was outstanding, On Gorverment and On Laws is also great.
Score: 3.5/5
March 28, 2024
This was probably great when it came out 2000 years ago but today, it's dull & dry
September 11, 2016
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews