Cicero

by William Lucas Collins

Historical work on Cicero, the orator, statesman, political theorist, lawyer and philosopher of Ancient Rome.

Genres: History, Philosophy, Classics, Nonfiction, Biography, Reference

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1870

About the author

1817-1887

Reviews

[Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cool, short book about Cicero's life and philosophy. Collins uses many direct quotes from Cicero's speeches so you get to see much of what Cicero actually said or wrote, with the obvious caveat of the translation from Latin to English. One advantage of the format of the book is that Collins provides the reader with the context of Cicero's speeches. This is nice because it would be pretty hard to understand his speeches from court without knowing some details of the case.

I don't exactly know what type of a book this is. I wouldn't call it a biography, but it's also not a complete collection of Cicero's works. It has elements of both, but certainly is not one or the other. The reader will finish the book with knowledge of some general philosophy, Cicero's life, and suggestions for specific works of his to read as followup if interested. I didn't find it to be fantastic, but it's definitely a relatively quick way to learn some things about Cicero's life and the times he lived in.

[Matt Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptional brief introduction to Cicero, his life and thought, that doesn't shy away from the warts and flaws. This isn't an hagiography, but an even-handed introduction. Collins writes in clear and lucid prose that still feels accessible and lively to us, these 150 or so years later. He does, however, run a bit too quickly past some of the political machinations of the late Republic (especially the Catiline conspiracy and the Caesar/Pompey rivalry), making some parts of the biography seem muddled. But even then, this is a great little introduction to Cicero, and I am quite glad to have found it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up second-hand, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a book to seek out but it was thought-provoking effective enough in summarising Cicero's thought; the author is also very judgmental about Cicero's egotism which is amusing. The book shows its age morally, of course.

[Genni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable introduction to Cicero's life and works.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the works and life of Cicero. Helpful.

[Gwyneth Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book to read during the 2020 period of intense geopolitical activity. My views are now broader and a bit more reflective having been informed, by the authors summary and commentary of the writings of an influential stateman of Ancient Rome Marcus Tullius Cicero who lived around 136BC.

W Lucas Collins summarizes the major writings of Cicero and places then in the context of Cicero's personal life and professional career. He also gives a summary of the general political culture of Ancient Rome, the Greek culture that influenced it and the departures from it.

Collins was an Anglican clergyman and academic who was writing for a British audience living in the 1880s.

I appreciated this book thanks to LibriVox.

[Scott Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, I didn't know a whole lot about Cicero, other than his connection in the politics of Rome during Julius Ceaser. So, in that sense, I learned a great deal about one of the most powerful men in Roman politics during one of the most turbulant times in Roman history. Also, I gained some insights into his powers of rhetoric and debate, with his works still being used by politicians and lawyers today. He was not a god, and in this version of his works, the author does make a deliberate effort to point this out, but certainly a great resource to read about a major historical figure. (Kindle)

[Russell James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collins is an undeservedly forgotten Victorian writer and editor, and this is one of the Ancient Classics series that he edited. Lucidly written as always, this account shows Cicero the man - and if the man can disappoint (he is presented here warts and all) his treatises do not. A fine introduction to Cicero.

[Daniel Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I now love Cicero

Anyone who has an interest in Cicero or his works should read this. Not only is it an account of all of his works, but it talks about his personal life. It also gives us an idea of the horrifying prescriptions of the Second Triumvirate. The only major issue I had with this book was that it could have gone through another round of editing.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting view on Cicero though one entirely biased. Not a good read if you’re looking for c lead and concise idea of Cicero and his works but an entertaining recount of his life and impact on his society.

[Hildegart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed in that there wasn't more of Cicero's works in here. I had not been expecting the biographical tone the book took.

[Darius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much to write about this book. it is a mildly interesting account of Cicero -- of his life and his writing.

[Frederick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and informative. I recommend it as a start for anyone wanting to learn more about Cicero.

[Steven Piet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I had studied Cicero before

I've long admired Greek philosophy and Roman engineering. This book filled in such an important gap- a bit on Roman philosophy. Clearly written.

[Gillian · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are many better studies of Cicero.