A father's letter to his son about how to live. Written in the last months of Cicero's life, addressed to his son Marcus studying in Athens, De Officiis asks what a good man owes to himself, to his friends, and to the state. It is Cicero's most systematic work of moral philosophy — and his most personal. He knew he was writing for posterity. He was right.
Start ReadingBook 1: the morally right (honestum). Cicero surveys the four cardinal virtues — wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance — and their practical application in Roman public life.
Book 2: the useful (utile). What is truly advantageous? Cicero argues that genuine advantage always aligns with moral duty. A treatise on political influence and generosity.
Book 3: the apparent conflict between duty and advantage. When the right thing seems costly, should you compromise? Cicero's answer is absolute: never.