Treatises on Friendship and Old Age

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cicero, Marcus Tullius, 107 BCE-44 BCE

Contributor:

Shuckburgh, Evelyn S. (Evelyn Shirley), 1843-1906.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Treatises on Friendship and Old Age" by Marcus Tullius Cicero is a philosophical work likely composed in the late Roman Republic era. This treatise consists of two main discussions focusing on the concepts of friendship and the experience of aging, reflecting on Cicero's thoughts as he shares insights influenced by both Greco-Roman philosophical traditions and his own life experiences. The opening of the treatise begins with a backdrop of personal recollections and engagements with significant figures from Cicero's life, especially discussing friendship through the lens of the wise Gaius Laelius. In this section, Cicero sets the scene for a conversation about the nature and significance of friendship, highlighting the importance of virtue as a foundation for true companionship. This segment of the text weaves together anecdotes that draw attention to how genuine friendships endure, thrive on loyalty and mutual respect, and should ideally be free of selfish motives. The dialogues serve as a vehicle for Cicero to explore deeper philosophical implications related to human relationships and the societal constructs surrounding them, thus inviting readers to reflect on their own lives and experiences in the realm of friendship. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by David Reed, and David Widger

Notes:

Uniform title: Cato maior de senectute. English

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laelius_de_Amicitia

Reading ease score: 63.1 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2001-09-01