The republic of Cicero

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About this book

This is G. W. Featherstonhaugh's English translation of Cicero's Republic, dated New York 1829, with a critical and historical introduction. The introduction says the imperfect manuscript was found in the Vatican Library by Professor Angelo Mai, who was known for detecting palimpsests, texts written over ancient writing partly erased, and that a facsimile of part of it accompanies the volume. It adds that almost all the passages known before were preserved in the works of Christian writers, most of all St. Augustin and Lactantius, and that Scipio's Dream is the only part of the sixth book preserved.

In the translation, one passage argues that a commonwealth well administered leaves the people free of care, and says exact equality of rights cannot be preserved. Another sets the claims of justice against riches, power and honours.

About the author

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman statesman, advocate, orator, and philosophical writer whose Latin prose helped transmit Greek ethical debate to later readers. On the Good Life is a Penguin Classics selection, translated and introduced by Michael Grant, that gathers Cicero’s reflections on moral integrity, friendship, public duty, and happiness.