Chapter 1:
Study Greek and Latin for balanced philosophical and oratorical skills.
Chapter 2:
Read my philosophical works to enhance Latin language and understanding.
Chapter 3:
Success in both rhetoric and philosophy is rare but admirable.
Chapter 4:
Plato and Demosthenes could excel in each other's professions.
Chapter 5:
Moral duties are essential; their neglect leads to moral wrongs.
Chapter 6:
Errors in seeking truth: misjudging knowns, over-focusing on obscurities.
Chapter 7:
Justice maintains society; charity complements it; private ownership defined.
Chapter 8:
Desire for wealth varies; ambition often overlooks justice, fairness.
Chapter 9:
Failing to prevent harm: reluctance, indifference, self-interest, incompetence.
Chapter 10:
Duty can shift; promises harm if they contradict greater good.
Chapter 11:
Duties to those who wrong us; limit retribution, encourage repentance.
Chapter 12:
Wars for supremacy must avoid bitterness; favor less cruel outcomes.
Chapter 13:
Keep promises to enemies; perjury punished; justice must prevail.
Chapter 14:
Acts of kindness should not harm others; balance generosity.
Chapter 15:
Favor those with virtue; repay kindness; prioritize those in need.
Chapter 16:
Principles of fellowship unite humans; reason, speech, and kindness bond.
Chapter 17:
Social bonds range from humanity to close family and friendship.
Chapter 18:
Duties vary; moral obligations depend on relationship and situation.
Chapter 19:
True courage combines justice, spirit, and public, not selfish ends.
Chapter 20:
Courage and greatness focus on moral rectitude and arduous deeds.
Chapter 21:
Political ambition and retirement differ; retirement is easier and safer.
Chapter 22:
Achievements in peace can surpass those of war; fame vs. service.
Chapter 23:
Moral goodness requires mental strength; physical strength aids endurance and obedience.
Chapter 24:
Avoid reckless cruelty in war; prioritize public welfare over personal glory.
Chapter 25:
Govern for the people's benefit; avoid party strife and personal gain.
Chapter 26:
Prosperity requires humility and reason to avoid arrogance and folly.
Chapter 27:
Propriety blends with virtue, defining moral rectitude and behavior.
Chapter 28:
Propriety is based on nature, refined conduct, and suitability.
Chapter 29:
Actions should be deliberate, avoiding haste, carelessness, and excess.
Chapter 30:
Man’s dignity surpasses sensual pleasure; moderation upholds moral excellence.
Chapter 31:
Follow nature’s bent; propriety means acting in harmony with it.
Chapter 32:
Choose life roles wisely; some roles depend on personal choice.
Chapter 33:
Each person’s duty is to follow their own natural traits.
Chapter 34:
Evaluate abilities accurately and choose roles suited to one's strengths.
Chapter 35:
Duties differ with age; youth needs guidance; elders wisdom.
Chapter 36:
Propriety involves beauty, tact, taste; avoid extremes in behavior.
Chapter 37:
Modesty in behavior follows Nature; avoid indecency in actions.
Chapter 38:
Avoid extremes: neither overly delicate nor coarse in conduct.
Chapter 39:
Beauty has two orders: lov eliness for women, dignity for men.
Chapter 40:
Maintain poise: avoid listless gait or hasty movements for composure.
Chapter 41:
Observe others to understand moral faults; correct personal actions accordingly.
Chapter 42:
Reject trades that are vulgar; value those benefitting society greatly.
Chapter 43:
Duties from social instinct are more important than knowledge alone.
Chapter 44:
Scholars contribute significantly; practical wisdom serves humanity beyond theoretical knowledge.
Chapter 45:
Social duties outweigh personal moderation; prioritize actions benefiting society.
2
Chapter 1:
Duties derive from virtue; focusing now on life comforts.
Chapter 2:
Books spark writing interest, though some question philosophy’s value.
Chapter 3:
Regret loss of republic; would’ve focused on public speaking.
Chapter 4:
Turn to philosophy to cope with loss of public service.
Chapter 5:
Wisdom is invaluable; philosophy teaches it amidst life’s calamities.
Chapter 6:
Philosophy aids mental enjoyment and character; methodically achieves virtue.
Chapter 7:
Academics argue certainty versus probability; we balance probable outcomes.
Chapter 8:
Accept probable, reject improbable; avoid dogmatism, seek balanced wisdom.
Chapter 9:
Five duty principles: propriety, convenience, wealth, influence, and choice.
Chapter 10:
Wisdom blends morality and expediency; misunderstanding leads to harm.
Chapter 11:
Justice secures glory through good-will, confidence, and admiration.
Chapter 12:
Rulers chosen for justice; laws created for equality of rights.
Chapter 13:
True glory comes from being genuine, not from pretence.
Chapter 14:
Eloquence in debates gains more admiration than simple conversation.
Chapter 15:
Generosity through personal service is nobler than monetary gifts.
Chapter 16:
Lavish spenders waste money on public spectacles; generous aid meaningful causes.
Chapter 17:
Avoid penuriousness; expenditure justified by necessity or expediency, within limits.
Chapter 18:
Differentiate aid to the unfortunate from aiding the aspiring; practice generosity wisely.
Chapter 19:
Personal service and eloquence build influence; balance obligations with fairness.
Chapter 20:
Favor character over wealth in rendering services; prioritize justice for enduring reputation.
Chapter 21:
Public services affect citizens and state; balance benefits and costs.
Chapter 22:
Integrity praised; avarice is a vice harming public trust and justice.
Chapter 23:
Justice in property disputes avoids harm; compare with historical examples.
Chapter 24:
Prevent harmful debt; enforce payment to maintain governmental credit.
Chapter 25:
Compare expediencies like health versus wealth, using practical examples.
3
Chapter 1:
Scipio never idle or lonely, even in solitude and leisure.
Chapter 2:
Cicero's enforced leisure contrasts Africanus' voluntary solitude from public duties.
Chapter 3:
Philosophy's precepts crucial for moral duties, especially for Cicero's son.
Chapter 4:
Stoics see moral goodness as essential, never conflicting with expediency.
Chapter 5:
Nature's laws prioritize social bonds over personal gain and injustice.
Chapter 6:
Nature's law forbids harming others for personal gain.
Chapter 7:
Assume nothing sought except moral right, addressing Panaetius's points.
Chapter 8:
Immorality and expediency cannot coexist; moral right is expedient.
Chapter 9:
Gyges' ring illustrates morality vs. apparent expediency in secrecy.
Chapter 10:
Friendship and duty balance; moral rectitude prevails over expediency.
Chapter 11:
Cruelty is never expedient; moral right surpasses apparent expediency.
Chapter 12:
Expediency and moral rectitude often conflict; always choose moral right.
Chapter 13:
Concealment and dishonesty in transactions are always morally wrong.
Chapter 14:
Pretence and falsehood in dealings are signs of fraud.
Chapter 15:
Honesty in transactions ensures expediency aligns with moral right.
Chapter 16:
Disclose property defects; good faith essential in sales transactions.
Chapter 17:
Law punishes sharp practices; philosophers condemn unfairness and deception.
Chapter 18:
Even honest individuals must avoid seemingly minor moral wrongs.
Chapter 19:
Good men don't prioritize personal gain over moral integrity.
Chapter 20:
Expediency must align with morality; value reputation and justice.
Chapter 21:
Pursuing power immorally is unjust and ultimately disadvantageous.
Chapter 22:
Fabricius rejected poisoning Pyrrhus, choosing honour over expediency.
Chapter 23:
Hecaton debates moral duty versus expediency in hypothetical situations.
Chapter 24:
Promises and agreements must align with moral rectitude always.
Chapter 25:
Promises sometimes break for higher moral duty and justice.
Chapter 26:
Ulysses' ruse seen as expedient but morally wrong.
Chapter 27:
Regulus upheld oath, rejecting expediency for moral right.
Chapter 28:
Expediency without morality is fundamentally flawed and misguided.
Chapter 29:
Regulus' actions praised; oath and moral duty inseparable.
Chapter 30:
Senate honored obligations, prioritizing moral rectitude over expediency.
Chapter 31:
Historical figures valued oaths and moral duty over personal gain.
Chapter 32:
Returning prisoners violated oaths; moral integrity over expediency.
Chapter 33:
True expediency aligns with moral rectitude, rejecting pleasure-based philosophies.