Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Friendship is nothing else than entire fellow feeling as to all things human and divine with mutual good-will and affection; and I doubt whether anything better than this, wisdom alone excepted, has been given to man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Friendship is the deep connection of shared emotions and goodwill towards each other.
This quote by Cicero emphasizes that true friendship encompasses a profound understanding and mutual affection between individuals, transcending both human experiences and spiritual connections. It suggests that the essence of friendship is rooted in a shared empathy and the goodwill we offer one another, making it one of the highest gifts, second only to wisdom.
Themes
FriendshipGoodwillAffectionEmpathyConnection
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the value of relationships, one could quote Cicero to emphasize the importance of empathy among friends.
More from Marcus Tullius Cicero
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But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restored and sorrows end.
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Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
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To make a point of declaring friendship is to cheapen it. For men's emotions are very rarely put into words successfully.
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