Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Law is the highest reason implanted in Nature, which commands what ought to be done and forbids the opposite.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that law is a natural force that determines right and wrong.
Cicero articulates the idea that law is not merely a human construct but rather an inherent principle of reason that exists within nature itself. It dictates moral obligation, guiding individuals toward virtuous actions while prohibiting those that are immoral, illustrating the profound relationship between justice and the natural world.
Themes
LawNatureReasonMoralityJustice
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on the role of natural law in society, Cicero's quote can be used to reinforce the point that law should align with moral reasoning.
More from Marcus Tullius Cicero
All quotes βThose wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defence can actually be just.
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Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak.
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Nothing contributes to the entertainment of the reader more, than the change of times and the vicissitudes of fortune.
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No one has the right to be sorry for himself for a misfortune that strikes everyone.
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Advice in old age is foolish; for what can be more absurd than to increase our provisions for the road the nearer we approach to our journey's end.
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