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Nothing so cements and holds together all the parts of a society as faith or credit, which can never be kept up unless men are under some force or necessity of honestly paying what they owe to one another.
Marcus Tullius Cicero
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Trust and responsibility are essential for a cohesive society.

Cicero emphasizes the importance of faith and credit as foundational elements that bind the members of a society together. He argues that such trust is sustained by the moral obligation to fulfill one's debts and obligations to others, suggesting that honesty and integrity are crucial for societal unity and functioning.

Themes

FaithTrustCreditSocietyResponsibilityHonesty

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about community values, I might quote Cicero to highlight the importance of trust among residents.

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