Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Those wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defence can actually be just.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Wars are only just if they are fought in response to aggression or for defensive purposes.
This quote by Cicero emphasizes the moral implications of war, suggesting that conflicts can only be justified when they are provoked or necessary for self-defense. It presents a framework for evaluating the legitimacy of wars, highlighting that acts of violence must stem from a genuine need to respond to aggression rather than a desire for revenge or unprovoked aggression itself.
Themes
WarJusticeProvocationDefensePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about the moral implications of military intervention, you could use this quote to underscore the need for justified causes.
More from Marcus Tullius Cicero
All quotes βOrators 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.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
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.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Loyalty is what we seek in friendship.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
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