Cicero notes

Cicero dates

Rome known more for ____________ than philosophy and the arts

Founded in Athens by Zeno in 313 B.C., inspired by Socrates

Name given to the school of thought founded by Aristotle

Founded by Epicurus (ca.342-270 B.C.) in Athens as an alternative to the Academy (Plato), the Lyceum (Aristotle), and the Stoics (Zeno)

Founded by Pyrrho in Athens (361-270 B.C.); also inspired by Socrates (Philosophers in this school are also called “Academics.”)

4 groups of philosophers that shaped philosophy after Aristotle

Philosophy’s emphasis became __________, and its mood was __________.

Philosophy became more practical by emphasizing the __________.

What philosophy in Rome became like

Believing Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, etc did not adequately describe the world, the skeptics practiced a continuous process of _______; pitted statements against counter statements in Socratic fashion; setting things in opposition

Best way to live is to suspend judgment, to achieve calm in one’s state of doubt

Seekers, inquirers

Most influential philosophical school in Roman thought

Although Cicero self-identifies the most with the Skeptics (often adopting an inquisitive, skeptical position in his dialogues), on ________ (questions of virtue and human excellence) he was mostly a Stoic.

Cicero tends to equate the Stoics with the ________

moved to Athens because attracted by the example of Socrates

identified with stoicism; committed suicide (justified if rationality can no longer make things better); guardian of purgatory in Dante’s “Divine Comedy”

Epicureanism highest pleasure (absence of bodily pain and relaxation of the mind)

3 things that Cicero conflated/combined and didn’t see as opposing each other

Cicero wants _________

Cicero’s political goal

Philosophy leads to best life.
Impossible to be a public politician and a philosopher

Philosopher is best life.
Politician is second best life.

Politician is most beneficial life for serving human community.
Philosophy should serve politics.

3 things Cicero studied

year Cicero was elected consul

The three who took control of Roman politics and formed the first triumvirate in 60 BC

January 58 BC: _________ proposed a law to retroactively exile anyone who killed Roman citizens without a trial. Rioting ensued and attacks on Cicero, who fled Rome.

always characterized by Cicero as a despot who relies on fear; an enemy of the republic; an enemy of goodness; always a bad example.

The Ides of March: Caesar is killed by a group of senators. Cicero witnessed it but was not a conspirator.

2nd Triumvirate

Each had an enemy list for killing, and __________ put Cicero on his, as well as Cicero’s son, brother, and nephew.

duty; dutiful service

responsibilities engendered by one’s role in society and politics

appropriate actions

fellowship

allies or partners sharing a common project or a common way of life

can refer to family members, to Rome, to the whole human race

First and highest duty is to ____________ – Stoic principle. One’s duty derives from one’s position in society; politicians, in this case.

Duty must be based on the _________

Honorableness
Connected to office and reputation
Always a public quality
Has to do with being well-regarded

To ______ and ______ is natural to man

The honorable is always _________, even when nobody notices.

Beneficial
To use and enjoy
Expedient; advantageous; practical

According to Cicero, the ______ and _____ sometimes conflict

Believed that virtue is the only good (different than the Peripatetics, who believed in external goods, even though virtue is the highest good)

most famous Epicurean

Repose

To achieve repose

leads to repose; “medicine of the soul”

NeoPlatonism view of evil

Like Plato, Plotinus saw the body as a ________

In NeoPlatonism, the material world is an _________

4 qualities of God/the One according to NeoPlatonism

Cicero’s 4 virtues for being Honorable

Cicero’s queen of virtues

injustice

justice

good faith; required for justice; confidence, trust, reliance between two political actors; reciprocal, mutual; involves privileges, responsibilities, fairness

similar to Aristotle’s magnanimity, but includes stoic things

Acts of kindness that harm nobody and do not exceed one’s capabilities, bestowed according to standing

Cicero had a ______ sense of virtue, in controls to Aristotle’s view of inner character

Socrates and Stoic same ideas

fight on behalf of fairness

free from agitation

disdain for external things (including money and petty human affairs), pursue only the honorable

very social virtue; know your limitations and carry self well within who your are; stay within these limits to avoid criticism; aware of social norms; appropriate shame

fides

2 main ideals

glory

something you should do no matter what the situation is

Cicero quote

3 Gifts of Service

Cultivate your reputation

Cicero’s duties

Cicero; morality based on actions that adhere to absolutes; can’t separate beneficial to honorable (dishonorable NEVER beneficial)

Aristotle; morality derives from inner character

Machiavelli; morality derives from end results