And in this way, the men who in a civil capacity direct the affairs of the nation render no less important service than they who conduct its wars: by their statesmanship oftentimes wars are either averted or terminated; sometimes also they are declared.
Cicero argues that civil leaders who manage national affairs provide service as vital as military commanders, often preventing or ending conflicts through statesmanship.
Share
More from Cicero
There are, on the other hand, two kinds of injustice--the one, on the part of those who inflict wrong, the other on the part of those who, when they can, do not shield from wrong those upon whom it is being inflicted.
Further than this, who fails to see that those promises are not binding which are extorted by intimidation or which we make when misled by false pretences?
For if we bring a certain amount of propriety and order into the transactions of daily life, we shall be conserving moral rectitude and moral dignity.
For there is a limit to retribution and to punishment; or rather, I am inclined to think, it is sufficient that the aggressor should be brought to repent of his wrong-doing, in order that he may not repeat the offence and that others may…
Other voices in this conversation
