Cicero (on the Stoics) · 106–43 BCE
On Duties 1.18 — Cicero (on the Stoics)
Translation by Walter Miller (1913)
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 1.18
Now, of the four divisions which we have made of the essential idea of moral goodness, the first, consisting in the knowledge of truth, touches human nature most closely. For we are all attracted and drawn to a zeal for learning and knowing; and we think it glorious to excel therein, while we count it base and immoral to fall into error, to wander from the truth, to be ignorant, to be led astray. In this pursuit, which is both natural and morally right, two errors are to be avoided: first, we must not treat the unknown as known and too readily accept it; and he who wishes to avoid this error (as all should do) will devote both time and attention to the weighing of evidence.
Cite this passage
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 1.18, tr. Walter Miller (1913)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/on-duties/1.18
Cicero, On Duties (De Officiis), tr. Walter Miller (Loeb, 1913). Text: Perseus Digital Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesOf the four sources of goodness, the pursuit of truth is closest to human nature, since we are all drawn to learning and ashamed of being fooled. The first error to avoid in that pursuit is treating what you do not know as settled, so take the time to weigh evidence before accepting a claim.
Older wording
- “base”
- — shameful, low
Themes and situations
- Judgements and impressions
- Learning and progress
- Virtue and character
- A hard decision
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