Cicero (on the Stoics) · 106–43 BCE
On Duties 1.62 — Cicero (on the Stoics)
Translation by Walter Miller (1913)
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 1.62
But if the exaltation of spirit seen in times of danger and toil is devoid of justice and fights for selfish ends instead of for the common good, it is a vice; for not only has it no element of virtue, but its nature is barbarous and revolting to all our finer feelings. The Stoics, therefore, correctly define courage as "that virtue which champions the cause of right." Accordingly, no one has attained to true glory who has gained a reputation for courage by treachery and cunning; for nothing that lacks justice can be morally right.
Cite this passage
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 1.62, tr. Walter Miller (1913)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/on-duties/1.62
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 notesBravery that serves selfish aims instead of the common good is a vice, not a virtue. The Stoic definition of courage is the virtue that fights for what is right, so a reputation for boldness gained through treachery and cunning is not real glory.
Older wording
- “champions”
- — defends and fights for
Themes and situations
- Courage
- Justice and fairness
- Virtue and character
- Leadership and power
- An ethical dilemma
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