Cicero (on the Stoics) · 106–43 BCE
On Duties 3.75 — Cicero (on the Stoics)
Translation by Walter Miller (1913)
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 3.75
The appearance is deceptive; for our standard is the same for expediency and for moral rectitude. And the man who does not accept the truth of this will be capable of any sort of dishonesty, any sort of crime. For if he reasons, "That is, to be sure, the right course, but this course brings advantage," he will not hesitate in his mistaken judgment to divorce two conceptions that Nature has made one; and that spirit opens the door to all sorts of dishonesty, wrong-doing, and crime. Suppose, then, that a good man had such power that at a snap of his fingers his name could steal into rich men's wills, he would not avail himself of that power—no, not even though he could be perfectly sure that no one would ever suspect it. Suppose, on the other hand, that one were to offer a Marcus Crassus the power, by the mere snapping of his fingers, to get himself named as heir, when he was not really an heir, he would, I warrant you, dance in the forum. But the righteous man, the one whom we feel to be a good man, would never rob anyone of anything to enrich himself. If anybody is astonished at this doctrine, let him confess that he does not know what a good man is.
Cite this passage
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 3.75, tr. Walter Miller (1913)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/on-duties/3.75
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 notesSomeone who thinks right is one thing and advantage another is capable of any dishonesty, because that thought opens the door to every crime. A good person offered the power to be written into rich people's wills at the snap of a finger, with no chance of detection, would refuse; only someone who does not understand goodness would be surprised.
Older wording
- “avail himself of”
- — make use of
- “I warrant you”
- — I assure you
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Justice and fairness
- Desire and craving
- An ethical dilemma
- Money, status and wanting more
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