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Philosophizing While The Republic Falls

Philosophizing While The Republic Falls

Cicero's example

Caleb Ontiveros
March 31, 2025

Welcome to The Stoa Letter, the newsletter on Stoic theory and practice.

🏛️ Theory

In 45 BC, the Roman statesman Cicero wrote On Ends – a dialogue on the purpose of life. Is the good life about pursuing pleasure, as the Epicureans say? Or is it about living in accord with nature as the Stoics argue? Or is it something else? Cicero took on these themes and, imitating Plato, wrote dialogues and speeches, attributing them to the figures of his day.

It’s a classic philosophical work, worth reading on its own terms. But the context in which he wrote it reveals the importance of philosophy.

Cicero’s life was full of excitement, violent and deadly conflict. His were days of turmoil: the fall of the Roman republic. Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon and kicked off the Roman civil war in 49BC. Cicero tried to stay out of it – but he had to choose sides and when he did, he chose the losers. Accepting a pardon from Julius Caesar, during 45 BC he was officially laying low and waiting to see if he could ever return to Roman politics and the life of action. He lost his daughter during the same year. It was an age of contingency and mortality. The famous Stoic Cato the Younger refused Caesar’s pardon and died one year earlier, Julius Caesar himself didn’t know it but he had only one more year to live, while Cicero himself would perish in two years.

Amid this chaos and danger – Cicero wrote philosophy.

I think that’s a testament to the importance of philosophy in life. It’s something that provides solace in times of trial. But, perhaps, more importantly, the very activity of philosophizing is worthwhile in and of itself. Thinking through what human life is all about – in a skilled and serious way – as Cicero does – is a beautiful thing to do.

As Cicero wrote:

If Wisdom be attainable, let us not only win but enjoy it; or if attainment be difficult, still there is no end to the search for truth, other than its discovery. It were base to flag in the pursuit, when the object pursued is so supremely lovely.

🎯 Action

Pause today and take time to carefully contemplate your philosophy of life.

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