Ciceros De Amicitia Essays - 1263 Words

Ciceros De Amicitia Cicero’s De Amicitia brings a unique perspective to the topic of friendship and how it relates to death. The word amicitia comes from the Latin root word amor which is translated to mean â€Å"love†. In this day and age the word friendship has taken on a slightly different meaning from the ancient meaning. Cicero’s De Amicitia seeks to define what friendship is, its characteristics and principles. He has challenged us to reconsider what constitutes a true friend. Upon observing a typical friendship it becomes clear to us that this relationship is actually devoid of true love; the love in which Cicero speaks of. A genuine friendship is a rare and beautiful thing; a mutual relationship formed between two virtuous people†¦show more content†¦Pleasure based friendships are regulated by feelings. It is the opportunity of the moment to satisfy ones own desires for pleasure which inhibits a man and a women from truly loving the other person as though they were a second self. A Friendship based on affection is still not a true friendship because it satisfies personal pleasure before it takes into account the well-being of the other individual. â€Å"Friendship excels relationship in this, that whereas you may eliminate affection from relationship, you cannot do so from friendship. Without it relationship still exists in name, friendship does not.† For Cicero only the friendship of those who are good, and similar in their goodness, is perfect. It is based on virtue and goodness, both absolutely and for his friend. A true friendship lasts only as long as such men remain good. â€Å"For, seeing that a belief in a man’s virtue is the original cause of friendship, friendship can hardly remain if virtue be abandoned.† Virtue is the keystone which both creates and preserves this friendship; â€Å"Then there are those who find the â€Å"chief good† in virtue. Well, that is a noble doctrine. But the very virtue they talk of is the parent and preserver of friendship, and without it friendship cannot possibly exist.† It is only natural that these friendships areShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Ciceros Laelius de Amicitia1267 Words   |  6 PagesMortalitas et Amicitia Cicero s De Amicitia brings a unique perspective to the topic of friendship and how it relates to death. The word amicitia comes from the Latin root word amor which is translated to mean love. In this day and age the word friendship has taken on a slightly different meaning from the ancient meaning. Cicero s De Amicitia seeks to define what friendship is, its characteristics and principles. He has challenged us to reconsider what constitutes a true friend. Upon