Three Views on Nobility and Civility: Cicero, More and Thucydides
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In a number of writings philosopher authors have often described their ideas of various concepts from the existence of God and good government to those of nobility and civility. Perhaps Plato's Republic may be considered the first of such works that focused on the morality of good governance and definitions of justice, nobility, and civility. Subsequent philosophers, authors, or theologians would provide works defining their own version of these concepts. In Thucydides' (441 BCE) The History of the Peloponnesian War, Cicero's (44 BCE) Laelius on Friendship, and Sir Thomas More's (1516) Utopia; the authors all provide a different kind of work. Thucydides' (441 BCE) History is primarily a chronological history of the wars between Athens and Sparta. Cicero's (44 BCE) On Friendship is primarily a discussion of the author's loss of a good friend, his bereavement over it, and what constitutes a good friend. Thomas More (1516) provides an alternative "utopian" society in Utopia, primarily as a means of criticizing various practices in English society, government, and the church. Despite the distinctions in content among all three of these authors and works; they all share a common tendency to wax philosophically on the concept of what is honorable or "noble" behavior in human beings. In Thucydides' (441 BCE) History the author gives what is considered an objective account of the war, but he also provides an account of what equates to a nobl
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suit of friendship.
Likewise, Cicero (441 BCE) maintains that there are few pursuits human beings can undertake that will be as rewarding or as joyous as a genuine friendship between noble-minded souls. He finds it foolish that individuals will try to pursue a life in quest of numerous material things or empty things like power at the expense of missing out on what he thinks is the most rewarding aspect of human nature, a friendship between two virtuous or noble individuals. As Cicero (441 BCE) writes of people who are wealthy or powerful and have the means, "and yet neglect to use the means they afford of acquiring that noblest and most valuable ornament of human life, a worthy and faithful friend!"
Because Laelius is basically discussing friendship in the dialogue format because of being a close friend of the former statesman Atticus, we are also told of the enormous pleasure and fulfillment that comes to men who are able to enjoy the treasure of a friendship between two like-minded and noble souls. A significant part of the work is spent showing that those who are not noble can never hope to experience these benefits, "friendship is an affair of self-interest entirely, and that the proper motive for engag
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3790
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page)
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