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Work

On Friendship

Cicero

Cicero gives Laelius, grieving for Scipio, a reflection on friendship grounded in virtue rather than advantage. The dialogue examines loyalty, frankness, and the limits of solidarity when a friend asks for an unjust act.

Composition
44 BCE
Sources and precision

The range describes composition or formation of the text, distinct from the dates of the editions held.

Confidence B · strong consensus

Period
Antiquity
Languages
Latin · English · French
Extent
104 passages · 29,907 words

Before reading

What you will learn

Distinguish virtuous friendship from interested alliance, examine the role of frankness, and identify moral limits to loyalty.

Short summary

Cicero gives Laelius, grieving for Scipio, a reflection on friendship grounded in virtue rather than advantage. The dialogue examines loyalty, frankness, and the limits of solidarity when a friend asks for an unjust act.

Long summary

Laelius describes the moral agreement that makes a relationship stable, the pleasure of shared purposes, and the need to advise without flattery. Roman examples place this ethics within careers where friendship can become a network of influence.

The memory of Scipio gives the account warmth and tension. Idealized as a bond among good people, friendship must still survive ambition, changes of fortune, and the duty to refuse political complicity.

Inside this work

The table of contents follows the divisions actually carried by the corpus.

Work › Division

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Concepts covered

Historical context

The world around the text

The corpus manifests do not yet establish the precise place and circumstances of composition. The images below document the author’s world or the text’s transmission. They do not claim to show the exact scene of writing.

These are modern reconstructions. They situate a documented place, practice, or transmission and are not period documents.

Modern reconstruction of Rome for On Friendship on Prokopton42.com
RomeEducation, law, politics and oratory. The generated scene uses Rome and education-43 BCE as its documented anchors.Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Cicero
Modern reconstruction of Material world: technology, science, and care, 27 BCE for On Friendship on Prokopton42.com
Material world: technology, science, and care, 27 BCEOctavian becomes Augustus. The Roman Republic gives way to the Principate. The image situates On Friendship without claiming to show its scene of composition.
Modern reconstruction of Nearby historical landmark, 146 BCE for On Friendship on Prokopton42.com
Nearby historical landmark, 146 BCERome destroys Corinth and dominates Greece politically, while Greek philosophy increasingly shapes Roman elites. The image situates On Friendship without claiming to show its scene of composition.

What the world looked like

Roman world, 1st century BCE to 3rd century CE

Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Friendship: Technology, science, and care
Technology, science, and carePaved roads, aqueducts, concrete, glassware, mills, and hypocaust heating equip some cities, but energy comes mainly from bodies, animals, water, and wood. Astronomy, geometry, natural history, and engineering compile Greek, Egyptian, and Roman knowledge. Measurement exists without a modern laboratory. Physicians, midwives, baths, plants, and rudimentary surgery can help; reliable anaesthesia, antisepsis, and antibiotics do not exist.
Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Friendship: Travel and communication
Travel and communicationOn foot, horseback, cart, or ship, road and sea networks connect the Empire. Travel remains slow, costly, and risky. Imperial couriers, letters on papyrus or tablets, inscriptions, and oral proclamations spread information. Everything is copied by hand.
Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Friendship: Farming and food
Farming and foodGrain, vines, olives, pulses, and livestock supply cities and armies; estates, slavery, and tenancy organize part of the labour.
Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Friendship: Clothing, women and men
Clothing, women and menTunics and cloaks are common to both sexes; the stola, toga, footwear, colours, and jewellery mark citizenship, office, wealth, and origin.
State of technology
Paved roads, aqueducts, concrete, glassware, mills, and hypocaust heating equip some cities, but energy comes mainly from bodies, animals, water, and wood.
Science and knowledge
Astronomy, geometry, natural history, and engineering compile Greek, Egyptian, and Roman knowledge. Measurement exists without a modern laboratory.
Medicine and care
Physicians, midwives, baths, plants, and rudimentary surgery can help; reliable anaesthesia, antisepsis, and antibiotics do not exist.
Transport
On foot, horseback, cart, or ship, road and sea networks connect the Empire. Travel remains slow, costly, and risky.
Agriculture and food
Grain, vines, olives, pulses, and livestock supply cities and armies; estates, slavery, and tenancy organize part of the labour.
Communication
Imperial couriers, letters on papyrus or tablets, inscriptions, and oral proclamations spread information. Everything is copied by hand.
Clothing and fashion
Tunics and cloaks are common to both sexes; the stola, toga, footwear, colours, and jewellery mark citizenship, office, wealth, and origin.

Editions, translations, and provenance

The following carriers represent the text. They do not create new passage identities.

  • Latinoriginal
  • Englishhistorical_translation
  • French AI-generated translation, non-officialCodex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11
  • Englishhistorical_translation
  • French AI-generated translation, non-officialCodex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

Source manifests: cicero.de_amicitia, cicero.translation_carrier_en_12

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On FriendshipCicero

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What you will learn

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