Cicero (on the Stoics) · 106–43 BCE
On Duties 2.61 — Cicero (on the Stoics)
Translation by Walter Miller (1913)
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 2.61
Now, as touching that second division of gifts of money, those which are prompted by a spirit of generosity, we ought to look at different cases differently. The case of the man who is overwhelmed by misfortune is different from that of the one who is seeking to better his condition, though he suffers from no actual distress.
Cite this passage
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 2.61, tr. Walter Miller (1913)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/on-duties/2.61
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 notesWhen giving out of generosity, treat cases differently: someone crushed by misfortune is in a different position from someone who is simply trying to improve their lot without real distress.
Themes and situations
- Kindness and forgiveness
- Adversity and hardship
Quote cards
The opening line of this passage as an image, with its citation — for sharing or keeping.