3 h 51 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 3 h 51 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
Can a state be strong if it is not just?
In a garden, Scipio Aemilianus and leading Romans gather to discuss what holds a state together. Marcus Tullius Cicero sets their conversation in an earlier generation, while his own Rome faces pressure from powerful generals. Through their debate, The Republic of Cicero asks what government owes its people—and what citizens owe their country.
Scipio compares monarchy, aristocracy and democracy, then turns to Rome’s history to make the case for mixed government. Justice, education and the character of leaders all enter the discussion. The work survives only in pieces, but its questions remain clear: who should rule, what makes authority rightful, and how can a republic endure?
What you’ll discover
- A state that belongs to people Begin with res publica, the idea of a republic as the thing of the people.
- The search for lasting government Explore why Scipio looks beyond rule by one, a few, or all.
- Rome as a living argument Follow Scipio into Roman history as he explains how a mixed constitution grows.
- Justice beneath political power Consider whether a state can stand without justice at its foundation.
- The Dream of Scipio Encounter a closing vision of the heavens that connects public service with its reward.
Who will love it
You will enjoy this if you love political ideas, Roman history, or lively talk between thoughtful friends. It suits anyone curious about justice, citizenship and the roots of modern constitutions.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Serving the state is the highest use of virtue
- Look first at your own city's quarrels
- A republic is the common interest of a people
- Every simple form of government slides into abuse
- The best constitution blends king, nobles and people
- Rome's constitution grew from many hands over time
- Justice is the foundation, not the weakness of the state
- The ideal ruler leads by example and has lasted
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The Republic of Cicero
News of two suns reaches Rome, and friends turn a celestial puzzle into a debate on justice and liberty.
Challenging2–5 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
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In short
Reports of two suns in the sky reach Rome, and a few friends meet in a sunny garden to discuss them. Before long the eldest turns the talk.
The Republic of Cicero at a glance
- Reading time
- About 2 h 10 min1 h 45 min fast, 2 h 35 min slow
- Length
- 30,800 words
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
- First published
- about 51 BCby Marcus Tullius Cicero
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Serving the state is the highest use of virtue
Cicero opens by arguing that goodness which stays at home is only half a virtue. A skill that is never used is still a skill, he says, but virtue lives in its use. Its greatest use is the government of states, where the lessons of the philosophers become living laws and habits.
He points to old Cato, a new man from outside the great families, who could have rested at his country house. Cato chose the storms of public life to extreme old age instead. For Cicero, nature plants in us a strong urge to defend the common good, strong enough to beat the pull of ease.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 2 h 30 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Marcus Tullius Cicero. The Republic of Cicero. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-republic-of-cicero.
Marcus Tullius Cicero. (2026). The republic of Cicero. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-republic-of-cicero (Original work published ca. 51 B.C.E.)
Marcus Tullius Cicero. The Republic of Cicero. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-republic-of-cicero.
@book{cicero2026republic,
author = {Marcus Tullius Cicero},
title = {The Republic of Cicero},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-republic-of-cicero},
note = {First published ca. 51 BCE}
}
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What is Cicero's Republic about?
It is a dialogue about the best form of government. A group of Roman friends define a republic, compare kings, nobles and the people, defend a mixed constitution, trace the growth of Rome, and argue over justice.
Who are Scipio, Laelius and Philus?
They are leading Romans of a generation before Cicero. Scipio hosts the talk and speaks most about government, Laelius is his elder friend who asks the key questions, and Philus argues against justice to test it.
What does Cicero mean by a republic?
He defines it as the people's common interest, held together by shared law and a common sense of right. Where one tyrant or a self-serving faction owns everything, he says, no real republic exists.
The author
Marcus Tullius Cicero
106 BC–42 BC · Roman statesman, orator and philosopher
Roman statesman, lawyer, orator, and philosopher.
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