Commentary to M. Tullii Ciceronis De Amicitia 2



Part 1


Fannius: Chapter 2 opens in the midst of a conversation between Gaius Fannius and Laelius. Fannius was a son-in-law of C. Laelius and a student of the Stoic philosopher Panetius. He was elected consul in 122 BCE with the help of C. Sempronius Gracchus.

Sunt ista: "That is so."

Laeli: C. Laelius lived from about 190 BCE to some time around 129. He became interested in philosophy in 155 BCE when the Athenians sent a famous philosophical embassy to the Roman Senate. Thereafter he became closely connected with Stoic philosophers and was called sapiens. He was a good friend of Scipio Aemilianus, with whom he shared philosophic and literary interests.


Part 2


Hoc: understand nomen.

Africano: P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus was famous for having defeated the Carthaginians in the Third Punic War (146 BCE), destroying Carthage, and successfully ending a troublesome military campaign in Spain in 133 BCE.

Catoni: M. Porcius Cato Censorius or Cato Maior lived between 234-149 BCE. During this time he distinguished himself in public office and in the military. He was a severe Roman senator, famous for his native Roman morality and wit. After hearing the philosophical embassy that the Athenians had sent, he caused a law to be passed banning philosophers from Rome.

Acilium: L. Acilius was a Roman senator who was the translator for the Athenian philosophical embassy of 155 BCE.


Part 3


multa: translate with provisa...acta...responsa


Part 4


te: the subject of esse and object of solent appellare

natura et moribus...studio et doctrina: ablatives of cause


Part 5


nam qui: the antecedent of qui is eos, which is the object of habent.

septem: The seven wise men were Solon of Athens, Thales of Miletus, Pittacus of Mytilene, Bias of Priene, Cleobulus of Rhodes, Myson of Chenae, and Chilon of Sparta. Most of these men lived during the 6th century BCE. They were celebrated for their prudence, justice, and worldly wisdom.

qui ista: the antecedent of qui is the unexpressed subject (ei) of the verb habent. Qui is the subject of the verb quaerunt.

Athenis unum accepimus: this is a reference to Socrates, the great Athenian philosopher and teacher who lived 469-399 BCE.

Apollinis oraculo: in Plato's Apology of Socrates, Socrates explains that he was called the wisest of men by the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi.