Selected Works
Marcus Tullius Cicero43 BCE
Cicero set the standard for public speaking, legal argument, and philosophical prose in Latin — and through Latin, in every European language.
oratory/philosophyLatinmoderatemedium · ~10.0h
Influence
6.5/10
Popularity
4.5/10
“How long, O Catiline, will you abuse our patience?”
Why It Matters
Cicero set the standard for public speaking, legal argument, and philosophical prose in Latin — and through Latin, in every European language. His style, his vocabulary, and his ideas about duty and the republic shaped the founders of both the American and French revolutions. He is the most influential prose writer in Western history.
The 
Take
Personal reviewGotta be the best quick prose writer of the ancient bunch. Clearly very educated, he thought about a lot of stuff
Notable Quotes
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
“The safety of the people shall be the highest law.”