On Law: The Classics of Rizhi

Author: (Ancient Rome) Cicero (Cicero, M.T.), translated by Wang Huansheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Marcus Tullius Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106 BC – 43 BC) was one of the most talented men in Ancient Rome. He not only served as a consul, praetor, and member of the Senate but was also an active participant in political activities. He was also one of the greatest orators, philosophers, and prose writers of his time. His name is inseparable from Ancient Rome and is also linked to the history of Western humanism. He made significant achievements in rhetoric, law, philosophy, political science, and literature. Due to his contributions, for a considerable period of history, people almost only learned about the rich philosophical and cultural thoughts of Ancient Greece through him. His political thought had a profound influence on Roman law and even later Western political and legal systems. He elevated Roman prose to its peak and became the father of Ancient Greek and Roman culture. With his profound and extensive eloquence, his speeches were powerful and resounding, setting an immortal example for later generations. His essays were clear and well-organized, with skillful use of language, especially the selected essays in this book, which were lucid, magnificent, and crystal clear, like pearls in the treasure trove of Western literature. Essentially, Cicero was a thinker. His political thought was a combination of various schools of thought, adapted to the history and reality of Roman society. In his work On the Law, he systematically elaborated on legal theory. In On the Law, Cicero, based on Stoic views, believed that natural law, or correct reason, was the true law and the standard for judging right and wrong; God was the legislator, interpreter, and guardian of natural law; written law must conform to natural law, otherwise it could not be considered law. In his view, natural law, reason, and God were united, and justice, goodness, and written law were their manifestations. In this sacred natural law, all people are equal, but not in terms of equal property, but in terms of shared reason.