On Friendship - Classic Text | Alexandria
Among the most profound explorations of human connection in classical literature, "De Amicitia" (On Friendship), written by Marcus Tullius Cicero in 44 BCE, stands as a timeless meditation on the nature and value of true friendship. This philosophical treatise, composed in the form of a dialogue, emerged during one of history's most turbulent periods, as the Roman Republic was crumbling and Cicero himself faced personal and political crisis following the death of Julius Caesar.
The work takes the form of a remembered conversation between Gaius Laelius and his sons-in-law, following the death of Laelius's close friend Scipio Africanus Minor. This literary device allows Cicero to explore the depths of friendship through the lens of genuine loss and reflection, while simultaneously paying homage to one of Rome's most celebrated friendships. The dialogue's setting in 129 BCE enables Cicero to distance his commentary from the political tensions of his own time while drawing upon the wisdom of revered Roman figures.
Throughout the text, Cicero weaves together Greek philosophical traditions, particularly those of the Stoics and Peripatetics, with practical Roman sensibilities. He argues that true friendship can only exist between good men (viri boni) who share virtue (virtus), distinguishing it from relationships based merely on utility or pleasure. The work's enduring influence can be traced through medieval Christian teachings, Renaissance humanist thought, and into modern discussions of friendship and social bonds.
What makes "On Friendship" particularly intriguing is its dual nature as both a philosophical treatise and a deeply personal reflection. Written shortly before Cicero's own death, when many of his closest friends had either died or betrayed him during the civil wars, the text carries an underlying current of melancholy and urgency. Modern readers continue to find relevance in its exploration of authentic human connection in an increasingly transactional world, while scholars debate whether Cicero's idealized vision of friendship was more aspirational than descriptive of Roman social reality. The work raises persistent questions about the nature of true friendship in times of political strife and social change, making it as pertinent today as it was two millennia ago.