For the great Roman orator and statesman Cicero, ‘the good life’ was at once a life of contentment and one of moral virtue – and the two were inescapably intertwined. This volume brings together a wide range of his reflections upon the importance of moral integrity in the search for happiness. In essays that are articulate, meditative and inspirational, Cicero presents his views upon the significance of friendship and duty to state and family, and outlines a clear system of practical ethics that is at once simple and universal. These works offer a timeless reflection upon the human condition, and a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the greatest thinkers of Ancient Rome.

Xenophon is less speculative than Plato and applies Socratic principles more to everyday life: by reading his book, we not only learn about Socrates and his philosophy but also gain fascinating insights into the daily life of ancient Greece and into the religious, political and moral views of a certain type of Athenian.

An ​influential study of America’s national government, egalitarian ideals, and character offers reflections on the effect of majority rule on the rights of individuals and provides insight into the rewards and responsibilities of a democratic government, in a clear new translation of the nineteenth-century classic.