How to Be A Friend — According to Cicero
31 Thought-Provoking Lessons and Quotes on Friendship
The famous Roman politician and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero thought much on the topic of friendship. His short book on the topic — How To Be A Friend: An Ancient Guide to True Friendship— offers timeless practical advice on how to be a true friend, while also diving deep into the philosophical underpinnings of why friendship is so important.
Below is a list of 31 lessons and quotes from Cicero. I hope they prove as useful for you as they were for me. All of the quotes below are from Cicero unless otherwise noted.
#1 — Only the virtuous can be a friend
“One thing I believe you must know above all is that friendship is not possible, except between good people.”
Section 18
#2 — Virtue is the highest good
“There are others who believe that the highest goal is goodness, or what we call virtue. These people hold the right view, for virtue itself, gives birth to friendship and nurtures it, so that…
