De re publica
Subtitle: selections
By: Cicero ; edited by James E.G. Zetzel.
Contributors: Zetzel, James E. G.
Series: Cambridge Greek and Latin classics
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1995
Place of publication: Cambridge [England]; New York, NY, USA
Language: lat; eng
Number of pages: 268
Subjects: Political science -- Early works to 1800; State, The -- Early works to 1800
Genres: Early works to 1800.
Description: Cicero's De re publica contains the fullest ancient account of the theory of the mixed constitution and the oldest extant narrative of early Roman history; it concludes with the Dream of Scipio, one of the most influential ancient visions of the afterlife. As a Platonic dialogue set in a Roman context, De re publica is in part an examination of Roman attitudes to Greek culture, in part a nostalgic evocation of an earlier and better Rome.

The argument of the dialogue concerns the relationship between political theory and practice, and between social institutions and the individual citizen. This edition of most of the surviving portions of De re publica is the most detailed commentary ever to appear in English. It carefully explains Cicero's philosophical argument and its relationship to his account of early Rome, and thoroughly elucidates the language and style of the treatise.

The introduction offers a new and provocative interpretation of Cicero's dialogue as a work both of literature and of political philosophy.
Notes: Text in Latin; commentary in English.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 254-261) and indexes.