Academica

Marcus Tullius CiceroProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 598K words
Chapters: 60

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Academica by Marcus Tullius CiceroAuthor: Cicero, Marcus Tullius, 106 BCE-43 BCE,Language: Latin, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Feb 8, 2005

Editor's review

Cicero's Academica is a key text of Roman philosophy, discussing epistemological questions in dialogue form and centering on the debate between skepticism and dogmatism. This edition presents the original Latin text, released free by Project Gutenberg, and suits readers who wish to engage directly with classical philosophy in the original. The book preserves Cicero's characteristic rhetorical style and argumentative method, offering direct insight into how Hellenistic philosophy entered the Latin world. For readers studying classical philosophy, Latin literature, or intellectual history, it is a rare primary source. It is best read alongside a history of philosophy: first understand the historical background of the Academy, then enter the text, to better follow the arguments. As a public-domain electronic edition, the layout is text-centered and lacks detailed notes, so readers need some linguistic or philosophical grounding. Overall, its value lies in the accessibility of the original text, not in popular exposition.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a foundation in Latin who want to read classical philosophy in the original
University students and scholars studying Hellenistic philosophy and Cicero's intellectual history
Philosophy enthusiasts interested in epistemology and the skeptical tradition who are willing to tackle primary texts

Not a good fit for

General readers without Latin who want a Chinese translation
Beginners who need detailed notes and introductions to understand the text
Casual readers who only want a quick overview of Cicero's philosophical views

Reading tips

Read the relevant chapters of a history of Hellenistic philosophy first to understand the background of the Academy and skepticism before entering the main text.
Read alongside an English or Chinese translation, slowing down at dense arguments and working through them paragraph by paragraph.
Keep a notebook to record the arguments and rebuttals in the dialogue, to help grasp the overall argumentative structure.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Latin or English?

According to the information, the book's language is Latin; it is the original text of Cicero's Academica. It is not an English or Chinese translation, so readers need Latin reading ability or should use it alongside a translation.

Can I understand it without notes?

The Gutenberg edition is mainly the original text and generally does not include detailed notes. Without relevant philosophical background, it is advisable to read an introductory history of philosophy first or use an annotated edition; otherwise the arguments and the background of the speakers are hard to follow.

Is this book suitable for philosophy beginners?

It is not very suitable as an introductory text. It discusses specific arguments in epistemology and skepticism and is in the original Latin, so beginners can easily get lost. It is better suited to readers with some grounding in classical philosophy who want to engage with primary texts.

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About the author

Marcus Tullius Cicero Author · Roman Republic

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BCE–43 BCE) was a Roman statesman, orator, philosopher, and jurist. He served as consul and foiled the Catilinarian conspiracy in the late Republic, and was killed in 43 BCE for opposing Antony. A prolific author, he wrote on philosophy, rhetoric, and letters; this collection holds 22 of his works, including De Officiis, the Tusculan Disputations, the Academic Questions, and De Finibus, as well as numerous speeches and letters to Atticus. His orations are tightly argued and forceful, his philosophical writings render Greek thought in Latin, and his letters are natural and intimate, preserving valuable historical and intellectual records. Cicero is regarded as a model of Latin prose, and his style and vocabulary have profoundly shaped the European prose tradition.