The Academic Questions, Treatise De Finibus, and Tusculan Disputations, of M.T. Cicero, With a Sketch of the Greek Philosophers Mentioned by Cicero

This collection brings together three of Cicero’s most engaging philosophical writings—his inquiries into the nature of knowledge, his examination of the highest good, and his heartfelt dialogues on the pursuit of peace of mind. In clear, accessible English, the translator preserves the lively debates that shaped Roman thought, inviting listeners to follow Cicero as he wrestles with doubt, virtue, and the limits of human understanding. The volume also includes a concise companion piece that surveys the Greek thinkers Cicero frequently cites, offering a helpful backdrop for the main texts.

The introductory sketch surveys the earliest figures of Western philosophy, starting with Thales of Miletus, who first argued that a single principle—water—underlies all things and championed proof‑based inquiry. It then moves to his countrymen Anaximander and Anaximenes, whose contrasting visions of an boundless “Infinite” and of air as the primal element illustrate the diverse ways early thinkers tried to explain the cosmos. Brief yet vivid, these portraits set the stage for Cicero’s later discussions, making the volume an inviting gateway to ancient wisdom.