Cicero vs. Epicureanism: A Philosophical Duel

In 45 BC, amid the turmoil of the Roman Civil War, Cicero wrote one of philosophy's most important works on the meaning of life. This episode unpacks Book I of "On Ends," exploring the clash between Epicurean pleasure-seeking and Stoic virtue.

(01:14) Meeting Cicero

(06:18) Latin over Greek 

(11:40) On Ends Core Debates 

(16:03) Cicero attacks

(20:44) Why Pleasure isn't Everything 

(27:28) The Epicurean Response 

(31:29) Must Virtue Produce Something More? 

(46:53) The Epicurean View of Community 

(53:38) The Epicurean sage

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Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/