On the Laws

What is law, and why should we obey it? In this timeless dialogue, Cicero leads us through the hills of his childhood home to debate the deepest questions of justice, obligation, and the nature of right. He argues that true law is not mere human decree but a rational order woven into the cosmos itself—accessible to reason and binding on all people everywhere. This modern-English edition renders Cicero's luminous prose with clarity and warmth, preserving the rigor of his argument while making it accessible to today's reader. From the origins of justice in human nature to the specific statutes of a model republic, Cicero invites us to think about the laws that govern not only states but our own souls. A foundational work of political philosophy that speaks directly to our search for a just society. Part of The Modern Wisdom Library.