LIBERALITÀ E VIRTÙ PRATICHE NEL DE OFFICIIS DI CICERONE

liberAliTy And The prAcTicAl virTues in cicero’s De Officiis. This paper deals with Cicero’s De offciis and his theory of liberality in the context of the practical virtues. I argue that this treatise should be read as an attempt to enhance the unity and consistency of three different lines of arguments. Cicero speaks as a father who exhorts his son to a virtuous conduct; at the same time, he addresses a program of restoration of the Republic to the boni viri, i.e. the municipal élites of Italy; and fnally he discusses the theory of virtues for a more refned audience, who could understand the subtle differences between the stoic and the peripatetic schools. In this frame the concept of liberality plays a relevant role. It represents a main virtue that a young aristocrat should learn and practice if he wants to gain benevolence and glory; also, municipal élites should understand that Caesar was not truly liberal, but prodigal, as his largitiones were not intended for the sake of other’s happiness, but to buy popularity and consensus. Consequently, at a more philosophical level Cicero redefnes liberality following his main stoic source, Panaetius of Rhodes, as general help and support to others, but not primarily by using money and wealth, as Aristoteles intended it.