Summary Of Cicero's Dream Of Scipio

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Cicero’s first major philosophical work is The Republic, and was completed in 54 BCE. Cicero’s book is a dialogue regarding Roman politics, written in six books. The format is in a Socratic dialogue where Scipio Aemilianus portrays a clever old man. Cicero’s written work was politically controversial. The sixth book in particular, Dream of Scipio, describes a fictitious dream of Scipio Aemilianus before he instructed the demolition of Carthage. The nature of the dream consists of the elder Scipio coming to his (adopted) grandson, and explaining the life of the good after death and the formation of the Universe from a Stoic and Neo-Platonic perspective. This gave rise to address the nature of the cosmos and conveyed a great deal of philosophy to the later Middle Ages. The beginning of the sixth book begins with the coming of Scipio Aemilianus into Africa, where he gets a visit from his grandfather, Scipio Africanus. Scipio Aemilianus gets his future predicted by his grandfather, and a great deal of emphasis is positioned in his hands, from the loyal duty of the Roman soldier. As an incentive, after death he will be presented: “inhabit the place which you now see, -- it was that circle that shines forth among the stars in the most dazzling white, …show more content…

Scipio then begins to perceive sounds, which is the music of spheres in motion, where its origin in mathematics and harmonic ratios. The Dream of Scipio emphasizes the link between city and state, and the affect it shares to justice and moral behavior. Cicero serves to demonstrate how public service is a delightfully sanctioned action. In addition, the major themes observed are the immortality of the soul and the link between human society and the divine order of the universe. In conclusion, Scipio is dreaming about having to choose a path between virtue or

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