Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

The best source for Stoic, Epicurean, and Academic theology next to the Lives and Opinions of Diogenes Laertius and the poem of Cicero's contemporary philosopher Lucretius. Written in a dialogue format reminiscent of Plato, Cicero goes at length to fairly represent each particular school (though it is obvious that certain quips he places in the mouth of others come from his own views). His disdain for Epicureanism is not unnoticeable, but with comparison to the Epicurean Lucretius' De Rerum Natura it cannot be said that he did not adequately represent genuine Epicurean views, though he dedicates a large portion of the text to a refutation of them. For the Stoics, we can sense that Cicero is much more open to their views than the Epicureans, but does not resist to attack them in an Academic fashion (some sections of which, unfortunately, are lost to time). Unlike the dry encyclopedic nature of Laertius' work, which is also one of the main sources for Stoic theology, Cicero flows much better and despite getting bogged down in name-dropping here and there is very readable. Overall it is a great book as an introduction to basic theology.