How to Grieve, Marcus Tullius Cicero
How to Grieve, Marcus Tullius Cicero
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How to Grieve
An Ancient Guide to the Lost Art of Consolation

Author: Marcus Tullius Cicero, Michael Fontaine

Narrator: Gareth Richards

Unabridged: 2 hr 50 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/18/2022


Synopsis

An engaging new translation of a timeless masterpiece about coping with the death of a loved one

In 45 BCE, the Roman statesman Cicero fell to pieces when his beloved daughter, Tullia, died from complications of childbirth. But from the depths of despair, Cicero fought his way back. In an effort to cope with his loss, he wrote a consolation speech—not for others, as had always been done, but for himself. And it worked. Cicero's Consolation was something new in literature, equal parts philosophy and motivational speech. Drawing on the full range of Greek philosophy and Roman history, Cicero convinced himself that death and loss are part of life, and that if others have survived them, we can, too; resilience, endurance, and fortitude are the way forward.

Lost in antiquity, Cicero's Consolation was recreated in the Renaissance from hints in Cicero's other writings and the Greek and Latin consolatory tradition. The resulting masterpiece—translated here for the first time in 250 years—is infused throughout with Cicero's thought and spirit.

Complete with an inviting introduction, Michael Fontaine's engaging translation makes this searching exploration of grief available to readers once again.

About Marcus Tullius Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), commonly known as Cicero, was a Roman statesman, philosopher, orator, and lawyer. Born into an aristocratic family, he studied law and served a term as consul in 63 BC. As a member of the Senate, he witnessed the rise to prominence of Julius Caesar, whose followers forced him into exile and out of politics. Following the assassination of Caesar in 44 BC, to which he was a witness, he argued in front of the Senate for the restoration of the republic, but was unsuccessful. In 43 BC, he was murdered on the orders of Mark Antony. Cicero's works include philosophic writings, speeches made as a lawyer and a senator, and letters. His best-known writings include On the Orator, On the Republic, Hortensius, On the Nature of the Gods, On Duties, and Treatises on Friendship and Old Age.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Massimo

This is an odd but interesting entry in Princeton Press's Classical Wisdom for Modern Readers. How to Grieve was written by the ancient Roman advocate, statesman, and philosopher Marcus Tulles Cicero. But the manuscript has been lost. So what is being presented here? What translator Michael Fontaine......more

Goodreads review by Coco

this book is not fully written by cicero, it was taken from a lot of his different texts, and pasted together with some quotations and footnotes from the secondary author. considering how long ago cicero lived, i am impressed by some of the ways he talks about transgressing sexist norms. nonetheless......more

Goodreads review by David

Overall, I continue to enjoy reading the "Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers" series. Each entry reinforces my belief that - although it's not necessarily a popular view right now - many "dead white males" still have important lessons to teach anyone willing to learn them. Having said that, this entry......more

Goodreads review by Tullius

I enjoyed this short work by Cicero. You could feel the pain in his words as he almost certainly wrote this during exile from Rome. In fact, many of the texts we know Cicero so famously for were written during his political exiles from Rome. The text covers many men and women throughout Greco-Roman......more

Goodreads review by Peter

Cicero believes that it is possible to use Stoic philosophy to help overcome grief. The greatest loss he suffered was the death of his daughter. Many people believe that it is impossible to get over the death of a child but Cicero tried. One of his arguments was that when a loved one dies they no lo......more