Cicero On The Good Life Summary

Cicero talks about friendship in his book On the Good Life. However the ending of a friendship is important because it determines whether the friends become enemies or not. There are many different ways it can end, but there are a few that would problems later on. If the friend knew all their secrets they could use it against them in the future. Although most friendships end it is important that it is on good terms and that your friend does not turn into an enemy.
Cicero says that most friendships will end, but how it ends can determine what happens between the two. There are a couple of ways a friendship can end, such as the friendship ending due to distance between the friends or asking a friend to do too much. Sometimes friends drift apart either from physical distance or their interests become too different for them to stay friends. Cicero says, “ When boys discard the dress of childhood, at the same time they often throw off their friendships, however strong these may have been before.” (Cicero, 195). Some friendships can end because one friend asks too much from another. Cicero says, …show more content…
If a friend turns into an enemy and they know all your secrets they could use it either to hurt you or to blackmail you into doing what they want you to do. Cicero says, “ But men at the top competitive ambition for jobs and distinctions is what causes the deadliest enmities, even between those who have been the most intimate friends hitherto.” (Cicero, 195). If two people are competing for the same position and they were friends they know each other’s secrets and can use these secrets against one another. If the friendship had ended badly then neither one of them would feel badly if they revealed that person’s secrets. This could ruin both of their chances of win that position and if the friendship had ended on better terms they wouldn’t have been so willing to reveal each other’s