Quotations and Literature Forum

Did Cicero say the following (or close to it)?
"The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

[quote="tomroth"]Did Cicero say the following (or close to it)?
"The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."[/quote]

Tomroth, this does not sound right for the period- Rome never gave any foreign lands anything, the Romans may have improved places if they were living there themselves, but mostly they stripped wherever they could of the resources available or bargained and traded with countries they had not conquered. Not known for benevolent "foreign aid".

Also, I don't think "public assistance" existed - no "welfare state" in Rome, if you were on your uppers you were either a beggar, or sold yourself into slavery of some kind.(Gladiators and prostitutes as well as house slaves etc.)

I suspect this is a modern statement coined to look good by imitating Cicero's style and expressing comments relevant to the modern world.

Hope someone else who knows Cicero better can confirm or deny.

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The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.
e e cummings (1894 - 1962)

Denied. It's Cicero for sure.

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There are no ordinary moments.