Not only will this book enhance Latin skills and increase knowledge of the social and ethical values of ancient Rome, it also exposes the student to Cicero at his most eloquent as he muses on the nature of friendship.

Cicero's De Amicitia discusses the meaning of true friendship as illustrated by the relationship between the historical personages, Laelius sapiens and Scipio Aemilianus. His discourse is also informed by his own readings of Greek philosophy and his personal experience of friendship. The notes facing each page of text facilitate a very manageable reading of the Latin for a college level introduction to Cicero's essays.

The authors of the student text, classroom veterans, provide a very helpful teacher’s guide which includes English translations of the Latin passages and answers to question sets.

The relevance of Cicero's On Old Age transcends time and culture as it examines with superlative clarity the challenging problem of aging.

Pro Archia was delivered by Cicero in defense of A. Licinius Archias, a Greek poet whose eligibility for Roman citizenship was challenged in 62 bce. Cicero’s emphasis in the speech is on literature’s humanizing value.