Marcus Tullius Cicero is credited with being one of the greatest of the Roman orators. "He was born at Arpinum, the native place of Marius, 106 BCE., the same year, which gave birth to Pompey the Great. His family was ancient, and of equestrian rank, but had never taken part in public affairs at Rome, though both his father and grandfather were persons of consideration in the part of Italy in which they resided." (Cicero, Marcus …showed first 75 words of 1576 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1576 total…Greece had taught on the most important subjects, in order to enlarge their minds and reform their morals. His peculiar merit as a philosophical writer lay in his luminous and popular exposition of the leading principles and disputes of the ancient schools, and no works transmitted from antiquity present so concise and comprehensive a view of the opinions of the Greek philosophers. The most obvious peculiarity of Cicero's philosophical writings is their form of dialogue.