ssage he used an incorrect adjective, _Phliuntii_ for
_Phliasii_; he says that he had already corrected his own copy, but the
mistake survives in the single palimpsest in which this work has been
preserved. The only merits, therefore, which can be claimed for Cicero
are that he invented a philosophical terminology for the Romans, and
that he produced a series of manuals which from their beauty of style
have had enduring influence upon mankind.

The most famous of these treatises are the following:--

_De Finibus_, on the Supreme Good. In Book i. L. Manlius Torquatus
explains the Epicurean doctrine, which is refuted in ii. by Cicero. In
iii. and iv. M. Porcius Cato sets forth the doctrine of the Stoics
which is shown by Cicero to agree with that of Antiochus of Ascalon;
in v. M. Pupius Piso explains the views of the Academics and
Peripatetics.

_Tusculanae Disputationes_, so called from Cicero's villa at Tusculum
in which the discussion is supposed to have taken place. The subjects
treated are:--in Book i., the nature of death and the reasons for
despising it; Book ii., the endurance of pain: Pain is not an evil;
Book iii., wisdom makes a man insensible to sorrow; Book iv., wisdom
banishes all mental disquietude; Book v., virtue is sufficient to
secure happiness. The materials are drawn largely from works of
Dicaearchus.

_De Deorum Natura._--The dialogue is placed in 77 B.C. In Book i.
Velleius attacks other philosophies and explains the system of
Epicurus. He is then refuted by Cotta. In Book ii. Balbus, speaking as
a Stoic, discusses the existence of the gods, nature, the government
of the world and providence. In Book iii. Cotta criticizes the views
of Balbus. The statement of the Epicurean doctrine is drawn from the
work of Phaedrus [Greek: Peri theon], the criticism of this from
Posidonius. The Stoic teaching is derived from Cleanthes, Chrysippus
and Zeno, and is criticized from the writings of Carneades and
Clitomachus.

_De Officiis_, addressed to his son Marcus. In this the form of
dialogue was not employed. The material is chiefly drawn from Stoic
sources, e.g. works of Panaetius in Books i. and ii., of Posidonius
and Hecato in Book iii.

The _Academica_, as they have come down to us, are a conflation from
the two editions of this work. They consist of the second book from
the first edition, and a portion of the first book from the second