Finally, Cicero’s counsel points toward a lifelong curriculum: you assemble a small library of minds that consistently refine you. Over time, these voices shape your standards—what counts as a good argument, a worthy goal, or an honorable life.
The transition from occasional reading to an intentional canon can be transformative. Whether one turns to Plato’s Republic (c. 375 BC) for questions of justice or to modern works for strategy and science, the unifying aim remains Cicero’s: to let others’ labor become your starting point, so your own effort can be spent advancing rather than merely catching up. [...]
