Cicero, 'De fato'

This book offers a new edition, in classical form, of Cicero's essay On Fate: introduction, Latin text with facing English translation, commentary, appendices, and the usual end matter.

The Latin is based upon a punctilious scrutiny of the primary witnesses to the text and a careful consideration of the numerous modifications and corrections which have been or might be made to their testimony. The result is a text which differs in several dozen places from earlier editions. The English translation is not offered as a crib - it is in principle readable as an English essay.

The introduction offers, first, some account of the perplexed question of fate and free will, of the possible answers to the question, and of the pertinent notions of freedom and the will. A second part turns to On Fate: the origins of the essay and the early history of the perplexed question; Cicero's philosophical competences and his modus operandi, and the merits (and demerits) of On Fate. Thirdly, some reflections on the editing of this work. Fourthly, some features of the style and the aims of the present edition.

The commentary is primarily philosophical - that is to say, it attempts to understand and to evaluate from a philosophical point of view the propositions and the arguments which Cicero sets out. It is relatively sparing in historical reflections, but it contains a fair number of philological observations.

Readership: anyone interested in Cicero as a philosopher, or in the perennial question of fate and free will.

Jonathan Barnes, Ceaulmont, France.