Injustice In Cicero's De Officies
According to Cicero’s De Officiis, one should embrace his gifts from nature rather than envy other for theirs, i.e. an artist is better off perfecting his artistic talent than studying law. He also argues that fraud is the worst form of injustice, that is, the one who “practice[s] fraud to the utmost ability [to] do it in such a way that [he] appear[s] to be [a] good m[a]n (I.13). Although Cicero condemns fraud for obvious reasons, such as, corruption, is one unjust for using this gift against the enemy?—more so, what if one uses the gift of fraudulency, ((that is to say, a trained spy)) to do good for the community? The answer to those questions is no because Cicero’s argument on fraud and justice overlap in that scenario. For example, one
who uses a false appearance to gain his enemy’s trust, whether it is for warfare, politics, or social obligations, to do good for his community is not in the wrong of justice since his “expediency has followed in the direction of the right” (III. 3.4). In other words, Cicero’s concept of justice and fraudulence shows how far justice can stretch so as long as one does not harm his community by personal gains while using it. And, because Cicero’s justice overlooks fraudulence in a good sense, one can use corruption and/or be corrupt to fight corruptness so as long as he returns back to being just. For example, according to the Roman people, one who uses corruption to murder a corrupt tyrant is considered to be the “most noble” (III. 3.4) because his murderous deed is worth much more to the community. Thus, in Shakespeare’s words, “…and falsehood falsehood cures, as fire cools fire/ Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire;/ Threaten the threatener and outface the brow[er] (“The Life and Death of King John” 1202; 2243-4).
who uses a false appearance to gain his enemy’s trust, whether it is for warfare, politics, or social obligations, to do good for his community is not in the wrong of justice since his “expediency has followed in the direction of the right” (III. 3.4). In other words, Cicero’s concept of justice and fraudulence shows how far justice can stretch so as long as one does not harm his community by personal gains while using it. And, because Cicero’s justice overlooks fraudulence in a good sense, one can use corruption and/or be corrupt to fight corruptness so as long as he returns back to being just. For example, according to the Roman people, one who uses corruption to murder a corrupt tyrant is considered to be the “most noble” (III. 3.4) because his murderous deed is worth much more to the community. Thus, in Shakespeare’s words, “…and falsehood falsehood cures, as fire cools fire/ Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire;/ Threaten the threatener and outface the brow[er] (“The Life and Death of King John” 1202; 2243-4).