Cicero and the People’s Will
Philosophy and Power at the End of the Roman Republic

‘The story of Cicero has much to teach us about our own fragile republics – where their flaws began, and how we can still fix them.’ U.S. Congressman Jim Himes, Connecticut

‘If there is a single abstract noun that has done more to shape the modern world than any other, it may well be the Latin voluntas, which we ordinarily translate as ‘will’. In bold and commanding prose, Lex Paulson recounts this history for us, showing us the fascinating transformations of the concept of will in the work of Cicero. Paulson’s isolation of this key moment, and his expert account of its enduring relevance for our own polities, is nothing short of a revelation.’ Justin E. H. Smith, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Paris

‘Before reading Paulson's book, I knew Cicero as the Illinois burg with one of the world's first airfields, where Al Capone's gang ran rampant. As it turns out, the real Cicero was just as tough and every bit as ingenious.’ Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg

'Paulson’s book provides an incredibly detailed look at Cicero’s use of the term voluntas and will be of particular relevance to those in the field of moral philosophy … Recommended.' J. Boersma, Choice

‘Highly stimulating … an ambitious study that tackles an enormous body of evidence and offers an engaging and wide-ranging account.’ Bryn Mawr, Classical Review

‘… an ambitious study that tackles an enormous body of evidence and offers an engaging and wide-ranging account of the multiple dimensions of the Latin term voluntas in Cicero’s literary corpus. It will be of value to all those interested in the social, political, and intellectual history of the late Roman republic.’ Sean McConnell, Bryn Mawr Classical Review