“Laws are silent in time of war.”
- January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC
- Roman
- Orator, Philosopher, Statesman, Lawyer, Author
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Quote
“Laws are silent in time of war.”
Explanation
This quote starkly conveys the idea that in moments of extreme conflict, such as war, the normal protections and procedures of law are often suspended or disregarded. Cicero acknowledges that the rule of law, which governs peace and civil society, may lose its force or be set aside when survival, strategy, or violence take precedence. The phrase does not necessarily endorse this suspension, but rather observes a harsh political reality: that war disrupts the moral and legal order.
Cicero originally wrote this in Latin—Silent enim leges inter arma—in a speech defending Milo, a Roman accused of murder. He was arguing that Milo acted in self-defense, and that in situations of life-or-death violence, one cannot expect the same adherence to law as in times of peace. The quote reflects the tensions Cicero saw between justice and necessity, and highlights his concern for how legal norms might bend under the pressure of political instability or civil strife.
Today, this quote continues to provoke debate, particularly in the context of emergency powers, military interventions, and civil liberties. It raises critical questions: Should legal norms be flexible in crises? Or should they be upheld precisely when they are most threatened? Cicero’s observation reminds us that the true test of a society’s commitment to justice is not in peacetime, but in how it responds to the pressures of war.
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