“Hatred is settled anger.”
- January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC
- Roman
- Orator, Philosopher, Statesman, Lawyer, Author
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Quote
“Hatred is settled anger.”
Explanation
Cicero offers a concise psychological insight: hatred is not a fleeting emotion, but anger that has hardened into permanence. While anger may arise spontaneously and fade, hatred lingers, taking root and transforming into a deliberate and enduring state of hostility. This progression reveals how unchecked emotions can evolve into destructive and deeply entrenched attitudes, capable of distorting judgment and corroding character.
In his philosophical writings, Cicero—drawing from Stoic and Aristotelian ethics—warned against the dangers of excessive passion. He believed that reason must govern emotion, and that allowing anger to settle into hatred leads to irrationality, injustice, and moral decline. In politics and private life alike, he saw hatred as a threat to civil harmony and personal virtue, since it destroys the capacity for empathy, forgiveness, and reasoned discourse.
In modern times, this quote remains deeply relevant in discussions of conflict, resentment, and social division. Cicero’s words remind us that failing to resolve anger invites it to harden into hatred, turning temporary grievance into lasting poison. His insight challenges us to address and manage our anger constructively, before it calcifies into something far more corrosive and enduring.
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