“If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains.”
- January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC
- Roman
- Orator, Philosopher, Statesman, Lawyer, Author
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Quote
“If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains.”
Explanation
Cicero contrasts the lasting rewards of virtuous effort with the enduring harm of pleasurable wrongdoing. He observes that when we strive toward good—even if it demands hardship or sacrifice—the pain is temporary, but the moral value and benefit endure. Conversely, if we choose evil for the sake of immediate pleasure, that pleasure is fleeting, while the consequences of the wrongdoing persist.
This teaching reflects Cicero’s Stoic and ethical philosophy, where the pursuit of virtue through reason and discipline is the highest aim of life. In a Roman world increasingly driven by luxury, ambition, and corruption, Cicero sought to reaffirm the moral structure of the republic, emphasizing that short-term gratification often leads to long-term ruin, while moral labor builds enduring character and justice.
The message remains universally relevant. In modern life, we are often tempted by easy gains or indulgences, yet true success and integrity usually require effort, restraint, and perseverance. Cicero’s wisdom reminds us to invest in what lasts, choosing the difficult good over the seductive wrong, because while both labor and pleasure pass, only virtue leaves a lasting legacy.
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