“We must conceive of this whole universe as one commonwealth of which both gods and men are members.”
- January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC
- Roman
- Orator, Philosopher, Statesman, Lawyer, Author
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Quote
“We must conceive of this whole universe as one commonwealth of which both gods and men are members.”
Explanation
Cicero envisions the universe as a unified moral and rational order, where both divine and human beings belong to a single cosmic community. By calling it a “commonwealth,” he emphasizes a sense of shared purpose, law, and responsibility. This idea reflects a universal moral order (natural law), in which all rational beings—whether mortal or divine—are bound by justice, reason, and mutual obligation.
This worldview is central to Cicero’s Stoic-influenced philosophy, which held that nature itself is governed by reason, and that humans, by virtue of their rationality, are citizens of a larger, cosmic order, not merely of local states. In his political writings, Cicero often appealed to this higher law—a law common to all beings who possess reason, transcending human-made laws and rooted in the fabric of existence.
Today, Cicero’s vision speaks to ideals of universal human rights, global citizenship, and ecological responsibility. In a time when the world is divided by borders, ideologies, and inequality, his quote calls us to recognize our shared moral membership in a greater whole—an eternal commonwealth where justice, reason, and interconnection bind all rational beings, divine or human, into a single community of purpose.
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