Source identified
Read & copy the quotation
“Firm, steadfast, self-consistent men are to be chosen as friends.”
- Source
- De Amicitia
- Date
- 44 BCE
- Local voice
- Dialogue speaker · Gaius Laelius
- English wording
- Andrew P. Peabody — Translator · from Latin
Meaning of “Firm, steadfast, self-consistent men are to be chosen…”
Reliable friendship depends on reliable character; steadiness matters because trust cannot grow when conduct constantly changes with advantage.
Where does it come from?
De Amicitia, chapter 17 / classical section 62, Andrew P. Peabody translation, Project Gutenberg #7491. “Firm, steadfast, self-consistent men are to be chosen as friends” follows Laelius’ recollection of Scipio’s concern that people test possessions more carefully than friendships. The counsel remains ancient character ethics rather than a diagnostic rule for evaluating people.
Why the local voice matters
De Amicitia. The counsel is voiced by Laelius within Cicero’s dialogue on friendship.
