Abstract

Why should we do good deeds for each other, or to what end? Ancient ethicists often declare personal happiness as the highest good or telos and explore its nature and the means to achieve it. But in De officiis, the focus shifts towards the community, particularly the res publica. Cicero is primarily concerned with its formation or preservation, viewing beneficence (beneficentia/liberalitas/benignitas) as a key tool in this endeavor. The idea that beneficence is advantageous for the community is not a new or contested one. However, that the community is its primary goal, taking precedence over personal happiness, has not been systematically explored until now. This article takes on that task, comparing Cicero’s conception of beneficence with Seneca’s. I argue that for Cicero, the primary goal of giving and receiving benefits is the formation or preservation of the community. In contrast, Seneca mainly demonstrates how these deeds contribute to personal happiness.