Cicero on Gratitude
"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." Cicero, in Latin, puts it: «Gratia non solum maxima virtus est, sed omnis aliarum virtutum parens.»
Nicolas Poussin — "Midas Washing at the Source of the Pactolus" (ca. 1627), public domain
The root of all virtue, in Latin.
Cicero, in Pro Plancio (section 80), states: «Gratia non solum maxima virtus est, sed omnis aliarum virtutum parens.» — “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” He wrote it as Rome’s world was falling apart.
Why gratitude first?
For Cicero, without gratitude, courage becomes arrogance, justice turns to cruelty, and wisdom is wasted. Every Roman virtue—pietas, fides, fortitudo—starts with acknowledging what you owe to others. It’s humility in action, and a bulwark against corruption.
Cicero saw politics as a war for the soul—gratitude wasn’t just a sentiment, but the foundation for every other strength Rome admired. Lose it, and everything topples.
