Contents
Chap. I.—A comparison of the truth with eloquence: why the philosophers did not attain to it. Of the simple style of the scriptures
Chap. II.—Of philosophy, and how vain was its occupation in setting forth the truth
Chap. III.—Of what subjects philosophy consists, and who was the chief founder of the academic sect
Chap. IV.—That knowledge is taken away by Socrates, and conjecture by Zeno
Chap. V.—That the knowledge of many things is necessary
Chap. VI.—Of wisdom, and the academics, and natural philosophy
Chap. VII.—Of moral philosophy, and the chief good
Chap. VIII.—Of the chief good, and the pleasures of the soul and body, and of virtue
Chap. IX.—Of the chief good, and the worship of the true God, and a refutation of Anaxagoras
Chap. X.—It is the peculiar property of man to know and worship God
Chap. XI.—Of religion, wisdom, and the chief good
Chap. XII.—Of the twofold conflict of body and soul; and of desiring virtue on account of eternal life
Chap. XIII.—Of the immortality of the soul, and of wisdom, philosophy, and eloquence
Chap. XIV.—That Lucretius and others have erred, and Cicero himself, in fixing the origin of wisdom
Chap. XV.—The error of Seneca in philosophy, and how the speech of philosophers is at variance with their life
Chap. XVI.—That the philosophers who give good instructions live badly, by the testimony of Cicero; therefore we should not so much devote ourselves to the study of philosophy as to wisdom
Chap. XVII.—He passes from philosophy to the philosophers, beginning with Epicurus; and how he regarded Leucippus and Democritus as authors of error
Chap. XVIII.—The Pythagoreans and Stoics, while they hold the immortality of the soul, foolishly persuade a voluntary death
Chap. XIX.—Cicero and others of the wisest men teach the immortality of the soul, but in an unbelieving manner; and that a good or an evil death must be weighed from the previous life
Chap. XX.—Socrates had more knowledge in philosophy than other men, although in many things he acted foolishly
Chap. XXI.—Of the system of Plato, which would lead to the overthrow of states
Chap. XXII.—Of the precepts of Plato, and censures of the same
Chap. XXIII.—Of the errors of certain philosophers, and of the sun and moon
Chap. XXIV.—Of the antipodes, the heaven, and the stars
Chap. XXV.—Of learning philosophy, and what great qualifications are necessary for its pursuit
Chap. XXVI.—It is divine instruction only which bestows wisdom; and of what efficacy the law of God is
Chap. XXVII.—How little the precepts of philosophers contribute to true wisdom, which you will find in religion only
Chap. XXVIII.—Of true religion and of nature. whether fortune is a goddess, and of philosophy
Chap. XXIX.—Of fortune again, and virtue
Chap. XXX.—The conclusion of the things before spoken; and by what means we must pass from the vanity of the philosophers to true wisdom, and the knowledge of the true god, in which alone are virtue and happiness
