Quote of the day by Marcus Tullius Cicero: ‘The life of the dead is placed in…’

Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman lawyer and statesman who was active during the late Republic in resisting the rise of dictatorship. Later generations were influenced by his polished style of writing Latin. Born in 106 BCE in Arpinum, Latium [now Arpino, Italy], Cicero hailed from a wealthy family of Arpinum.

He pursued education in Rome and in Greece. Later he did military service in 89 under Pompeius Strabo (the father of the statesman and general Pompey) and made his first appearance in the courts defending Publius Quinctius in 81, according to Britannica.

Cicero tried to uphold republican principles in the final civil wars that destroyed the Roman Republic, but all his efforts were in vain.


According to Britannica, his writings include books of rhetoric, orations, philosophical and political treatises, and letters. In modern times, he is remembered as the greatest Roman orator and the innovator of what became known as Ciceronian rhetoric. He died on December 7, 43 BCE, in Formiae, Latium (now Formia).

Quote of the day by Marcus Tullius Cicero: “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” The quote is widely attributed to Cicero. The quote is widely attributed to Cicero.

Meaning of the quote of the day: Cicero’s quote comes from his philosophical writings and reflects a common theme in Roman thought about remembrance, legacy, and honor. The quote emphasized that people continue to live on based on how they are remembered by others.

The influence of a dead person, their character, and actions survive only in the memories, stories, and remembrance of the living.