Ads Quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero
![“That which leads us to the performance of duty by offering pleasure as its reward, is not virtue, but a deceptive copy and imitation of virtue. [Lat., Nam quae voluptate, quasi mercede aliqua, ad officium impellitur, ea non est virtus sed fallax imitatio simulatioque virtutis.]” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/07f/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_ads_that-which-leads-us-to-the-performance-o_3076771.jpg)
“That which leads us to the performance of duty by offering pleasure as its reward, is not virtue, but a deceptive copy and imitation of virtue. [Lat., Nam quae voluptate, quasi mercede aliqua, ad officium impellitur, ea non est virtus sed fallax imitatio simulatioque virtutis.]”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: On Duties (De Officiis), Book III, 44 BC
Virtue cannot be genuine when motivated by personal pleasure; it becomes a mere imitation lacking moral integrity.
In simple terms: Virtue isn’t true if done for pleasure.
Key Takeaway
Seek duty for its own sake, not for reward.
Themes
ethics
motivation
integrity
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decision
- leadership
- teaching
- self‑discipline
Key Concepts
virtue
deception
imitation
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you identify duties you perform for reward rather than principle?
- How does this affect trust?
A Different Perspective
Pleasure‑driven actions may erode true moral character.
![“Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. [Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione quidem violari fas fuit.]” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/deb/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_hands_things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched_11960.jpg)
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