Arms give way to toga, laurel to praise (Cedant arma togae, concedat laurea laudi)
It is an auto-citation from Cicero's other work, De consulatu suo, an autobiographic, largely lost, poem. The hope is that, in a period of civil struggles, military power may give his way to civil authority, as well as war to diplomacy and peace. The verse was originally referred to Catinline's conspiracy, exposed by Cicero himself, who wishes to put internal discords aside.
We are not born for ourselves alone (non nobis solum nati sumus)
Cicero, quoting in turn Plato, expresses an idea of humanitas, of solidarity between men (mostly in a political meaning), going against selfish attitudes. According to Stoic doctrine, human beings are born for being useful to each others. In this respect, it is fundamental solidifying their bonds and having a give and take relationships.
The foundation of justice, moreover, is good faith, that is, truth and fidelity to promises and agreements (Fundamentum autem est iustitiae fides, id est dictorum conventorumque constantia et veritas)
According to Cicero, keeping good on a given promise is the foundation of the justice and, consequently, of a good civil life. At the same time - Cicero writes - there are two different forms of injustice: offending the neighbor and not reacting to an offense caused to ourselves. The Latin author ascribes the manner of most of the abuses to the greed for money, that drives men to compound injustice.
