Summary of New Books Network Podcast Episode
William H. F. Altman, The Revival of Platonism in Cicero’s Late Philosophy: Platonis Aemulus and the Invention of Cicero
Host: Joseph Liss
Guest: William H. F. Altman
Date: September 30, 2025
Overview and Main Theme
This rich and expansive interview explores William H. F. Altman's 2016 book, The Revival of Platonism in Cicero’s Late Philosophy: Platonis Aemulus and the Invention of Cicero. The discussion focuses on Cicero’s late philosophical works, his relationship to ancient philosophy—especially Platonism—and how Cicero both absorbed and innovated upon the Platonic tradition. Altman emphasizes Cicero’s enduring importance for republican politics, the defense of liberty, and the union of philosophy with eloquent, public-spirited action. The episode draws deliberate parallels between the late Roman Republic and contemporary American civic life.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Altman's Intellectual Journey to Cicero [01:58–08:22]
- Personal History: Altman describes his late introduction to Cicero, which grew from teaching high school during the Reagan era and writing a "Three Democracies" citizenship curriculum (Athens, Rome, Weimar Germany).
- Cicero as Model: Cicero became central both literarily and philosophically to understanding the fall of democratic governments.
- Parallel to Modern Crisis: Altman equates America’s challenges with the crises that confronted Cicero’s Rome, aiming to “inoculate” students against demagogic threats to democracy.
"There is nothing more important for the future citizens of a democracy to know than the causes that have led to the collapse of the great democratic governments of the past."
—William Altman [03:35]
2. Historical and Social Context of Cicero [09:19–14:08]
- Roman Republic Under Strain: By Cicero’s emergence, the Republic was already in a deep, centuries-old crisis, exacerbated by military upheaval (Sulla and Marius) and social inequality.
- Cicero’s Background: A “new man” (novus homo) from Arpinum, Cicero’s remarkable ascent through the cursus honorum was unusual for his non-aristocratic background.
3. Cicero's Political Career and Defence of the Republic [14:08–22:37]
- Office-Holding: Altman details Cicero's steady progression: quaestor (31), aedile (37), praetor (40), consul (43), describing it as a feat resembling "getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot." [14:39]
- Strategy and Ideals: Cicero defended the imperfect Roman Republic not out of naiveté, but as an effort to preserve what was left of a threatened system. Recognizing its flaws, he allied with Pompey as a "lesser of two evils."
- Political Realism: The episode stresses Cicero’s Platonist motivation to “go down into the cave”—to act in flawed political realities, rather than withdraw in pursuit of ideals.
"He went down into the cave...as a Platonist, not because so much its merits. It just is that he...felt there was still freedom..."
—William Altman [17:24]
4. Sulla and the Precedent of Dictatorship [22:37–28:17]
- Sulla’s Example: Sulla’s return with armies and seizure of power set a dangerous precedent, turning the Republic into prey for future military strongmen.
- Teaching Method: Altman recalls how teaching about Sulla provoked students to see direct parallels to their own time, emphasizing the contemporary relevance of these ancient patterns.
"It's not about three democracies...it's really about the fourth democracy or the third republic...the United States of America."
—William Altman [24:02]
5. Cicero as a Complex and Human Figure [28:48–43:54]
- Personality and Character: Plutarch’s critiques (ambition, wit, “uncontrollable appetite for distinction”) are discussed, but Altman defends Cicero as a deeply human—flawed, ambitious, but supremely devoted—figure.
- Difficulty of Studying Cicero: His importance spans literature, history, rhetoric, and philosophy; modern academic specialization often misses Cicero's full significance.
"To praise Cicero with the eloquence that he deserved would require a second Cicero to do that."
—William Altman (quoting Livy) [38:20]
6. The Philosophical Landscape and Cicero’s Platonism [45:19–54:57]
- Philosophical Schools: In Cicero’s time, Stoicism and Epicureanism were dominant, but Cicero charted his own course by reviving the original spirit of Platonism through his study of Philo of Larissa and Antiochus of Ascalon.
- Dialogues and Persona: Altman argues that Cicero consciously “invented” the character of “Cicero” in his dialogues, akin to Plato’s Socrates, blending skepticism and commitment as a rhetorical and moral stance.
"Cicero was so loyal to Plato that he wrote dialogues and thought that that was the best way to teach..."
—William Altman [51:11]
7. Cicero’s Lost Works and the Influence of Augustine [59:14–66:19]
- Hortensius and Augustine: The lost dialogue Hortensius inspired Augustine’s turn to philosophy and faith. Augustine’s Confessions shows the profound, life-changing effect of Cicero's exhortation to philosophy.
- Losses: Much of Cicero’s intellectual legacy is fragmentary—many letters, treatises, and poems are lost—making his surviving work even more precious.
8. The Dream of Scipio and Allegory of the Cave [66:46–74:22]
- De Republica and the Somnium Scipionis: Altman identifies the Dream of Scipio as the key to Cicero’s thought, directly paralleling Plato’s allegory of the cave. He forcefully argues that Cicero’s philosophical and political career is itself an enactment of the Platonic myth—rising to see the “truth”, then returning “downward” (civic engagement) for the good of the city.
"His whole life is the allegory of the cave, and the Somnium Scipionis is so clearly, well, I mean, clearly to me, derived from the cave."
—William Altman [70:50]
9. Grief, Gender, and Philosophical Maturity [74:30–95:37]
- Cato and Tullia: The deaths of the steadfast Cato and especially Cicero’s beloved daughter Tullia are seen as transformative; Tullia's death inspires Cicero’s deepest philosophical and emotional convictions.
- Womanly Humanism: Altman coins the term "womanly humanism" for Cicero’s insight that women, capable of heroic altruism (exemplified in childbirth), are closer to the essence of Platonism than men. He traces this idea to the roots of humanitas, virtue, and public life.
"What I believe happened is that she [Tullia] died in childbirth happily under the belief that her little boy was going to survive her, and...she was happy to lay down her life...That willingness to lay down your life for another...that was Platonism."
—William Altman [82:44]
10. Rhetoric, Platonism, and Civic Engagement [95:37–108:04]
- Philosophy and Eloquence United: Cicero—and, by his lights, any true Platonist—must master eloquence; only the philosophical mind can rise to the highest heights of rhetoric, and only in public service can philosophy be truly completed.
- Demosthenes Model: Altman highlights the crucial link between Plato’s philosophy and Demosthenes’ patriotic oratory, a model that Cicero tries to realize and surpass.
"...Cicero believed...that the idealist philosopher who serves the res publica must not only strive to master rhetoric, but is the only one who can do so and is therefore the most eloquent and the most humane of men."
—Joseph Liss, quoting Altman [95:55]
11. Reception of Cicero and Contemporary Relevance [108:25–116:45]
- Cicero Through the Ages: Altman laments the decline of Cicero’s reputation after the Enlightenment and French Revolution, but maintains hope for a revival in times of democratic peril.
- Lessons for Today: The necessity of “Ciceronian Platonists” in American civic life is stressed—those rare individuals committed to liberty and the Republic, wielding both philosophical acumen and rhetorical courage.
"Eloquence cannot exist without liberty, any more than liberty can be contained without eloquence. It was Cicero's preservation of this insight that ensured that the republic, along with its most eloquent and least obscure defender, would never die."
—William Altman [paraphrasing his book, 111:30]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
"If you're waiting for Superman, if you're waiting for a perfect guy to come along, well, you're going to have a long wait...the whole idea of a republic...is shades of gray and the lesser of two evils."
—William Altman [18:20] -
"The course was really about the United States. Everybody teaching it understood that, but that it had to emerge from the students."
—William Altman [24:02] -
"To praise Cicero with the eloquence that he deserved would require a second Cicero to do that."
—Livy, cited by Altman [38:20] -
"I think Cicero discovered that women are better Platonists than men...what she [Tullia] had done was that he could identify with that and that for the rest of his life he was going to create for her an adequate shrine."
—William Altman [81:40] -
"Cicero’s greatest achievement was the understanding that women are better Platonists than men. Tullia died in childbirth. His favorite daughter died in childbirth...He attributes virtus to his daughter with a straight face..."
—William Altman [81:14] -
"You just feel clean when you defend Cicero because it's not easy, but it calls forth a certain degree of passion and insight."
—William Altman [116:35]
Timestamps of Important Segments
- [01:58] Altman's background and discovery of Cicero
- [09:19] The Roman Republic in crisis and Cicero's rise
- [14:08] Cicero’s cursus honorum and insider-outsider status
- [17:24] Platonism and the defense of a flawed Republic
- [22:37] Sulla’s dictatorship and its precedent
- [28:48] Cicero’s personality and Plutarch’s judgment
- [45:19] Cicero, the philosophical landscape, and Platonism
- [59:14] Cicero’s lost writings and Augustine
- [66:46] The Dream of Scipio and Platonic parallels
- [74:30] Deaths of Cato and Tullia; “womanly humanism”
- [95:37] Cicero, philosophy, and the power of eloquence
- [108:25] Cicero’s legacy and relevance for American democracy
Concluding Reflections
Altman concludes that Cicero’s unique synthesis of Platonism, political activism, and humane eloquence offers vital resources for defending republican liberty, especially in moments of crisis. Cicero remains both a model and a litmus test for civic health: when societies value him, republican virtue thrives; when they neglect him, they edge toward Caesarism.
"As long as republics are in deadly danger and falling into dark night, the academy that deals with Cicero will misconstrue him, will marginalize him, will fail to recognize his heart and reduce him to the level of...take your pick."
—William Altman [95:30]
For listeners seeking a profound, passionate, and detailed reconsideration of Cicero as philosopher, statesman, and defender of culture, this episode—anchored in personal engagement, scholarly debate, and powerful analogies to present-day threats—offers an unmatched resource.