Civic responsibility
idea · 2 works · 2 mentions · 2 anchored passages
duty · common weal · duties · public services · responsibilities · welfare of the state · what is required
in the texts
Fourth Philippic
The obligation of citizens to deliberate, fund, serve, and act for the commonwealth.
Now, men of Athens, with regard to such public services as it is the duty of everyone to discharge, both with person and with property, that there should be a disposition to avoid them is not right—indeed, far from it—but still it does admit of some excuse notwithstanding;
but your aim is to find fault with these latter and, by turning the subject into ridicule and raillery, to avoid doing any part of your own duty.
It is that each one of you, Athenians, may know and realize this—that in state affairs, as well as in private life, daily indifference and carelessness do not make their result felt at once on each occasion when duty is neglected, but come home to us when the total result of our policy is seen.
Third Olynthiac
The duty of citizens and statesmen to prefer public welfare and common defense over ease or popularity.
For selfish greed had no place in their statesmanship, but each thought it his duty to further the common weal.
But I consider it right as a citizen to set the welfare of the state above the popularity of an orator.
For what I have seen and heard convinces me that most of your chances have escaped us rather from a disinclination to do our duty than from a failure to understand it.