Nancy Salvato, Senior Editor

Eternal Principle
August 30, 2010

Marcus Tullius Cicero, who was born in 105 B.C. and was beheaded by Antony's soldiers in 43 B.C, writes in On the Laws ,

"Law was neither a thing to be contrived by the genius of man, nor established by any decree of the people, but a certain eternal principle, which governs the entire universe, wisely commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong.”

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson echoes this eternal truth when he explains that the function of government is to secure God-given rights.

How do we know about these rights?

Cicero explains that the supreme law is "the mind of God” and that from the moment of our existence, through our power of reason, God incites us to do good and deters us from evil.

Cicero continues,

"Every law which deserves the name of a law, ought to be morally good and laudable. It is clear, say they, that laws were originally made for the security of the people, for the preservation of states, for the peace and happiness of society; and that they who first framed enactments of that kind, persuaded the people that they would write and publish such laws only as should conduce to the general morality and happiness, if they would receive and obey them.”

It is clear that Jefferson and the founders understood and believed in the eternal principle and Cicero’s interpretation. He writes that people are,

"...endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,..."

Cicero explains,

"...no law but that of justice should either be proclaimed as one or enforced as one.”

Jefferson writes,

"...whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness.”

Cicero gave a lot of thought to the eternal principle. He provides his understanding of the relationship between God and man in The Dream of Scipio. There are so many passages on which we can reflect in his writing, but this is one of my favorite explanations of our purpose here on this earth.

"The most splendid deeds you can do are those which serve your country. Those souls devoted to such deeds will find it easy to wing their way to this place, which is the true and genuine home for human souls. The soul's flight will be all the more quick if, during the period of confinement within the body, this soul has contemplatively roamed widely, thinking on what lies outside itself, and has contrived ways to detach itself from the body as much as possible. When one has failed to do this, and has abandoned the soul to bodily indulgence and enslaved it to the body, allowing those passions which are bonded to pleasure to persuade the soul to flout the laws of gods and men, this soul, after departing from the body, can only hover weakly above the earth. Nor does it return to its proper place in the heavens until it has suffered many ages of torment.”

The ideas contemplated by Cicero transcend the ages. Either we have a purpose for being here on earth, or we are nothing. At this moment in history, we must take a moment to think about eternal principle and where we fit in. Personally, I believe that each one of us is here to learn lessons, to teach, and to leave this earth better for our having been here. The soul inside of me yearns to be freed.